The AHAA Federal Council recently made the decision to include a new show rule strongly discouraging the trimming of whiskers and inner ear hair to its Show Rules.
Now the FEI has outlawed trimming the whiskers of all international competition horses from 2021.
The new rule was passed during the Federation’s General Assembly on 23 November 2020 as part of the veterinary regulations covering sport horses competing internationally under FEI rules in all disciplines.
From July next year, horses who have had their sensory hairs removed, unless for veterinary reasons, will be disqualified from FEI events.
The wording, which was voted through unanimously, states that horses are not permitted to compete in FEI events “if the horse’s sensory hairs have been clipped and/or shaven or in any other way removed unless individual sensory hairs have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse.”
