Thank you for your thoughtful post. I have some additional thoughts for
the perusal of the readers and contributors of this list.
On Fri, 13 Dec 1996, Jim Mitchell wrote:
> Tom and Dane.
> I very much enjoyed your last posts. I think we are now getting closer to a consensus
> of opinion. I understand the reason MSM is not allowed since it is an anti inflamatory
> and therefore a slight pain reliever. I understand Tom's view that it is slight and may
> be doing more good than bad during an event but it is a grey area.
> As of yet I haven't seen much discussion on Flex Free and it's equivalents. Although
> outlawed now can anybody give me some reasons while it should stay outlawed? Is it just
> protecting joints or is it masking damage during a ride? Or do we know? Is there a grey
> area here? Why can't the body produce what it needs to protect the joints without these
> oral additives? Since I understand the body produces the same things that are in these
> additives.
My intention was not to discuss a paticular product, but to only mention
some out of many possibilities to illustrate the problems that drugs and
drugs policy presents to the sport of endurance riding.
Drugs are not good or bad, they are neutral. Certainly they play an
important role in the therapy of many of the health and performance
problems of the athletic horse. Our rules oppose horses performing
(during competition) under the effect of these substances. As long
as there is agreeement as to what constitutes a drug or the substance in
question is not one that you use (not you personally Jim), then
opposition to drug policy evaporates.
The rub comes when the substance you are using is questionable under our
rules, especially if you are convinced that the product is being used
preemptively to
maintain performance over time by preventing tissue damage or enhancing
performance by complementing athletic effort in some manner. It just
depends upon whose ox is getting gored.
We still confuse in this discussion the differnece between drugs and
nutrients. Questions on drug policy that equate drugs and alfalfa or
drugs and electrolytes are like comparisons of apples and oranges. AERC
is not concerned with the regulation of nutrients as defined in my
original post.
The fly in this ointment is that there are a number of products on the
market (nutriceuticals) that are licensed as nutrients (to evade Food and
Drug Administration regulation?), but whose use is predicated on its drug
effects for which no claim is made by the manufacturer. Many of these
products have received little study in the area for which they are most
used.
Lastly, there are innumerable poducts containing mixtures of many various
substances whose effect is not fully known. One post concerned the
mixture of one of these products with electrolytes for endurance horses
during the ride. The poster when on to suggest that as an added benefit
(besides the electrolytes) that this concoction of herbs, plants, and
compounds had a soothing effect on the horse. Whether this soothing
effect was an the nervous system, the digestive system, or some other
body system was not explained. The manner in which this effect was
achieved was also not explained. For example, acepromazine has a
soothing effect on the central nervous sytem. However, it is a drug and
is illegal to use during competiton. Are there also drugs hiding in the
guise of a herb in the product given to this horse?. I have no idea.
Therefore, it becomes the obligation of the owner/rider to take
responsibility for the compounds given their horse. If they are unsure
as to the effect of anything they may administer, then withdrawing the
substance so that it has no effect on performance during competiton is
prudent.
Because the effect of these substances can not be known, (there can,
therefore, not be a list of allowable or non allowables completely
provided) the AERC has formulated a drug policy and drug rule. For the
evolution of this policy, please follow Ramey's thread on drugs in near
future posts.
If I have offended anyone, please forgive me. It was not my intention.
Thank you again Jim and have a nice day.
Regards
Dane