Legal Remedies and Herbs

[lyoness@castlenet.com (Joane White)]

First, I appreciate the healthy debate my innocent question triggered.  I
really was looking for an easy answer to send to an herbalist who asked me
that same question.  She wanted to know what tests were administered to the
horses at rides and what substances were disclosed.She wanted to use some
herbal horse mixes.  Do I tell her "It is simple, don't give the horse
anything that could affect his natural ability to compete?"  That is not
much of any answer--it begs the question.

Perhaps our resident vets could tell us what substances are being disclosed
in the tests.  I'm particularly interested in the statement that the herbs
will "test" but the homeopathics will not.  Since many homeopathics are
herbs, why wouldn't they test? Many drugs are plants/herbs,why will they
test? For that matter, why are any of these things necessarily bad?

I don't intend to give my horses anything that violates Rule 13 but, as a
lawyer, I cannot imagine a Rule more open to attack or abuse.

Rule 13 provides in relevant part: The integrity of Endurance Competition
requires that the equine is not influenced by any drug, medication or
veterinary treatment. Endurance equines must compete entirely on their
natural ability. AERC prohibits from competition equines who contain
evidence of the administration of abnormal substances or of normal
substances in abnormal amounts...  

The words DRUGS, MEDICATION or VETERINARY TREATMENT in Rule 13 leave alot of
room to legally give horses more that just food. Why do we automatically
exclude these things?  Why not say "harmful" drugs ect. 

Also, COMPETING ENTIRELY ON NATURAL ABILITY has nothing to do with feeding
"natural substances or natural food". The adjective "natural" in the Rule
modifies the horse's ability not his diet. 

For example, we all agree that our horses need the natural plants and
substances in their diets that were part of their evolutionary background.
If allowed to roam free, they tend to select what they need.  This is
particulary apparent to those who see ranch-raised horses.  They don't
always select just plants; often minerals are their choice. All of these
substances were, and often still are, a part of the equine pasture.  

Most of the herbs that will "TEST" (whatever that really means) grow wild in
a good pasture and many others should be planted back (if they have been
removed) to ensure the horses' health.  Will my horses test positive because
I allow them to graze on comfrey, dandelion, stinging nettle, plantain,
mullien, foxglove, red clover, ect.  Afterall, alfalfa is the herb lucerne.
The fact that it has up to 24% protein could be seen as artificially
enhancing the "HORSE'S NATURAL ABILITY" much the same way sugar may cause a
child to be hyper.

Now, to make matters more complex, cut and bale that same pasture and you
have all those substances in your hay.  Is that bad?  All the health
literature says that is very good! Will my horses test positive because they
eat the hay? Did I alter their natural ability by giving them vitamins,
minerals or even food for that matter? 

Now, take those same plants and reduce them to a liquid form and you have
homeopathic remedies (which apparently don't test).  Is the comfrey
(expressly banned for human consumption according to some of the literature)
growing in my field any more or less legal than its homeopathic counterpart
known as symphytum? Should it be treated differently? If we call the new
product a "drug" and have it prescribed by a vet, does that make it an
instant violation of Rule 13 because it is veterinary treatment?

Horses eat salt and their bodies need it, so electrolytes are okay?  The
combinations of substances we administer as electrolytes are certainly not
natural in the horse's environment.  They certainly do affect his natural
ability. Does this mean we all violate Rule 13 when we use them?  Come now,
Carbochargers, probiotics--these are all having significant affects on the
natural ability of our horses to compete.  So are shoes, Easyboots and
---the list is endless. Please note that the Rule does not limit itself to
things that go inside the horse. Is an Icepack a veterinary treatment if the
vet recommends it but not one if the rider ices legs without the vet?

The Rule fails to define the problem--HARMFUL substances and
practices--things that hurt our horses.  The Rule is not simple; it is
simplistic! In my opinion, the Rule as written is an international incident
waiting to happen. Aren't carbochargers, probiotics and electrolytes  normal
substances in abnormal amounts?  Can't you just see the protest when the
first place horse has used all of the above and the second place horse has
not. Mark my words, the day is coming.

I still don't know what to tell my herbalist friend!

Joane and the Herd
Price, Utah