AQHA Executive Committee Approves Animal Welfare Rules
Photo courtesy of AQHA.
The AQHA Animal Welfare Commission met during the 2025 AQHA Convention in March in Las Vegas and made several welfare-related recommendations to the AQHA Executive Committee. At its May meeting, the Executive Committee reviewed the Animal Welfare Commission’s recommendations. As a result of such review, the Executive Committee approved the following to be implemented immediately:
- To form a task force to develop and implement a plan to expand performance alteration testing to appropriate shows throughout the year.
- To continue performance alteration testing at AQHA Championship shows.
- To implement the voluntary use of ISO compliant (15-digit) microchips or additional forms of permanent identification of horses at 2026 AQHA Championship Shows. To require in 2027 that all horses entering an AQHA Championship Show be microchipped or identified with another form of permanent identification for the purposes of testing and biosecurity.
- To keep the World Show Vaccination/Biosecurity/Identification Task Force in place to develop a biosecurity plan for AQHA Championship Shows.
- To recommend that no horse may be treated with Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) within the 24 hours prior to competition with the following requirements:
- ESWT must be administered by licensed veterinarian within such state or with a written prescription by a licensed veterinarian that has a valid Client-Patient-Veterinarian relationship.
- AQHA Medication Report Form must be filed within one hour of administration on each case per AQHA Rule VIO403.
- A log must be kept by the administering party documenting date, total number of shocks per anatomical region and the horse’s registered name and number.
- ESWT application to the back and dorsal pelvis area may be administered by licensed veterinarian within such state or with a written prescription by a licensed veterinarian that has a valid Client-Patient-Veterinarian relationship within the 24-hour prohibited period, but no closer than 12 hours prior to competing. If sedation is required, it must be administered 24 hours prior to competition by a licensed veterinarian and will be considered therapeutic and a Medication Report Form (MRF) must be filed, per AQHA Rule VIO403.
- This rule will go into effect January 1, 2026.
- To recommend that a participant may be subject to penalty for the inhumane treatment of an American Quarter Horse that occurs somewhere other than at or in connection with an AQHA-approved show. This applies internationally, as well. Anyone reporting a violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed is a violation. Any allegations that prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and will be considered a violation of this rule, subjecting the reporting party to penalty by AQHA.
About the Animal Welfare Commission
The AQHA Animal Welfare Commission, which was created by the AQHA Executive Committee in 2012, reports directly to the Executive Committee, which evaluates all proposals in relation to the current state of the industry. The Animal Welfare Commission serves as AQHA’s primary body for rules, policies and procedures related to all areas of animal welfare. In addition, the commission oversees the educational processes associated with AQHA officials responsible for animal welfare.
The Animal Welfare Commission’s mission is to provide a framework for its members to 1.) Identify issues negatively affecting the welfare of the American Quarter Horse, 2.) Stay current on all animal welfare issues and 3.) Recommend actions that will help protect the American Quarter Horse from inhumane practices and AQHA and its members from the negative impacts associated with those practices. The AQHA Animal Welfare Commission, in an effort to do right by the horse, will share discussion, action items and recommendations with the Association’s alliance partners. AQHA’s prohibition against inhumane treatment applies to AQHA members and nonmembers.
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