Anti-doping regulations in equine sport require careful management of respiratory medications, balancing performance fairness with genuine welfare needs.
Horses with equine asthma genuinely need medication to breathe comfortably. Withholding effective treatment to comply with competition rules causes measurable respiratory distress and suffering. The welfare-sport tension requires clear protocols: veterinary diagnosis documented, treatment given when needed, competition schedules adjusted for withdrawal times. Horses should not be forced to compete with inadequately managed respiratory disease.