Ethicists' commentary on drug use in barrel racing
Ethical question of the month, May 2025
The sport of Barrel racing horses is increasingly popular. You have heard several complaints from both competitors and non-competitors about the completely unregulated use of medications and other substances to enhance performance in these animals. Therapeutic medications are all prescription drugs, so must be prescribed by a veterinarian. These are frequently used in an unsafe manner (i.e., combined non-steroidal anti-inflammatories coupled with diuretics). In addition, some riders are reported to be using
“stimulants” as well. This, in conjunction with excessive use of both spurs and whipping with reins, presents a serious risk to the Social License to Operate of all horse sports. The supply of veterinary drugs is certainly a place to start, but it is difficult to identify who is providing these medications.
What can the larger veterinary community do to try to address these issues to protect these animals?
Clare Palmer, Peter Sandøe, & Dan Weary comment on this dilemma and you can read it here: Ethicists’ commentary on drug use in barrel racing