As you may have heard, the rules governing the feeding of Devil’s Claw Root to horses have now been changed; the FEI now classifies it as a controlled substance. So what does this mean for the end customer when feeding this product (or products which contain it) to their horse?
The first thing you need to know is that a controlled substance is not the same as a banned substance; it can legally still be fed to horses and is safe to do so at the recommended rates. It does, however, have to be withdrawn for an appropriate period of time before a competition, meaning the substance should be out of the horse’s bloodstream before it competes.
It is the harpagosides found within Devil’s Claw Root which the FEI has added to the controlled medication list. As a result, the BETA NOPS code has adopted the stance that any product containing Devil’s Claw Root should not present the NOPS logo on-pack and withdrawal times should be clearly stated.
The FEI’s new position is entirely in line with what Dodson & Horrell has, for many years, been recommending as responsible best practice, so rest assured you can continue to feed our products in complete confidence.
Our herbal products such as pure Devil’s Claw Root and Mobility will continue to be available as before.
Joint Support will shortly be updated. We have now developed this product so that it does not rely on one compound to provide nutritional support for joints, but uses a holistic approach to achieve the best results. Joint Support will contain increased levels of beneficial compounds and nutrients including glucosamine and MSM, natural antioxidants, olive extract and the omega 3 fatty acid DHA, all working in synergy to support joint health. Devil’s Claw Root will not remain in Joint Support, therefore it will no longer required a withdrawal period.
Any other product or legislation changes will be posted through our news page so do keep checking our website for updates.
