Equine Health Report
USPA Equine Drugs and Medications Rules
By Dr. Michael Manno, DVM
March 11, 2010

It was a little less than a year ago when the polo world was rocked with the horrifying loss of 21 horses at IPC due to a fatal drug administration. As national and international media scrutiny ensued, we all waited for the repercussions. In an article I wrote then, I lamented that the deeds of just a few would change the way we treat our horses in polo. That day has arrived and the USPA, not without warrant, has just instituted drug testing in our sport.

Now you may not give this much credence or think it will not affect you – and the odds are that it might not. But, the reality is that things are different now and as the owner of a polo horse you now are fully responsible for the condition of that horse medically. I am not about to go into the whole set of rules and regulations, you can read them on the USPA website. I am also not about to criticize the implementation of the new policy as the Committee did a wonderful job in trying to tailor a testing program to the specific needs of polo. Besides, I am a member of the Equine Welfare Committee. It is just a shame that it came to this. As a veterinarian practicing at the racetrack, I used to spend my first hour in the track cafeteria every morning writing up my confidential report documenting every medication that I gave to every horse for every trainer. I still have to do this today. It is the same in the horse show world … and now in polo. Besides being a hassle, the problem is they are all different programs with different allowable and prohibited substances and different withdrawal times. I mean, I have a Masters in pharmacology and used to teach the course in Vet School and I have trouble keeping up with all these programs. You will now need to understand the classes of allowable, restricted and prohibited drugs – oh boy!

We need to understand that this program covers all USPA events – grass, arena, interscholastic and intercollegiate – see Rule 6.2.5. If you are playing at a USPA club, you have the possibility of having your horse tested at any time. The USPA program basically allows 4 groups of medications – dewormers, anti-ulcers medications, hormonal therapies and antibiotics. But wait, procaine penicillin is not allowed – you know the white stuff we inject in the muscle all the time for infections. That is because it has procaine, a local anesthetic. If you use it, technically your horse cannot play for 2 weeks! And the hormonal therapy clause allows the use of anabolic steroids in polo horses at any time – huh?

Some more highlights for you. Only 1 NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) is allowed at a time – i.e. Banamine or Bute – not both. And you cannot administer these drugs less than 12 hours before competition and not in an amount that would cause blood levels to exceed maximum allowable limits if tested. Have you got your chemistry books out of the closet yet? And if you have the “special” mount that needs a little Ace to keep you in the saddle – sorry, not allowed. Oh, as for fluphenazine, you can use it but your horse can’t play for 3 months. Using Ventipulmin, it has a 7 day withdrawal time.

Now the committee did put in some polo specific safeguards. If your horse has a medical need and has to be treated, your vet can do so if he/she turns in USPA Medication Report #1 (great more paperwork). And if an emergency comes up such as a laceration on the trailer, then your vet can suture it and turn in USPA Medication Report #2 – are we having fun yet? Are you with me? Come on kids, follow along.

Ok, so I am being a bit cynical. This program will be a work in progress and should evolve into one we will hopefully follow and get used to over time. For the time being, please take a moment to read over the program on the USPA website. Remember people, it is random testing – anytime, any horse, any game. Be careful, Big Brother is watching.

Ultimately, it is about the horse – it just may not seem that way right now. Be safe out there.