CLICK HERE to read Sissy Wicke’s “Pony Measurement: The New Normal?”
Read the entire US Equestrian Hunter Rulebook HERE
Quick facts about Federation Measurement Verification
There are three kinds of measurement proceedings for horses and ponies: original measurement, protest measurement, and verification measurement.
- Original is to first establish our horse or pony’s height. A temporary card is issued to animals under 8 years of age. A permanent/standard card is issued after measurement occurs at 8 years old and over.
- A protest measurement occurs when an owner or trainer with an animal competing in the same class as the animal in question files a Protest Measurement Form with the Steward at the horse show. The identity of the protestant is revealed to the protestee. The animal is remeasured according to the same rules and procedures as Federation Verification Measurement.
- Verification measurement is a random selection by the USEF of animals at sanctioned competitions to ensure compliance with measurement rules. Animals that are 15 years of age or older are not subject to Federation Measurement Verification.
If you received a mandate for a Protest or a Federation Verification measurement, your trainer has one hour from the end of the animal’s last competition of the day in the section that requires measurement to present the animal to the Steward for measurement.
The animal may be presented with or without shoes regardless of how it competed that day.
The animal must be sound when jogged. If shoes are pulled after the animal has jogged, no changes may be made to the hoof.
The animal is only to receive hay and water during the hour between the end of competition and measurement.
If the animal measures over ¼” of the acceptable height, it will move to the next height category. All points, ribbons, and prize money are forfeited pending appeal to the USEF.
If the animal measures out of its height classification, it is suspended from competition for 90 days.
Owners and trainers have 14 days from Initial measurement, Protest measurement, or Verification measurement to appeal the findings.
The owner, trainer, and Federation will arrange a time and place for measuring the animal in question within 45 days of the appeal.
The same procedure will occur as with other measurement proceedings and a USEF testing veterinarian will pull blood at the time of appeal measurement for drug screening.
If the animal measures back into its original classification, the animal may return to competition at the end of its 90-day suspension and all points and awards will be credited to it.
HU 181 Federation Measurement Verification
- The CEO of the Federation may, at his/her discretion, cause a measurement verification to be undertaken of any animal competing in a division, section or class requiring measurement at a Licensed Competition.
- The animal is required to be presented to the steward within one hour of the completion of the animal’s last class on the day of the measurement verification within the section requiring measurement. At that time, the animal will be measured or the presenter will inform the steward that the animal will be presented for an appeal measurement see HU182.5b/c. The animal’s measurement card will be forfeited and the animal will be suspended from showing until it is presented for the appeal measurement. If the measurement verification is on the first day of the section, the animal may finish competing in the section or class requiring measurement. The animal will be photographed by the measurement technician on the left and right sides, front and back at the time the animal is tagged for measurement verification. The photographs will be used to verify the identity of the animal at the appeal measurement.
- The animal may be presented to be jogged shod or unshod, prior to measurement.
a. If jogged with shoes, shoes may be removed after the jog but no changes to the hoof may occur prior to the measurement.
b. If jogged without shoes, all changes to the hoof must be done prior to the jog but no changes to the hoof may occur after the animal has been jogged. - The animal may not receive or ingest any substances other than hay and water until the measurement is complete.
- The animal must be sound. The Official Show Veterinarian will determine age and soundness. If the animal is determined to be unsound, the measurement verification cannot be completed and the animal may not compete until an appeal measurement is completed.
- A Steward appointed by the Federation will perform the measurement(s).
- If an animal is found to be outside the permitted height range that is determined by the animal’s measurement card by 1/4”, the owner forfeits entry fees and winnings for that competition. All points accumulated for Horse of the Year and Zone Horse of the Year Awards to that date are forfeited. Said animal is suspended from competing in Federation Licensed Competitions for 90 days from the date of the measurement verification and a new measurement card will be issued to the owner at the end of the suspension period.
a. The current trainer and the Steward who conducted the original measurement of an animal that is found to measure outside of the permitted height range that is determined by the animal’s measurement card may be subject to penalty by the Federation.
b. If the animal remains in its current height section, the animal may continue to compete as before.
c. The decision of the measuring officials is final unless an appeal is filed with the Federation within fourteen (14) days (see HU182.5 b and c). - An animal may only be selected for a Federation Measurement Verification one time in each calendar year. Animals that are 15 years of age or older are not subject to Federation Measurement Verification.
HU182 Measurement Appeal
- Conditions. An owner or trainer who questions the accuracy of an initial measurement or an owner or trainer of an animal declared ineligible for a division or section on account of height may appeal a measurement.
a. Pending the appeal of an initial measurement, the animal continues to be eligible to compete as initially measured.
b. With respect to animals declared ineligible as a result of a protest measurement, the animal is barred from competing in the particular height division or section for which he was declared ineligible until the measurement is performed.
c. There shall be only one appeal per each initial measurement, and only one appeal per each protest measurement.
2. Procedures.
a. The appeal must be made to the Federation office in writing within fourteen (14) days of the measurement. The Federation reserves the right to grant an appeal measurement. The request for an appeal measurement due to extenuating circumstances must be made in writing to the Federation office.
b. All expenses including veterinary fees must be paid to the Federation by the appellant. With respect to any appeal prior to the appeal measurement both the owner and trainer may be required to sign a waiver and consent on a form prepared by and acceptable to the Federation agreeing to the arrangements for the appeal measurement, agreeing to the administration of Lasix to the animal to aid in the collection of a urine sample for laboratory tests for Federation forbidden substances, agreeing that the appeal measurement shall be final and unappealable to a court of law, and agreeing that the owner and trainer of the animal each release and hold the Federation, and its officers, directors and licensed officials harmless from any claim whatsoever regarding the appeal measurement and respecting any measurements of the animal made prior to the appeal measurement.
c. The Federation will select a location and time for the appeal measurement as convenient as possible. The owner or trainer must deliver the animal to the location at his own expense within 45 days of filing the appeal.
d. The measurement must be performed by at least two persons appointed by the Federation which shall include one veterinarian who is a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and one Registered steward. The officials whose measurement is being appealed cannot be part of the team conducting the measurement appeal.
3. Any animal submitted for an appeal measurement must show no evidence of lameness. If found to be lame by the examining veterinarian, the animal cannot be measured or remeasured for thirty (30) days and the appellant forfeits his deposit and any veterinary expenses incurred. Each animal submitted for an appeal measurement must be tested for drugs and medications in accordance with General Rules, Chapter GR4, GR405.
4. Appeal of initial measurement.
a. If the appeal is denied the initially issued card remains in effect.
b. If the appeal is upheld, upon surrender of the initially issued card (if any) a new card will be issued based upon the appeal measurement; such cards remain subject to protest per HU180 of this rule.
5. Appeals of protest measurements,
a. If the appeal is not upheld or the appellant fails to submit the animal within 45 days, all points accumulated for Horse of the Year Awards are nullified.
b. If the appeal is upheld, a Temporary Measurement card is issued to animals seven years of age and under and a Standard Measurement card is issued to animals eight years of age or over. The Temporary and Standard Measurement cards cannot be protested for the remainder of the competition year.
c. If the appeal is upheld, the animal will receive credit for all points accumulated including all points, prize money and trophies won at the competition where protested.
CLICK HERE to read TPH Editor Sissy Wicke’s “Pony Measurement: The New Normal?”
Read the entire US Equestrian Hunter Rulebook HERE
