IALHA National Show Chairman fined, drugged horse

[MustangAppy]

Gareth Selwood, the IALHA National Show Chairman, Member of the
IALHA Executive Committee, and IALHA Judge, has been fined for a horse being drugged at the 2007 Baroque Horse Festival Show, an IALHA sanctioned event in July.


The February, 2008, issue of Equestrian, the official magazine of
the USEF, states on page 93 that:


"GARETH SELWOOD of Lake Geneva, Wl, violated Chapter 4, GR41 0-GR411, of this Federation in connection with the Baroque Horse Festival Horse Show held on July 6-8, 2007, in that GARETH SELWOOD, as trainer, exhibited the horse LEONARDO NORSK after it had been administered and/or contained in its body cetirizine.

For this violation, it was determined that GARETH SELWOOD be censured, pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a."

Cetirizine hydrochloride is an antihistamine. Cetrizine is a metabolite of hydroxyzine; hydroxyzine is a prohibited drug in equine competition. Cetrizine hydrochloride can induce a state of
drowsiness/sluggish behavior and it may also be used to mask the
detection of other foreign substances in the body.


The horse, Leonardo Norsk, the 2007 USEF Halter Horse of the Year,
is currently featured in the sales list section of Selwood's website at
selwoodpark.com/sales4.htm.

[gratefulknits]

Wow! Busted for taking allergy medicine! Bummer, dude.

I don't actually know anything about the effect of this drug in horses, maybe it really is naughty. But wouldn't you think a big muckety-muck like that would KNOW what is on the no-no list?

[piopico]

You WOULD!!!

[MustangAppy]

Yeah, but the testing is random, so some people will risk it....

[watermarkfarm]

Either USDF or CDS just published a long article about this...

The drug issue is COMPLICATED. The main point was that even vets might not know how certain substances will show up in tests. There were things that you would never think of as drugs which, when combined with something legal, would test as a banned or controlled substance.

I am always stressed when I show and I have to drug test (my horse, not me!) Even though I am informed about what's legal and what's not, and timing and all that, and my horses don't really get much in the way of drugs, you simply never know what they will come up with. It's such a complicated issue.

Antihistamines, huh? Gotta pass that one on to horse traders! A cheaper way of doping a horse than fluphenazine!

Katie

[cutiepiepmu]

That is too bad - Although I can say that it is my understanding that Cetirizine can stay in the system alot longer than some other drugs. If it was given because of a medical condition, it can have a residual in the body, which may test. NOT saying that it was not deliberately given, but if it was given because of a medical reason - maybe something not documented if he had the drug on hand - I do feel bad.

On a side note - if it WAS given to dope the horse, I feel bad for the horse. Every horse I have seen given this drug act like a human would if you gave them about half a dozen benedryl!! I can't even imagine trying to perform an athletic manuver after that!!

When I was showing upper level dressage the horses are tested to the HILT - most owners/trainers don't even feed snacks outside of mayb e acarrot or plain sugar cube for fear something will test. Many won't use liniments or wraps for fear of testing...crazy stuff!



Sara in WA

[AndalusinLover]

I show at the same shows Selwood does and visit his barn(which he currently doesn't own). They have automatic waterers, so....what I heard was that the horse next to this "drugged" horse was getting this treatment and was passed through the water 'cause 2 horses share the same auto waterers. He is a wonderful trainer, great with horses, no abuse, no bad record (as far as I know) so couldn't they take that into consideration? Or were they jealous so were looking for a reason to bring his career down? Don't know, but I hope they think and look at the whole big picture. What if the horse would die or get extremely sick if he didn't have this medicine? Are you supposed to take the chance and get him off it for shows?