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USEF Insider Articles

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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USEF Insider: Safety Vests in Horse Sports: What We Know and What We Don't

by Natalie Voss | February 5, 2026

In recent years, safety air vests have become a popular piece of safety equipment for equestrians across a range of disciplines. ASTM-certified body protectors became mandatory in eventing for the cross country phase starting in 2006, but both foam body protectors and air vests are increasingly being seen in other competition rings, too. Equestrian helmets are tested by one of several international standards organizations which have protocols for evaluating the performance of helmets under

USEF Insider: What’s Happening With That Rule? AEDs Could Be Required at Horse Shows

by Natalie Voss | February 5, 2026

This is the second edition of our series about proposed rule changes. Rule changes go through a long process wherein members, committees, and councils review and revise them before they are passed or rejected. (You can learn more about that process i n this article from Equestrian Magazine .) This series is aimed at helping members understand why rule changes have been proposed, why they’re constructed the way they are, and how they may change as they go through the process. You can

USEF Insider: Our First Member Listening Session of 2026 Is Fast Approaching!

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | February 5, 2026

After receiving positive feedback from members about our 2025 horse welfare town hall series, US Equestrian will be continuing in-person and virtual listening sessions in 2026 focusing on horse and member welfare. The first session of the year will be held at Desert Circuit at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., next Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Palms Club. US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney and COO/General Counsel Sonja Keating will be on hand to provide updates on

USEF Insider: Is Equestrian Sport Ready to Deal With Fall Data?

by Debbie Elliot | February 5, 2026

Improving the safety of our sport for both horse and rider is a priority for US Equestrian. At the 2026 Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., a session titled “Equestrian Safety: Are We Ready?” discussed how aspects such as data collection and concussion management can make equestrian sport safer. Moderator David O’Connor, US Equestrian Chief of Sport, opened the panel discussion by stating that there are 1.77 million “starts” in USEF-licensed competitions each

In Response to Affiliate, Licensed Official and Member Feedback, USEF Board Agrees to Adjust Schedule for General Rule Updates

by Natalie Voss | January 21, 2026

The US Equestrian Board of Directors met on Jan. 18, 2026 at the conclusion of the Federation’s annual meeting in Louisville, Ky. In addition to getting update reports on various long-term initiatives, the board made key decisions on several rule changes and other resolutions. Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Proposed Rule Changes The board disapproved an extraordinary rule change to GR803 which had been discussed at the mid-year board meeting in June 2025 and was tabled. This rule change

Trainers vs. Coaches: Clearing Up Entry Blank Confusion

by Natalie Voss | January 21, 2026

As the new competition year begins, US Equestrian would like to clear up some confusion about the roles listed on entry agreements and waivers. We’ve had a number of questions from people about how to determine who needs to be listed as a “trainer” or a “coach” on entry forms, and we can understand that this can be confusing. The terms are sometimes used differently across breeds and disciplines, and even between barns. For the purposes of an entry agreement, a

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 has been 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. This version of the rule will be available for member comment through April 19. This week, we’re debuting a new series about proposed rule changes. Rule changes go through a long process

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

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