Text © World of Showjumping

The first day of the FEI Sports Forum 2025 concluded with a session on the FEI Jumping Rules, which are undergoing a full revision this year. 

One item on the agenda was the rest hours for horses, riders and grooms – a much discussed topic over the past years, which in the case of the horses strictly falls under the FEI Veterinary Regulations article 1008 after the rule was given an update two years ago. A change to the VR article 1008 – which came into effect on January 1, 2023 – included the mandatory closure of the FEI stables area for six consecutive hours overnight with minimal lighting and noise to allow the horses to rest adequately. However, there have been no significant changes when it comes to the schedules for European-located FEI events since – in particular not those that need to be targeted, which are the schedules for the indoor shows. Worth mentioning – as a backdrop – next to the VR article 1008, is also the template for the FEI schedules which clearly states that: “Competitions must not start before 08:00 h and must not finish after 23:00 h, unless prior approval is granted by the FEI.”

While discussing the hours of rest, the panellists – FEI Jumping Director Todd Hinde, FEI Jumping Committee Chair Stephan Ellenbruch, IJRC President François Mathy Jr, Swedish chef d’equipe Henrik Ankarcrona, FEI level 4 judge and steward Cesar Hirsch, and Director of Jumping Amsterdam and Secretary General of Equestrian Organizers Irene Verheul – made either little or no reference to the FEI regulations and rules that already exist, but that are not being enforced properly. However, among the panellists, it was highlighted that riders are responsible for the hours their grooms work, and that riders have to take care that the communication and planning with their grooms works out properly. Even the idea of moving towards working in shifts, like the rest of the event industry does, was brought up. 

When moderator Jessica Kürten opened for comments from the participants, Lucy Katan – who spoke on behalf of the International Grooms Association (IGA) and the FEI Grooms Consultative Group – said: “The approved schedules already state all competitions should be finished by 11PM and yet, this is not happening, repeatedly, even at FEI flagship shows. Lack of sleep is scientifically proven to be bad for horses and humans. The consequences of repetitive late-night classes are detrimental to grooms’ physical and mental health. The IGA was formed at the request of the FEI President as the voice of our international grooms and is encouraged to speak about on subjects that matter. This one matters a lot. If it only happened at one or two shows, it wouldn’t be such a problem, but we are told by the European grooms that it is most weeks during the indoor season that the horses are still jumping beyond 11PM. IGA members – some of the most experienced and competitive grooms on the circuit – describe needing days to recover after shows, feeling burned out, demotivated and dangerously exhausted.”

“Once the class is finished, the grooms have up to two hours of horse care before they can depart the venue,” Katan continued. “This means the existing Veterinary Regulation regarding the closure of stables for six hours is often impossible to implement at many indoor shows. Saturday’s late-night classes are a particular issue, as then the grooms are often driving on Sunday into the early hours of Monday morning. In many cases the stables are being dismantled as soon as the show ends.”

“The grooms who have spoken up do their best to manage their schedules and their energy, but they are regularly at work for 18 hours or more,” Katan concluded. “This is not sustainable and is a key reason as to why we are losing so many grooms from our profession. There is always, as today, the immediate feedback to this issue about riders using a driver or employing an additional showgroom. We agree, great ideas, but in the majority of stables this is just not happening and just a few conscious riders are making sensible decisions. I hope that in the future this does become a norm, but for now we all have a responsibility to safeguard our brilliant grooms from working so late at night. By making it a rule that all competitions and prize givings be finished by 11PM, the FEI, as guardians of our horse sport, can take a clear step forward in protecting the wellbeing of grooms and the horses they adore.”

Hopefully, Katan’s powerful message had an impact on the stakeholders present who have the opportunity to influence the FEI to make the actual changes required in order to ensure the wellbeing of grooms and horses – both of which this sport would not exist without.