If you have ever had an interest in horses or other sports, then you probably know about prohibited substances. Feed and supplements play a vital role in performance, and so it is important to ensure that your horse is receiving the right amounts of the right things. You may have heard us talk about NOPS before, but what does that mean?
What are NOPS?
NOPS stands for ‘naturally occurring prohibited substances’. These are substances that it is illegal for your horse to consume if they are competing under FEI or BHA rules. Essentially, it means ‘any substance that can exert an effect on a horse’ – this is, of course, a very broad statement. These substances can be seen to provide an unfair advantage in competition – a little bit like a body builder using steroids to build muscle. The consequences of your horse being positive for prohibited substances can be costly, incurring elimination and fines. It is also important to remember, that a positive dope test doesn’t necessarily mean that it has been done on purpose. Sometimes it can occur from cross-contamination somewhere along the line.
Here is a list of the main NOPS to look out for:
- Caffeine – found in cacao
- Theobromine – found in cacao
- Thephylline – found in tea
- Morphine – found in opium poppy
- Hyoscine – found in nightshade
- Atropine – found in nightshade
- Cannabinoids – found in hemp fibre and plant material
Caffeine, theobromine, and morphine have become less of a risk than in previous years due to the cessation of certain types of cultivation, such as poppy. There has however, been an increase in hyoscine and atrophine in recent years as certain weeds are beginning to grow more frequently in crops used as ingredients in horse feed.
What about herbal NOPS?
Herbal NOPS are NOPS that are present in certain herbs, or can originate from weed seeds. Herbal NOPS must not be fed to any horses competing under FEI rules, and are on a high priority list.
These include:
- Cathinone/Cathine
- Digitoxin (Foxglove)
- Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine
- Reserpine
- Synephrine
This is where it starts to become confusing. There are also NOPS that are ‘controlled’ meaning that they aren’t banned from use in equine feeds. Only horses that are competing are banned from these substances.
These include:
- Harpagosides (Devil’s Claw)
- Salicylic acid
- Valerenic acid (Valerian)
- Yohimbine
BETA NOPS Scheme
The British Equestrian Trade Associated (BETA) set up the scheme in 2009, to help reduce the risk of NOPS in equine feedstuffs. In 2016, they added herbal NOPS to the scheme.
Companies can apply to become BETA NOPS approved. In order to gain approval, they must be regularly audited and follow stringent quality management procedures. This includes everything from the source of the raw ingredients, to the processing and transport of the finished product. Raw material suppliers also undergo audits and training, to ensure that the NOPS scheme is followed at all times. This also means that should contamination occur, it can be traced and it’s source can be located.
More details about the BETA NOPS scheme can be found here. https://beta-uk.org/beta-nops-scheme/
How can I avoid NOPS?
The best way of avoiding NOPS is to firstly ensure that any feed or supplements that you purchase have the BETA NOPS and UFAS logos on their packaging. UFAS is the Universal Feed Assurance Scheme, which ensures that livestock feed meets certain safety requirements.
There are so few regulations regarding equine supplements, and it is very easy for companies to make false claims. Any manufacturers that don’t have these accreditations on their packaging are not part of the scheme and you therefore cannot guarantee that their products are NOPS free. If you are unsure about whether a product is safe to feed your horse, you can contact the manufacturer to find out.
It is also important to be stringent on the yard. Store your feeds separately from other horse and animal feeds, and only buy feed that is in correctly labelled, sealed bags. It is useful to keep note of the batch numbers so that your feed can be traced back, should there be an issue.
Something we are all guilty of is using the same stirrer when mixing our feeds, but it is important to avoid using the same stirrers as other people, and ensure that the one you do use is kept clean. You never know what types of feed or medication other horses might be having.
Are Science Supplements products BETA NOPS certified?
Yes! Here at Science Supplements we believe that our products are the best they can be for any horse using them.
We work very hard to ensure that all of our products are NOPS and UFAS approved, and have regular audits to ensure that the quality is as it should be. Next time you buy one of our supplements, take a look at the packaging – you will see the NOPS and UFAS logos on there.
Written by Anna Jones BSc (Hons) Equine Science - Customer Care & Marketing Associate