Congressional changes to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) are enough to satisfy constitutional concerns, the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rules. However, disagreements abound, even among federal courts, and a date on the Supreme Court docket may loom on the horizon.

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Updated Feb. 28, 2023

HISA Board Dismisses Illegal Horseshoe Claims Against Hot Rod Charlie

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Updated Feb. 1, 2023

Federal Appeals Court Denies Motions to Vacate HISA Ruling, Rehear Case

District court will consider whether legislation satisfies constitutional violations.

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Updated Jan. 17, 2023

Horseracing Agency Reviewing Racetrack Safety Rules

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is reviewing its Racetrack Safety Program after a tumultuous year that left farriers and manufacturers scrambling and a sharp rebuke from Congress.

As part of the review process, the Authority’s Racetrack Safety Standing Committee is accepting comments and suggestions from racing participants and other stakeholders, according to a HISA spokesperson.

It will establish a public comment period after the committee drafts revisions of the rules. Public comments will be considered before submitting the rules to the Federal Trade Commission. Another round of public comments will follow before the rules are finalized. Comments and suggestions can be submitted to HISA by emailing feedback@hisaus.org.

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Updated Dec. 20, 2022

Proposed $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill Amends Horseracing Law to Fix Constitutional Flaws

Legislation earmarks $4 million to enforce Horse Protection Act.

Updated Dec. 12, 2022

9 States Ask Senator to Halt Lame Duck Constitutional Fix for Horseracing Law

Attorneys general call for “deliberate consideration” in congressional committees.

Updated Dec. 6, 2022

Federal Horseracing Agency Appoints Patrick Reilly to Racetrack Safety Committee

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is adding a second farrier industry representative as it navigates its racetrack shoeing regulations.

The HISA Board of Directors has appointed Patrick Reilly to its Racetrack Safety Standing Committee.

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Updated Dec. 5, 2022

Kentucky Senator Seeks Solution to HISA’s Constitutional Flaws

Federal Trade Commission oversight will be bolstered if added to 2023 spending bill

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Updated Nov. 18, 2022

Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act is Unconstitutional, Court Rules

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act is unconstitutional, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

The New Orleans, La., triumvirate reverses a previous decision that dismissed the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) challenge that the law is unconstitutional because it delegates legislative authority to a private organization and individuals. The states of Texas, Louisiana and West Virginia also were plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

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Updated Nov. 5, 2022

HISA’s Farrier Representative Vows to Serve His “Brothers”

“The Farrier Industry Association’s HISA Committee is pleased that a well-qualified farrier industry representative has been selected to serve as a member of the HISA Horsemen’s Advisory Group,” Mark Hickcox, CF, chair of the FIA's HISA committee, told American Farriers Journal. “Tom Trosin, CJF, is an excellent choice. First of all, Tom is an experienced raceplater and can give the advisory group a first-hand farrier account of how HISA is affecting the farrier industry. With his leadership and administrative background from years of service to and as the president of the American Farrier’s Association, Tom will have a large pool of contacts to choose from for additional viewpoints, too. The FIA's HISA Committee hopes to serve as a resource for Tom in supporting the interests of farriers, farrier suppliers, and manufacturers.”

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Updated Oct. 24, 2022

Rich Strike’s Owner and Trainer Appeal Hot Rod Charlie’s Horseshoe Ruling

Did Hot Rod Charlie wear illegal horseshoes during the running of the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs? Race stewards, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), and Hot Rod Charlie’s team say no, but the second-place finisher isn’t so sure.

Rick Dawson and Eric Reed, Rich Strike’s owner and trainer, respectively, are appealing the decision by HISA that the front shoes worn by Hot Rod Charlie are legal, Horse Racing Nation reports.

Find out more in this article.

Updated Oct. 17, 2022

Federal Horseracing Agency Taps Farrier to Advisory Group

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) appointed one farrier to its 19-member Horseman’s Advisory Group, the federal agency announced Monday.

Tom Trosin, CJF, of Oklahoma City, Okla., will be the group’s farrier representative. The past president of the American Farrier’s Association is a second-generation farrier and has been a licensed plater in California and Oklahoma.

