Each year, the American Quarter Horse Association releases the AQHA Guidelines and Rules for Drugs and Medications. This educational resource is available online to serve as an addition to AQHA’s official medications rules set forth in the violations section of the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations.
View the 2023 AQHA Guidelines and Rules for Drugs and Medications.
Be sure to review this resource before attending any AQHA-approved event or show.
This resource includes advice about understanding the AQHA Equine Drugs and Medications Rules and applying it in practical situations. The purpose is to help accommodate legitimate therapy in compliance with the requirements of the rules. It is important to note, these are only guidelines to serve as an educational supplement. It is important to consult a licensed veterinarian in determining whether a particular substance is required for the welfare of a horse and when determining the dosage appropriate for such horse under AQHA’s rules.
The AQHA drug-testing program is designed to ensure that horses competing in AQHA competitions are doing so in a manner that will promote the safety and well-being of all horses competing and the enforcement of fair and equitable rules and procedures. AQHA’s policies concerning the administration of controlled substances are well documented as being among the most stringent in the equine industry. AQHA began drug testing at AQHA-approved shows in 1973 and was among the first, if not the first, equine breed association to do so.
For complete information on AQHA rules and regulations, view the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations at www.aqha.com/aqha-rulebook.
Disclaimer: Because the online version of the AQHA Rulebook can be updated throughout the year, it should be considered the most-current version of the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations.
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