Starting in 2026, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company is strengthening safety protocols for under-tack shows, with a Feb. 17 announcement outlining enhanced measures to further prioritize the well-being of horses and riders.
Beginning with the under-tack show for the March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, use of the riding crop will be restricted to where the rider will not be permitted to strike the horse with their hands off the reins before, during, or after the breeze.
All horses must also have a veterinary certificate confirming that they are suitable to perform in the under-tack show. Entries lacking this affirmation will be scratched. This requirement complements OBS's ongoing practice of having staff veterinarians monitor training and attend the under-tack show.
"We're always looking for ways to improve," said OBS' director of sales, Tod Wojciechowski. "We thought adding these extra control measures would benefit both buyers and sellers. The short of it is, every horse for the under tack show has to be examined by their attending veterinarian and approved for participation in the under tack show."
Veterinary examinations must be completed within 72 hours of the scheduled under-tack day, with results submitted by 4:00 PM, two days prior. This timeframe allows for two working days to complete the examinations.
To view the full details of the new rules, click here.
"In addition (to the veterinary certificates), another control measure we added this year, we've removed the striking of a horse with the whip outside of their hand, hands being off the reins. We think that's a step forward in animal welfare and in preparing and presenting these horses.
"Last year, we upgraded our medication rules so that there are no NSAIDs or corticoids within 48 hours of the under tack show. Any overages of those medications are returnable. That was a big step forward in our medication and testing. I think it can only improve our segment of the market."
Also implemented last year was the prohibition of any substance being administered within 24 hours prior to an under-tack performance. Any overages for these medications will result in a horse being subject to return.
Last year, OBS instated a gallop-only option, where consignors select this option at the time of entry. While horses have always been allowed to gallop during under tack shows if preferred, the formal catalog label is intended to build buyer confidence.
"Let's be clear about one thing. The time of an under-tack breeze is a data point to be used by all buyers, along with a lot of other data points and variables," Wojceichowski said. "Inevitably, if you listen to anyone talk about buying horses at the 2-year-old sales, they talk not only about time, but they also talk about how they looked doing it. The time is just one metric that should be involved in that process."
The 2026 OBS March Sale will be held March 10-12, with under-tack shows taking place March 4-7.
To hear more of Wojciechowski's thoughts on the new under-tack rules, tune in to the Feb. 23 episode of BloodHorse Monday.
