USEF launches research fund with focus on competition horse welfare
The late Chromatic BF, the 13-year-old Oldenburg show jumper who died at the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Finals in Riyadh, will leave a lasting impact on equine welfare through a new research fund established in his honour.
US Equestrian has announced the first two research projects funded through the Chromatic Fund, a collaborative initiative established in late 2024 between the American Association of Equine Practitioners, US Equestrian, Chromatic’s breeder KC Branscomb, and The Foundation for the Horse. The fund focuses specifically on research that will improve the health and welfare of competition horses.
With total funding just under $100,000, the two inaugural projects tackle pressing concerns in sport horse medicine: the safety of vitamin E supplementation and the optimal protocols for steroid joint injections.
Vitamin E and bleeding risk
Dr Carrie Finno from the University of California, Davis will investigate whether high-dose vitamin E supplementation affects vitamin K status in healthy horses. The research addresses a critical question for competition horses, particularly those suffering from Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH).
Vitamin E is one of the most commonly supplemented nutrients in performance horses, yet concerns have emerged about whether high doses might promote bleeding by interfering with vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. For horses already vulnerable to EIPH – a condition affecting a significant percentage of racehorses and sporthorses during intense exercise – any increased bleeding tendency could be especially problematic.
“If high-dose vitamin E promotes bleeding, it could be especially devastating for competing horses suffering from Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage,” the project description states. “The goal is to definitively determine if this common supplement poses a risk of promoting bleeding in horses.”
The research will provide horse owners and veterinarians with evidence-based guidance on vitamin E supplementation, allowing them to make informed decisions about dosing protocols.
Steroid safety: Single high-dose or repeated low-dose?
Dr Lauren Schnabel from North Carolina State University will examine the safety of different steroid administration protocols for joint injections. The research will measure blood concentrations of glucose, insulin, cortisol, and ACTH after injections, and use radiographs to look for evidence of laminitis.
Corticosteroid joint injections are a cornerstone of managing joint inflammation in sport horses, but questions remain about the safest approach to administration. Veterinarians have long debated whether a single high dose or repeated smaller doses pose different risks for metabolic complications and laminitis development.
The findings will provide equine veterinarians with critical, evidence-based guidance on the safest administration protocols for steroid joint injections – information that could directly impact thousands of competition horses annually.
Addressing vet concerns
“These projects specifically address areas of concern that veterinarians brought to us at the USEF veterinary summit earlier this year, and we’re excited to see the results,” said US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney.
The USEF veterinary summit, held in March at the World Equestrian Centre in Ocala, Florida, brought together 28 veterinary professionals to review best practices in sport horse medicine, covering examinations, preventative health measures, injury prevention and management, fitness to compete, wearable technology, and evidence-based treatments.
The two research projects selected for the Chromatic Fund represent direct responses to concerns raised during that summit, demonstrating USEF’s commitment to translating practitioner observations into rigorous scientific investigation.
A robust review process
US Equestrian’s decision to collaborate with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and The Foundation for the Horse allows the federation to benefit from an established and rigorous grant review process.
The Foundation for the Horse, founded in 1994, received 64 grant applications this year and was able to fund 15 projects at 11 institutions. Applications are reviewed by AAEP staff and veterinarians before being sent to a panel of reviewers chaired by Dr Anthony Blikslager from North Carolina State University. The collective of 25 reviewers gather for a two-day meeting to evaluate each project’s scientific merit, grantsmanship, and feasibility.
“Working through the Foundation’s review process gives us confidence that the research we’re supporting is well-structured to give us actionable results that can be submitted to peer-reviewed academic journals and taken into the field,” said Moroney.
An advisory board of industry stakeholders representing the Chromatic Fund reviewed the final rankings and selected the two successful projects based on available budget and impact for competition horses. The board included Dr Tracy Turner (AAEP President-Elect), Bill Moroney (USEF CEO), Sonja Keating (USEF COO and General Counsel), Dr John E. Madigan (UC Davis), Dr Jack Snyder (FEI-certified treating veterinarian), Norman Dello Joio (Olympic and world champion trainer), and KC Branscomb (sporthorse breeder and owner).
Filling the research gap
The disparity between research needs and available funding remains stark across equine science. This year, The Foundation for the Horse could only fund 15 of 64 applications, leaving 49 worthy projects unfunded. Other equine research foundations face similar constraints.
“Some research is funded directly at the university level, but much is left undone because of a general lack of funding,” USEF noted in its announcement. “Assistance from resources like the Chromatic Fund can make the difference between a question and an answer about horse health.”
KC Branscomb, who established the fund in honour of Chromatic BF, emphasised the importance of evidence-based veterinary care. “Our horses and the people who care for them deserve best-in-class information about the appropriate use, efficacy, and risks of various medications, supplements, and therapies,” she said. “This landmark cooperation between AAEP and USEF will enable horses to continue to compete in sport while living happier, healthier, and safer lives.”
Timeline and future projects
The research process from funding to results typically takes two to three years. Results from Chromatic Fund projects will be made publicly available when studies are complete, with preference given to projects likely to produce results that can be published in peer-reviewed academic journals for maximum impact.
“These projects are just the beginning of USEF’s increased commitment to equine research in 2026,” said Moroney. “Our members have consistently told us that they see the support of equine health as part of our responsibility as a national governing body of equestrian sport, and we agree with them. We are examining additional 2026 projects that have been reviewed by research experts and hope to have additional announcements about funding in the coming weeks.”
The Chromatic Fund represents a meaningful shift in how national governing bodies approach their responsibility to competition horses. By partnering with established veterinary organisations and committing to peer-reviewed research, USEF is ensuring that Chromatic BF’s tragic death at the height of his competitive career will contribute to improved welfare for generations of sport horses to come.
About Chromatic
Chromatic BF was the leading qualifier for Team USA at the 2024 World Cup Jumping Final in Riyadh having podiumed at all three World Cup Qualifier Competitions he entered. As the first USA bred and raised showjumper to attend a World Cup Jumping Final in decades, he attracted a large following within the breeding and show community. His avoidable loss after three fault-free rounds and placing third in the second-to-last day of the championship underscores the urgent need for superior scientific research and education such as funded by the AAEP/USEF Chromatic Fund for Sport Horse Welfare Research and Education.