In February, the USEF Board adopted new penalty guidelines for drugs and medications cases, which will guide both informal resolutions and cases before the Hearing Committee. You can find a link to the full guidelines here. 

The updated guidelines were designed with three goals in mind: 

• Enhance member awareness of the process and promote understanding of what to expect if they are notified of a positive finding; 

• Better reflect how penalties for certain substances are currently treated; 

• Reinforce consistency across similar cases and categories of substances. 

Here are the key changes coming this summer: 

Horse Suspensions for Higher Categories 

The most important change to the guidelines is that horses who test positive for certain categories of substances will be suspended at the same time as the responsible person (usually the trainer). For example, if a horse tests positive for acepromazine (Category II), and the trainer’s penalty includes a two-month suspension, the horse will also be suspended for that same two-month period. It is now mandatory that if a horse tests positive for a qualifying substance and the trainer is issued a suspension for that violation, the horse will be suspended for the same period. The guidelines provide some flexibility for the length of the suspension issued to the responsible person depending on the circumstances of a case, but whatever the final determination is on suspension length, the horse will now be tied to it. The Board made this change because they wanted to incentivize owners to take an active role in their horse’s wellbeing and decision-making on medication administration.  

This starts with samples collected after May 31, 2026, and applies to positive tests for Category II, III, or IV substances.  

(Please note that this change is not related to to rule change proposal Tracking 027-25. That proposal, which is open for public comment as of this writing, proposes an immediate, provisional 60-day suspension that could apply to a horse testing positive for selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), barbiturates, specific anticonvulsants, anabolic steroids, long-acting tranquilizers or psychotropics, and Category IV substances. This proposed provisional suspension would apply after the testing of the B sample but prior to the final conclusion of the case, with the goal of protecting a horse who may have been administered a serious or dangerous substance. That proposal is expected to be reviewed by the board in June 2026.) 

As a reminder, here are the categories in the guidelines:  

• Category I – quantitatively-restricted substances such as NSAIDS, dexamethasone, and methocarbamol; 

• Category II – Prohibited Substances that have a legitimate therapeutic uses in horses such as corticosteroids, local anesthetics for treating lacerations, and some common colic treatments; 

• Category III – Prohibited Substances that are not labeled for use in horses, but which are FDA-approved and regulated for use in humans such as opiates and antipsychotics; 

• Category IV – Prohibited Substances that can alter performance of horses or are designed to evade detection. Substances that are not FDA-approved for any use. Examples include GABA and Phenibut. 

 

Creation of Sub-Categories 

The guidelines now include sub-categories to address certain substances that don’t fit well into the existing categories. The sub-categories provide clarification and align the penalty guidelines with USEF’s current approach to penalties for these substances.  

One of the new subcategories is Category II.a., which includes altrenogest, cetirizine, and metformin. These carry lighter penalties than a typical Category II substance.  

“The Hearing Committee and the Board realized that it didn’t make sense to handle cetirizine the same way as some of the other Category II drugs, for example,” explained Dr. Stephen Schumacher. “All Category IIs legitimate therapeutic uses, but they have very different impacts on a horse’s performance and people can have very different intentions when using them.”  

Similarly, the new guidelines created a Category II.b., which includes short-acting sedatives such as acepromazine and detomidine, which have a higher starting penalty than a regular Category II. This is because these drugs carry a higher potential for abuse in affecting or manipulation performance.  

Additionally, Category III has now been refined to include Category III.a., which is designed to address the ubiquitous nature of CBD in products marketed for humans and pets. This sub-category carries lighter starting penalties than other Category III substances.  

“We still don’t want people intentionally giving CBD to horses who are actively competing, but we also recognize that it’s unregulated and is in a huge number of products for humans and animals, including topicals and other forms,” said Dr. Schumacher. “That means there’s an increased risk of unintentional exposure compared to other Category III substances.” 

To learn more about the risks of CBD products for horses, check out this article from September 2025.   

The updated guidelines also include a separate section to address violations of what is known as the 12-hour rule, which prohibits the injection of any substance into a horse within 12 hours of that horse competing. This includes enhancement of the penalty if there is a positive finding related to the 12-hour violation.  

 

Important Reminders 

The vast majority of samples collected at USEF shows come back clean. Among the positives that are detected, most are Category I findings. Category III and IV findings are extremely rare – in fact, there were no Category IV positives in 2025. This breakout of substances by category is similar to what horse racing and human anti-doping programs find, and this makes sense – it reflects that the program is working effectively if most people are following the rules and helping maintain a level playing field.  

The Penalty Guidelines are just that – guidelines, rather than rules. They allow aggravating or mitigating factors to be taken into account depending on the circumstances. While USEF attempts to resolve most cases through an offer of informal resolution, if both sides can’t agree, the case will move to a hearing before a panel of the USEF Hearing Committee. 

Remember that (in general) trainers are responsible and accountable for any positive findings, per Chapter 4 of the General Rules. Please consult the rules, USEF Drugs & Medications Page, and/or contact the Veterinary Department at [email protected] or 800-633-2472 with any drugs or medications questions.