AAEP Clinical Guidelines for Veterinarians Treating the Performance Horse

Performance horses compete in a wide range of athletic activities and a majority of AAEP members provide care to this type of horse. The AAEP recognizes that veterinarians need to be responsive to various discipline demands and that this may influence the ways in which they practice.

With this in mind, the AAEP recommends following three primary criteria when practicing sports medicine and providing other medical management to performance horses:

1. The health and welfare of the horse should always come first.
2. Practice evidence-based medicine.
3. When applicable follow the rules of the authority under which the horses are competing.