Rule of the Week - Article 243 - Abuse of Horses

Article 243 - Abuse of Horses

1. All forms of cruel, inhumane or abusive treatment of horses, which include, but are not limited to various forms of rapping, are strictly forbidden (Art 242.2.8)

Any act or series of actions that in the opinion of the Ground Jury can be deemed abuse of a Horse shall be penalized according to the General Regulations with one or more of the following penalties:

(i) yellow warning card (see also 240.1 and GRs Art. 142);

(ii) fine;

(iii) elimination;

(iv) disqualification.

2. The following is considered abuse of a Horse:

2.1. Rapping Horses

The term "rapping" includes all of the artificial techniques intended to induce the horse to jump higher or more carefully in competition. It is not practical to list every possible means of rapping, but in general it consists of the athlete - and/or dismounted assistants, for whose behaviour the athlete is responsible - either hitting the horse's legs manually with something (no matter with what or by whom) or deliberately causing the horse to hit something itself, whether by building obstacles too large and/or too wide, setting false ground lines, placing trotting poles or the elements of a combination at a false distance, intentionally pulling or pushing the horse into an obstacle or otherwise making it difficult or impossible for the horse to negotiate the practice obstacle without hitting it.

It is forbidden to jump unauthorised obstacles or to rap a horse in any way and in any place on the grounds of the event or to leave the grounds of the event for any purpose during the period of the event (GR-101.5).

In the case of rapping or any other abusive schooling practice within the period of jurisdiction of the Ground Jury, the athlete and the horse concerned will be disqualified from all competitions for at least twenty-four hours. In addition, the Ground Jury can take any further action it deems appropriate under the particular circumstances including, but not limited to, disqualifying the Athlete and/or Horse from the entire Event.

2.2. Excessive use of the whip:

 The whip may not be used to vent an Athlete’s temper. Such use is always excessive; 

 The whip is not to be used after elimination

The whip is never to be used overhand, (for example a whip in the right hand being used on the left flank). The use of a whip on a Horse’s head is always excessive use;

 A Horse should never be hit more than three (3) times in a row. If a Horse’s skin is broken, it is always considered excessive use of the whip;

 An Athlete identified as misusing or excessively using the whip will be disqualified and may be fined at the discretion of the Ground Jury

2.3. Other Forms of Abuse:

Abuse of Horses in any other form (such as, but not limited to, hyper sensitising or desensitising of the limbs, the use of banned schooling methods, excessive use of spurs, and other cases as specified in the VRs or any other EA/FEI rules and regulations) is also prohibited and must be penalised appropriately under these rules.