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Updated Oct. 6, 2022

Texas Congressman Seeks to Delay HISA Enforcement

Law’s co-sponsor changes course less than a year after enaction.

Updated Oct. 1, 2022

Manufacturers Share Frustrations with, but Offer Help with Racetrack Shoeing Regulations

Group outlines issues with HISA's shoeing regulations and impact on production.

Updated Sept. 15, 2022

Farrier Industry Association Creates Panel to Advise Horseracing Agency

The Farrier Industry Association is offering its expertise to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority after several missteps during the agency’s implementation of its shoeing regulations.

The FIA board of directors has appointed Mark Hickcox, CF, to chair a committee to closely follow current and proposed HISA regulations, as well as advise the agency about issues relating to farriers and hoof-care issues.

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Updated Sept. 4, 2022

HISA Considers More Racetrack Shoeing Rule Changes

Manufacturers and federal lawmakers push back against “chaotic implementation”.

Updated Aug. 31, 2022

U.S. Horseracing Agency Considering More Shoeing Changes

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is considering more shoeing rules changes following confusion over a horseshoe, sources close to the discussions tell American Farriers Journal.

HISA officials are close to allowing “regular hind toe shoes,” and 2 mm front and hind toe grabs for both turf and dirt, horseracing industry sources say.

“Regular hind toe shoes” references the differences between those applied to Thoroughbreds, as opposed to a Quarter Horse hind toe shoe. It is not known whether the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved or has been presented with the latest changes. HISA does not have the authority to modify regulations, enforcement or deadlines.

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Updated Aug. 30, 2022

HISA Seeks Advisors for Horseman’s Advocacy Group

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is seeking applicants to participate in a Horsemen’s Advisory Group, which is being formed to advise the federal agency on the “implementation and evolution” of regulations and protocols.

HISA will select 10-12 people who are involved in small and large racing operations in the United States. HISA’s standing committees will provide input on the selection process. HISA expects to announce the appointments to the group and hold its first monthly meeting in October. 

Learn more here.

Updated Aug. 27, 2022

HISA Needs Farriers at the Decision-Making Table

The Federal Register published the HISA Racetrack Safety Program on Jan. 5, 2022. Rule 2276 states, in part, “(a) Except for full rims 2 mm or less from the ground surface of the horseshoe, traction devices are prohibited on forelimb and hindlimb horseshoes during racing and training on dirt or synthetic racing tracks.”

The rule created confusion among racetrack farriers and manufacturers. Why? A 2 mm or less full-rim shoe does not exist.Manufacturers were not consulted on whether the shoe existed, nor were they asked how the prohibition of an estimated 95% of all racing plates would affect the supply chain. HISA was forced to delay enforcement of the shoeing rules by a month to provide manufacturers with the time necessary to meet market demands.

Find out more here.

Updated Aug. 1, 2022

What You Need to Know as HISA’s Racetrack Shoeing Rules Take Effect

HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program prohibits traction devices on forelimb and hindlimb horseshoes during racing and training on grass or synthetic racing tracks. Traction devices include, but are not limited to rims, toe grabs, bends, jar calks, stickers, traction nails and/or mud nails.

While traction devices are also prohibited on forelimb horseshoes during racing and training on dirt tracks, the rules will not be enforced for hindlimb shoes. Toe grabs of up to 4 mm on hindlimb horseshoes will be allowed. In addition, 2 mm outer rim shoes that are around the entire circumference of the shoe are allowed on dirt and synthetic surfaces. 

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Updated July 29, 2022

HISA Won’t Enforce Traction Rules for Dirt Racetracks

Horses racing on dirt tracks may be shod on the hinds with either a full outer rim shoe up to 4 mm in height or a toe grab up to 4 mm in height. The full ban on toe grabs remains in place on the front shoes. HISA’s Rule 2276 will take effect Monday, Aug. 1, 2022.

