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Here you can find our archive of stories from Equestrian Weekly, our once-a-week look at affiliate news, international competition, amateur profiles, horse care tips, and more. You’ll also find stories from the USEF Insider, a twice-monthly email newsletter packed with features about USEF people and programs, including our drugs and medications program, regulations, and competitions departments.

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What’s Happening With That Rule? Provisional Suspensions for Key Substances

by Natalie Voss | January 21, 2026

Please note that as of March 2026, a second draft of this rule change proposal was issued in response to committee and member feedback. The new version of the proposal limits the provisional suspension to the horse and the trainer, and does not impose it until after the B sample has been returned. As of June 2026, provisional suspensions were removed from this rule draft after considerable feedback from members who were not in favor of it, and the version of the rule which was approved focused

The Elephant in the Room: Competition Costs, Fees, and What’s Ahead

by Natalie Voss | January 20, 2026

It’s no secret that costs have risen for everyone – from the grocery store to your vet bills and yes, even your US Equestrian fees. One of the biggest things we heard from members when we announced a rise in fees (which goes into effect April 1) was that their frustration wasn’t only about the cost of their membership. Rather, they’re feeling the squeeze from that across-the-board creep on all costs, which has been going on for a few years. A University of Guelph study

Adequan® Elite Trainer Program Helps Improve Equine Joint Health Care and Knowledge

by US Equestrian Communications | January 20, 2026

Recognizing the pivotal role that trainers play in the overall well-being of horses, American Regent Animal Health, makers of Adequan i.m. ® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), recently launched an expanded version of its Adequan ® Elite Trainer Program, which is designed to educate trainers about equine joint health. The Adequan ® Elite Trainer Program originally launched as a pilot program in 2023 as a unique initiative offering extensive education on equine arthritis, also known as

“Most of Us Like the Idea of Helping Each Other”

by Debbie Elliot | January 12, 2026

Georganna Parker, Judy Nielson and Bobby Shazam celebrating a 5th place finish; photo courtesy of Callie Dodson Most of us relish the idea of a guardian angel looking out for us in our time of need, but rarely does that dream become a reality. For 14-year-old Georganna Parker, from Greer, S.C., her guardian angel came in the form of Las Vegas-based trainer Judy Nielson. Georganna was over the moon when she received an invitation to apply for the USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.

Engraving History, One Stroke at a Time

by Natalie Voss | January 9, 2026

Next week, a new set of horses and humans will go down in our history books as award winners, on two sparkling nights during the US Equestrian annual meeting. It's a real honor to have a name added to the perpetual trophies that will be on display that evening – and it also requires some steady hands behind the scenes. Engraver Lindsey Wells makes a trip from her base in Ohio each fall to add the previous year’s names to USEF’s fleet of silver trophies, so they’ll

Meet Our Board Members: Judy Sloan

by Mollie Bailey | January 9, 2026

Like so many equestrians, Judy Sloan’s earliest memory involves horses. “My father used to hack on Sundays after church with my grandfather up the hill to our house in Millbrook, N.Y., and then he’d pull me onto his big Irish hunter and walk me around,” said Sloan. Those toddler moments marked the beginning of a lifelong love affair with horses that would take Sloan to the FEI level in dressage as an amateur. She’s passionate about helping horses and horsemen

Struggling with Competition Costs? USEF Lite May Be Able to Help

by Kimberly Loushin | January 9, 2026

The cost of everything is going up these days – for competitors, trainers, horse owners, event organizers, venue operators, and others. We understand that not all competitors want to point to championships or accumulate points, and that’s ok! Many equestrians do want to compete in a regulated environment with rules and policies that support safety and welfare for equestrians and their horses, but don’t want to spend a lot of money to do it. That’s where USEF Lite comes

USEF Mythbusters: What’s OK During a Suspension?

by Natalie Voss | January 9, 2026

We’ve seen a lot of myths and confusion floating around social media in recent months when it comes suspended persons. You may be wondering what someone can and can’t do when on suspension, or you may have even seen posts suggesting that we instruct suspended people on how to continue operating their businesses while on suspension. Most of the time, people who are serving suspensions abide by the restrictions in our rulebook, and many who take a misstep do so because they've

Meet Our Board Members: Ellie Brimmer

by Mollie Bailey | December 9, 2025

Eleanor “Ellie” Brimmer’s first big para dressage show back in 2010 got off to a rocky start. Brimmer was aboard a borrowed horse in California for her first FEI show who turned out to be a bit cheeky, and he bucked her off while she was circling the arena, eliminating her. Despite the inauspicious beginning, Brimmer kept at it, earning a spot on the longlist for the 2012 Paralympic Games, a national championship and leadership roles out of the saddle. Brimmer (Wellington, Fla.

Calming Supplements and USEF: How Do You Know What’s Allowed?

by Natalie Voss | December 9, 2025

One topic we’ve had a lot of questions about in recent months is supplements (most commonly calming supplements), and how to figure out what aligns with US Equestrian’s rules for competition. Let’s walk through the process of determining whether a supplement is ok to use. Whatever you believe may ail you or your horse, there is probably a supplement out there that claims to fix it. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report showed the human supplement market

"All of Them Cried as They Told Their Horse What They’d Been Through”

by Debbie Elliot | November 20, 2025

The Los Angeles-area fires dominated news headlines around the world from Jan. 7 to 31, 2025. The series of 14 fires — the largest of which were the Palisades and Eaton Fires — led to 200,000 evacuations, destroyed more than 18,000 homes and structures, and burned over 57,529 acres. Long after the last fire was contained, the impact of the disaster is still felt across Los Angeles by those who lost their homes and are struggling to get back on their feet, and the thousands who

Making Magic Happen: Chris & Rob Desino's Full Circle Moment with Miks Master C

by Chris & Rob Desino | November 19, 2025

There are some horses you notice instantly—the kind that make you stop mid-conversation and just watch. For us, that horse was Miks Master C. Liz Halliday aboard Miks Master C at the 2024 CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S (©Shannon Brinkman) The first time Rob laid eyes on “Mikki,” he was stabled across from our horse, Monster, at Rebecca Farm in Montana. He looked strikingly similar to Deniro Z—same elegance, same power—and Rob couldn’t help but be drawn to him.