By MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ
The USEF Board of Directors will gather for the Annual Meeting January 23-25, 2025 (register here to participate and have your voice heard) and among the “extraordinary rule changes related to horse well-being” to be discussed is one banning use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) by anyone not a veterinarian or appropriately trained technician under vet supervision on competition grounds. If approved, this change would go into effect April 2025.
The sound of ESWT treatment has become synonymous with horse shows. Back at the barns, the familiar click-click-click is as common to hear as the whir of stall fans or the crunching of hay nets. At vet recommendation, It’s become part of a routine for many equine athletes, as much as body-work, chiropracting, and other performance therapies.
ESWT is a non-invasive therapeutic treatment, in the form of a portable machine, that aids in pain and promotes quicker healing in soft tissue and bones. Each session is costly though, and at roughly $400 per thousand pulses, it can add significantly to the cost of horse maintenance. The expense has prompted many barns or facilities to purchase their own shock wave machines (even with most running into the thousands of dollars), because it pays for itself within a matter of uses.
This treatment is so effective in offering pain relief that organizations like the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) placed much stronger regulations on ESWT–designating the tool for use on serious injuries only, and not as a routine treatment. According to HISA, racehorses who receive shock wave therapy must be reported to a Regulatory Veterinarian within 48 hours of treatment. It may only be administered by a veterinarian and only using a registered device. Racehorses are not permitted to race for 30 days or perform a workout for 14 days following treatment. Failure to adhere to these rules results in suspension from competition and/or a fine (HISA Rule 2000 Series-2272)
The USEF rule change proposal arose out of a similar concern for horse welfare, because not only can it give a masking effect to injuries, but “the use of ESWT without the understanding of anatomy and training can decrease the therapeutic effectiveness and even put horses at risk,” states the rule change intent (Tracking #090-24).
The current rule states that ESWT is permitted when administered “by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian” (USEF Rulebook GR414). The change, if approved, would go in effect April 1, 2025 and fully limit use of ESWT to professionals on Federation show grounds.
As currently stands, shock wave is not permitted within 12 hours prior to competing. Three days out of competition, shock wave may be applied, but only on the back and dorsal pelvis areas. No ESWT shall be used on the limbs of a horse within 72 hours prior to competing. The rule change will not affect this portion (GR414).
Know Your Rules
All TPH readers are encouraged to download the USEF Rulebook app, which is available in the appstore, to keep the rules handy wherever and whenever you need. The easy access makes it much faster to search and confirm rules, as well as stay on top of updates and changes. Click here to download the app.
Click here to read the full USEF Rulebook, and contact US Equestrian here with any questions or clarifications as needed.
