FEI sets up multi-discipline Task Force to review horse welfare protocols across the sport

Horses

FEI sets up multi-discipline Task Force to review horse welfare protocols across the sport:

The FEI Board recently approved the Terms of Reference for a Horse Condition Task Force to be established, which will report to the Board.

The Task Force, which will be led by an independent facilitator, will include Discipline and Regional Group Chairs, Veterinary and Athletes’ Committee Chairs as well as representatives of key stakeholder groups, National Federations and FEI Officials.

The primary objective of the Task Force is to review current protocols, regulations and sanctions across all disciplines and recommend a more harmonised regulatory framework before, during and after competitions. Final approval of any recommendations would be voted upon by the FEI General Assembly.

The FEI Board has approved the following objectives for the Task Force:

  • Conducting a comprehensive review of the current rules regarding blood on the horse within the general and discipline-specific rulebooks.
  • Identifying inconsistencies and gaps in the current regulatory framework.
  • Assessing the rule proposals submitted by 1 March 2026 on the topic in accordance with the FEI Rule Revision Policy by National Federations and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stakeholders.
  • Standardising of definitions, categorisations, and subsequent field-of-play protocols for FEI Officials when blood is detected.
  • Ensuring that any proposed harmonisation upholds the FEI’s commitment to horse welfare, whilst acknowledging and providing for any strictly necessary discipline-specific nuances.

Task Force Terms of Reference can be found here.

Invitations to join the Horse Condition Task Force have been issued this week with the aim of holding the first meeting on 29 June 2026 at which time the Task Force membership will be communicated.

 

Horse

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE RIDER?

Nothing changes immediately. Current FEI regulations remain in force. However, riders should be aware that the FEI has launched a review process that could lead to more harmonised protocols and sanctions across disciplines in the future. The discussion is now moving from individual discipline rules to a broader sport-wide framework, with horse welfare remaining at the centre of the process.

So:

  • No immediate changes to current regulations.
  • Blood-on-the-horse rules remain those currently in force within each discipline.
  • Any future changes must be approved by the FEI Board and the FEI General Assembly.
  • The objective is to create more uniform and consistent rules across all FEI disciplines while maintaining horse welfare as the highest priority.

Timeline:

  • 29 June 2026: First in-person meeting of the Task Force in Lausanne
  • 20 July 2026: Target date to reach agreement on the first draft of harmonised rules
  • December 2026: Presentation of proposals to the FEI General Assembly for possible approval

After approval

Potential implementation of new rules and related operational protocols