FEI proposes dramatic blood rule change

EVENTING, endurance and vaulting also have blood rule updates in their 2018 proposals.

The eventing rules have been clarified “following discussions with other disciplines” to read that “not all cases of blood will lead to elimination” and that the most serious cases will be dealt with under the abuse of horse protocols.

There is no automatic elimination for blood in eventing at present. While there is no mention of blood in the current endurance regulations, there are proposals to include this in next year’s rulebook.

“Horses in competition that have free flowing blood from an injury or from a orifice will be examined by a panel of three veterinarians who will report their findings to the president of the ground jury,” states the rule, which continues: “Such horses will fail to qualify and will be eliminated from the competition.”

Vaulting has also brought in a blood rule to ensure “alignment with other disciplines”.