Natural and Other Prohibited Substances (NOPS) in Horse Feed

Feed safety can be divided into two areas. The first is that feed should be free from substances that cause harm such as poisons and toxins. The second is that feeds marketed and promoted for equine athletes need to be free from prohibited substances that would cause the horse to fail a drug or “dope” test.

What are prohibited substances?

Many prohibited substances are of pharmaceutical origin and would include things like steroids or painkillers. However, there are also some that are naturally occurring in plants and these are often harder to remove from feed ingredients and materials. It is an issue that manufacturers are very focussed on but it is also something every horse owner needs to be aware of as plants containing NOPS could appear in hay and other forage crops.

Both the racing authorities and the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) who oversee the Olympic disciplines have detailed rules about NOPS. The FEI have lots of useful information and guidance on their website that you may find helpful, click here.

The FEI introduced an additional category of prohibited substances with their “specified substances” list in 2016. This Specified Substances approach allows the FEI and/or the FEI Tribunal more flexibility when prosecuting a case or when deciding on sanctions.  Specified Substances are not necessarily less serious than other Prohibited Substances, and nor do they mean the person responsible is not penalised, it just increases the likelihood of a credible non-doping explanation being accepted.

What do Dengie do to reduce the risk of NOPS contamination?

Dengie are members of the BETA NOPS scheme which means we are independently audited every year. The audit reviews the procedures we have in place and checks we have adhered to those processes by checking all our documentation. These include Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point assessments (HACCPS), traceability checks, testing procedures and risk assessments. We also work very closely with our own growers and our suppliers more broadly so we understand the processes they have in place to reduce the risk of contamination.

The BETA NOPS scheme is a way for us to demonstrate we have done what is practically possible for us to do to reduce the risk of contamination with NOPS. It is very important that it is understood to be a process to reduce risk and is NOT a guarantee that a product is free from prohibited substances.

How can horse owners avoid NOPS?

When using hay, feed, and supplements for your horse, ensure you use a reputable, trusted supplier and ideally one that is approved under the BETA NOPS scheme as this demonstrates they are taking action to reduce the risk of contamination. It is also good practice to keep records of the feeds and products you use and, if possible, keep a small sample that can also be tested should the worst happen.

The list of naturally occurring prohibited substances is constantly evolving, so it is vital that you consult the FEI website regularly. BETA NOPS approved companies are more likely to be aware of changes and updates as they will be notified by BETA and so are less likely to miss things. CBD, for example, is a naturally occurring substance deriving from the hemp plant. Although widely used by people and even for household pets, CBD has recently been added to the list of banned substances for horses.

Examples of NOPS and where they come from

The most commonly known NOPS is caffeine which is obviously found in coffee and tea but also in so-called energy drinks. Chocolate is a source of theobromine and there have been high profile cases of horses being fed a bit of chocolate bar and then going on to test positive. A very important NOPS is morphine which is found in poppies both ornamental varieties and those grown commercially for poppy seeds to be used in bakery products and for morphine itself. As the ornamental plants can migrate out of people’s gardens into paddocks, verges and other green spaces, it is important to be vigilant as you could find them growing in your own fields.

The main NOPS and their sources are:

• Caffeine – (cacao)
• Theobromine – (cacao)
• Theophylline – (tea)
• Morphine – (opium poppy – Papaver somniferum)
• Hyoscine –  (nightshade, Datura)
• Atropine – (nightshade – Atropa belladonna)
• Cannabinoids – (Hemp fibre and plant material)

General advice for prohibited substances

When feeding your horse, cleanliness is fundamental to the avoidance of prohibited substance contamination. Troughs and bowls should be cleaned to the highest of standards and it is vital that you don’t share feed buckets, stirrers etc with anyone else as they could be using medications or products that might contaminate your feed. Human medications can also transfer through skin to skin contact and so be aware of any medications or other drugs those caring for your horse might be using.

You should also take care when storing your feed, especially when you travel abroad, as different materials are fed to horses in other countries and people may just not be aware of the possible risks. If you can take your own forage when you travel then that is desirable – there have been cases where competitors have fed hay provided by the competition venue and then tested positive for NOPS!