Controversy over medication and drug testing has been around since organized equine competitions came into being. There has always been more disagreement than agreement among the various factions involved, and more contention than harmony. Drug testing is a legal part of nearly all breed and discipline competitions these days, and much of what is done in regard to drug testing in other competitions stems from the racing world.

Therefore, let’s take a look at the changes that are being made in drug testing in Thoroughbred racing. Much of the change is due to the work of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), which was formed about three years ago. The goal of the group is to establish uniform rules and regulations on medication and drug testing for all racing jurisdictions, and progress is being made, says Scot Waterman, DVM, executive director of the Consortium.

What’s Happened So Far

In April of 2004, the consortium agreed in general to a model rule, and the ongoing effort now is to develop it into a working arrangement that will meet with approval from all racing jurisdictions