National Walking Horse Association Rule Corrections and Amendments

Rule Corrections and Amendments

2011

Changes to the NWHA Rule Book
Print these pages out and replace them within your NWHA Rule Book

September 13, 2011: The NWHA Board of Directors approved the following rule change to prohibit blocked tails. This change will take effect immediately due to the fact that this is a humane issue.

3.5 Drugs, Medications and Tail Blocking

A. No horse shall be administered any stimulant, depressant, tranquilizer or local anesthetic which might affect the performance of a horse. (Stimulants and depressants are defined as medications which stimulate or depress the circulatory, respiratory or central nervous systems.) Also prohibited is the use of “ginger”, any foreign substance on the pastern area, and any drug, regardless of how harmless or innocuous it might be, which by its very nature masks or screens the presence of aforementioned prohibited drugs, or prevents or delays testing procedures. Horses suspected of being illegally medicated will have blood drawn and tested by a licensed veterinarian. If a veterinarian is not readily available the Judge’s decision is final. Entries showing signs of being sedated or tranquilized shall be excused by the Judge in Halter Classes.

B. Altering the tail to inhibit a horse's ability to raise the tail at or above the horizontal plane or swing the tail side-to-side are prohibited. Prohibition includes application or administration of any drug, chemical, foreign substance, or surgical procedure. NWHA reserves the right to request an examination by an NWHA approved veterinarian at the owner’s expense.

Exceptions: Horses who have had their tails surgically altered for a traditional tail-set can lift their tail above the horizontal plane and are therefore permitted to show.

C. Persons involved may be required to forfeit all prize money and any trophies, ribbons and “points” won at said competition. The owner must pay a fee of $50 to show management. Points accumulated toward year end awards prior to said competition may be nullified. A trainer and /or owner of a horse found to be in violation of the previous rule is subject to whatever penalty is assessed by the NWHA. Said trainer and/or owner may be fined and may be suspended from all competition at the discretion of the NWHA. The horse may be suspended for any period of time specified by the NWHA.

2010 Rule Changes and Amendments

2009 Rule Changes and Amendments

National Walking Horse Association
At The Kentucky Horse Park
4059 Iron Works Parkway, Suite 4
Lexington, KY 40511
Phone: 859-252-NWHA (6942)
FAX: 859-252-0640
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