Sports forum in Lausanne: numerous changes proposed for the veterinary sector
At the end of March, numerous topics related to equine welfare were discussed at the fifth FEI Sports Forum. These discussions will serve as the basis for proposing new rules or rule changes at the FEI General Assembly in November. The discussions focused on equine welfare in light of scientific findings. Topics included the fitness of animals for competition, regulations concerning neurectomy, the Henneke scale for assessing a horse’s physical condition, and the function of the jugular vein. It was suggested that regional and geographical-climatic differences should also be considered when determining competition fitness criteria.
Exceptions to the use of pergolide, a drug used to treat equine Cushing’s syndrome, were also on the agenda, as were the potential abolition of injection treatments, stricter restrictions on the possession of substances and medications, and the use of infusion therapies during competitions. According to ideas presented at the forum, horses treated with pergolide should no longer be required to take a break from medication during competitions, as such a break could worsen the animals’ condition. The question of whether show jumping horses are mentally suited for a course was even raised, and corresponding evaluation criteria were proposed. The aforementioned neurectomy—the so-called nerve resection—should, according to specialists, be recorded in the horse’s passport in the future; alternatively, the FEI should prohibit the severing of the palmar nerve. Animal welfare laws already prohibit this practice in some countries.
Further discussion points concerned animal welfare and safety in the stables. These included noise and noise control, as well as the use of so-called “soft mobility” in stables. The use of bicycles, e-scooters, and similar devices there is subject to general safety concerns; exceptions should only be made for para-athletes. To ensure horses get the rest they need, especially during tournaments that last from early morning until late evening, the idea of closing the stables at 6 p.m. was discussed. Compliance with a minimum of six hours without light in the stables should be more strictly enforced in the future. The constant noise of ice machines used to cool pads for joints was reportedly a complaint, particularly at the CHIO Aachen. One proposal stipulates that an animal should not be cooled for half an hour before a veterinary examination, as cooled joints can mask lameness.
The procedures and cost structure for measuring ponies are also to be reviewed. Participants also demanded clarity on how to handle horses deemed dangerous in competition. The balance between a horse exhibiting dangerous behavior but capable of top athletic performance increasingly became the focus of this discussion point. The FEI Sports Forum also addressed the right to take DNA samples from a horse during an event for reliable identification. The use of magnetic blankets is to be regulated so that they may only be powered by batteries that generate a magnetic field of a harmless maximum of 100 gauss. Finally, it will be examined whether the thresholds for hypo- and hypersensitivity can be removed from the protocols for assessing limb sensitivity.
Many of these proposals are already legally regulated in Western European countries, but are not yet enshrined in the FEI rules. Whether and what will ultimately be included will, as mentioned, only be decided by the FEI General Assembly at the end of the year.
The information in this text is based on the following two articles:
https://www.eurodressage.com/2026/04/06/fei-veterinary-regulations-session-2026-fei-sports-forum-pergolide-neurectomy-ice
https://equi-pages.de/en/news/other-equestrian-sports/fei-sports-forum-nerve-section-cushing-ice-and-homeopathy-under-discussion
Translated from German by AI and adjusted by Paul Krier. Original article was also published in the “Lëtzebuerger Bauer” weekly newspaper.