BD Position on Pergolide

[burtie]

http://www.britishdressage.co.uk/news/show/1375-important-information-on-the-use-of-pergolide

So what do we think? I can understand it for competitions above a certain level, but it does seem a real shame as I can see a lot of older horses/ponies who would otherwise have given many more years of pleasure being now out of a job.

 

[lar]

THAT is a flippin' disgrace! I don't think my old pony will get to BD again but it looks like we'd be banned from doing it anyway! What on earth justification is there for it being on the banned list?

 

[Gamebird]

Hmmm . Our Boehringer (manufacturers of Prascend) rep told me a couple of months ago that it was FEI legal . If you can use Regumate....

 

[popsdosh]

I am afraid as explained BD really had no choice.This is the same with any medication for example Bute that some horses could only compete on.
UA is always a way of these horses still having a use.

 

[Gamebird]

I really don't think you can compare it to bute as that is an anti-inflammatory which can make horses with mild lamenesses etc. appear sound - clearly not in their best interestes to run in most situations.

Pergolide is used to treat an endocrine disease (PPID/Cushings) which is so common in older horses that some authorities are considering calling it a normal physiological status for geriatrics. It is a targeted drug which acts on the pituitary to regulate ACTH production and lower serum cortisol (steroid) levels.

If you wanted to be finicky you could almost say that untreated PPID horses should be prevented from competing as they have abnormally high serum cortisol concentrations - akin to being treated with (banned) steroids .

 

[popsdosh]

Hmmm . Our Boehringer (manufacturers of Prascend) rep told me a couple of months ago that it was FEI legal . If you can use Regumate....

Regumate is allowed because it is a naturally occurring hormone that does not enhance performance.
Pergolide on the other hand can be used to change the horses moods and character .This is unfortunate for genuine users but recently there has been a spate of competitors using human anti psychotics to calm horses in competition .
Pergolide is on the list this is the line in the list.So Prascend is not FEI legal I believe they were added on the first of April this year.
1110 Pergolide Dopamine agonist

 

[redheadkelj]

And just to put another dampner on things, it looks like Riding Clubs will be going to same way!

 

[Gamebird]

Pergolide will only change the horse's character if it has problems with dopamine regulation of the pituitary ie. PPID. Giving it to a horse without PPID isn't going to achieve anything.

Regumate is a synthetic (ie. manufactured, not naturally occurring) progesterone analogue. It is most definitely performance enhancing. If you have a mare who cannot concentrate on competing when she is in season yet will settle to the job in hand if treated with Regumate then that is performance enhancing. QED. By definition it changes mood and character!!!!

Human anti-psychotics are neither here nor there as none of them have a legitimate or licensed use in managing equine disease.

 

[popsdosh]

Get the feeling we will argue forever on this one.
Pergolide was original developed to be used as an anti psychotic in schizophrenia and then other uses found for it.
The reason that regumate is legal is that the drug itself cannot be tested for in a mare because it occurs naturally .

 

[TarrSteps]

And, some people argue, because normal female hormonal processes have been socially pathologised. Really it's about money - it allows people to use competitive mares that would otherwise have been spayed or excluded.

Btw, one of the first generation human anti-psychotics started life as a cattle wormer.

 

[Tammytoo]

Regumate is banned for use in geldings and stallions.

It seems once again to be using a pile driver to crack a walnut. If someone is competing internationally then the ban is understandable, but for the grass roots, one horse leisure owner who is never going to achieve more than RC teams and/or BD prelim and novice etc, this is going to end any competing they may wish to do. Surely, if a vet's certificate and blood test results prove the necessity for the drug, then an exemption should be available.

 

[Thistle]

And, some people argue, because normal female hormonal processes have been socially pathologised. Really it's about money - it allows people to use competitive mares that would otherwise have been spayed or excluded.

Btw, one of the first generation human anti-psychotics started life as a cattle wormer.

Viagra started life as a heart treatment and men started to notice the side effects!