Over the past few weeks, a flurry of emails from the U.S. Equestrian Federation have hit my inbox about steps the organization is taking to safeguard horse welfare: hair testing, a statement on overuse, a new rule concerning return to play following a horse collapsing at a show. Earlier this year there were emails about banning new substances. Among them was pentobarbital, a barbiturate veterinarians use to euthanize horses.

All these rules are aimed at bettering the lives of our equine partners and preventing abuse, but with each new announcement the wearier I get. Not because I disagree with these changes, but because we need them in the first place. Rule changes don’t come about just because. No one stood up in a meeting and said, “I really think we need to make a rule about X,” without a good reason. It’s because someone, somewhere has acted in a way that made us say, “That’s not OK, and we need to find a way to stop it.”

How can anyone who claims to love horses use a euthanasia drug for anything other than putting a horse down? Like others, I can’t begin to fathom the mental gymnastics a person has to do to get to that point. Where, along the route from loving horses to working with them, does the pursuit of money, ribbons, fame and client retention lead you to make that choice? And who are the veterinarians willing to dispense these substances to clients?

Over the years I’ve heard about the myriad ways people—sometimes people I previously looked up to—have come up with to make horses quieter. DiAnn Langer mentioned a few of them, such as gasoline in water buckets to discourage drinking and the use of highly restricted substances such as pentobarbital, in her December column, “See Something, Say Something: We Need A Strong, Immediate Response To Abuse.” But that’s far from an exhaustive list. Trainers have been sanctioned for using stimulants, which prevent a horse from resting overnight and is therefore tired for its class the next morning. For every horrific method I’ve heard whispers about, I’m sure there’s another more closely guarded one that hasn’t hit the rumor mill.

It’s gotten to the point that when I hear about the newest method du jour, my response isn’t outraged shock. Yes, I’m still disgusted and disappointed, but it’s hard to be surprised anymore. If you’re willing to use euthanasia drugs in the show ring, you’ll probably try anything.

There have been a few stories over the past couple years about horses who have collapsed at shows, and last week USEF passed a presidential modification specifically aimed at addressing these situations. That the federation had to codify this is depressing. We shouldn’t have to debate whether a horse that can’t stay on its feet should be allowed to keep showing. It shouldn’t require an edict from USEF to get that horse off the show grounds; taking time off should be a no-brainer for the welfare of not only the horse but its rider as well. Catastrophic falls already happen in this sport with devastating consequences. Is it worth risking human life and health to compete on a knowingly compromised horse?

For some, apparently the answer is yes.

It’s true, professionals are under a lot of pressure to make sure a horse performs. Clients invest a lot of money and time and can leave if they’re dissatisfied. If you think—or know—your competitors are doing unsavory things to get an edge, it’s tempting to do the same to level the playing field.

“Everyone was doing it” was a key part of cyclist Lance Armstrong’s defense when he was caught doping and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. Sure, he won in the moment, but if everyone is doping, those accomplishments are diminished. If the top finishers in a big class are all drugged, is it really about who had the best horse and round, or is it about who had the best chemist?

We’ve got to be better.

That starts with all of us. USEF has come under fire for its handling of abuse reports, and yes, our federation must take appropriate action when credible reports are filed. But for it to do that, the horse community needs to be willing to make those reports and present evidence of wrongdoing. It’s hard and inappropriate for USEF to act on third-hand knowledge with no proof, just as it would be irresponsible for journalists to present rumor as fact. But oftentimes these infractions are open secrets hinted at with vague references shared in barns and online without ever mentioning a name. Fear of retribution is real and valid, but if we can’t have honest conversations, then we can’t clean up the sport.

If you have a credible piece of info on someone harming horses, be brave enough to report. If you don’t have enough evidence about a trainer to report, but your friend is considering moving to that barn, share what you know. Information tends lurk in the back of one’s mind, and if they see something suspicious, it’ll raise a red flag and hopefully spur them to action.

Sometimes all it takes is being told something is wrong. If you’ve never heard that giving sedatives to “take the edge off” is cheating and potentially dangerous, you’re more likely to go along with it. After all, you trust the trainer’s judgment. But once you’re aware, it’s on you to act and prevent it from happening again.

We can’t legislate people into making the right decisions for their horses. Just because pentobarbital is now banned, it doesn’t mean the people callous and creative enough to use it as a calmer haven’t already come up with a new method for circumventing the rules. If a horse collapses in the barns when a steward isn’t present, and no one reports it, there’s nothing to stop that horse from showing an hour later. The rule breakers are always going to be one step ahead of the rule enforcers.

While I’m disheartened that we need to legislate good horse stewardship, it’s good that these rule changes have come down the pipeline. It’s not a perfect fix, but hopefully those who are compromising horse welfare will get caught, and their clients will move on to more ethical trainers. Taking away their income by not supporting their business is one way we can stop bad actors.

We can, and should, report instances of abuse or compromised horse welfare to USEF, and we can warn others about unscrupulous trainers. With more awareness, we’re less likely to accept it as OK or normal. USEF’s latest actions are a step in the right direction, and I hope we continue moving that way.