“In the last week, the Racetrack Safety Committee (“the Committee”) was made aware through communications from elected officials on Capitol Hill and from horsepersons of widespread concerns that the traction provided by full outer rim shoes and toe grabs for the hindlimbs is essential for the safety of horses in certain circumstances,” according to a statement from HISA. “These circumstances include breaking from the gate and track conditions that are impacted by ambient temperature or precipitation (including maintenance procedures, such as watering the track). The concerns are that reduced traction will result in horses either slipping, falling, or otherwise being unable to firmly grip the track surface, with resulting injury to horses and their riders.”

You can read the full article here. 

Updated June 29, 2022

Senators Want Answers After “Chaotic” HISA Implementation

As the July 1 deadline approaches, a new voice has joined the chorus — and it wants answers from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

A bipartisan quartet of United States senators are questioning the “chaotic implementation and poor communication” of the Authority, as well as whether the FTC has the “ability to effectively provide oversight of the Authority and ensure it complies with HISA.”

The mandated implementation of HISA is Friday, July 1, 2022; however, the Authority will not meet the deadline for the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program, horseshoes and riding crop regulations.

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Updated June 17, 2022

HISA Bans Traction Nails When Shoeing Thoroughbred Racehorses

A new traction device has found its way onto the prohibited list as the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority officially has updated and clarified its shoeing rules.

In a downloadable fact sheet titled “Shoeing Requirements,” HISA adds traction or mud nails to its list of prohibited devices on Thoroughbred racehorses. The list includes, but is not limited to toe grabs, bends, jar calks and stickers.

“A shoe with a flush toe insert would be compliant, but a shoe with an insert that extends below the ground surface of the shoe would not be allowed,” according to the fact sheet. “The use of toe grabs has been associated with an increased risk of fetlock injury, the major cause of racehorse fatalities due to musculoskeletal injury. Traction devices alter normal limb conformation, which can predispose to injury.”

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Updated June 15, 2022

U.S. Delays New Racetrack Horseshoeing Rules

As the calendar flips to July, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Racetrack Safety Program is largely in effect. Implementation of the shoeing rules is the only component that remains.

“The delayed enforcement date is to allow shoe manufacturers to have sufficient time to ensure adequate inventory for compliance,” Dr. Susan Stover, chair of HISA’s Racetrack Safety Committee, told American Farriers Journal. “The horseshoe rule will be enforced starting Aug. 1, 2022.”

Find out more in this article.

Updated June 10, 2022

Thoroughbred Racetrack Farriers Must Register with HISA by July 1

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has set a July 1 deadline for all Thoroughbred racing participants, including farriers, to register for access to restricted areas of a racetrack in the course of their work.

A covered person is licensed by a state racing commission and is involved with Thoroughbred covered horses or Thoroughbred covered horseraces.

While the deadline to register was July 1 to avoid disruption of access, any covered person can register online at hisaus.org. To register, you will need to provide a mailing address, email address or mobile phone number and any racing license with your details. You may upload a photo of your racing license.

Learn more about the deadline here.

Updated May 12, 2022

HISA Clarifies Shoeing Rules, Confirms Delay

“The delayed enforcement date is to allow shoe manufacturers to have sufficient time to ensure adequate inventory for compliance,” Dr. Susan Stover, chair of HISA’s Racetrack Safety Committee, told American Farriers Journal. “The horseshoe rule will be enforced starting Aug. 1, 2022.”

Stover, an International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame member from the University of California, Davis, recently notified horseshoe manufacturers of the extension. While manufacturers are appreciative of the confirmation of the enforcement date, there remains confusion surrounding the regulations.

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Legislation that aims to prevent horse racing fatalities by creating national anti-doping standards is making bipartisan headway in both houses of Congress.

On the same day that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and three co-sponsors introduced the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted, 46-5, to send H.R. 1754 to the full House.

“Our bill delivers common sense medication and track safety standards that protect America’s horses and jockeys, needed progress that will put this popular and historic sport on track for a strong recovery and a bright future,” says Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., who sponsored the House bill and whose district includes Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “Horse racing is more than the sport of kings, it also supports countless jobs and drives vital economic activity in communities all across America."

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