# Is tryptophan not allowed to be used at shows



## waresbear

Do they do a urine test at any of these shows you go to? If not, then drug testing isn't enforced. Look up your associations rules, see if that is listed as a banned drug. Most small clubs don't adopt the larger equestrian associations rules but rather have their own and don't have detailed lists of banned substances.


----------



## Saddlebag

Tryptophan is an amino acid found in protein so if you feed any grains your horse is already getting some. If you horse is often tense it may be best to let him blow off some energy before you ride, or check that his diet isn't too rich for a stalled horse. Rich feeds can get a horse hyper if he has no where to release it.


----------



## tlkng1

Tryptophan is not on the USEF banned list but Valerian is. This is the guide: Drugs and Medication

Page 5 (if this link comes up to the cover), is where the list of banned substances starts. If you click on the little magnifying glass on the top right you can search for a specific substance.


----------



## upnover

Just because a drug test is not enforced doesn't mean a drug is legal or illegal! :wink: You're right though, a lot of smaller clubs may not adopt the larger assoc rules. But thank you OP for looking into it! USEF does not ban Tryptophan because it is a naturally occurring substance in the body so they can't test for it accurately. You do have to be careful if you go out and buy a tube of calming paste with trypotphan as the main active ingredient though because often they have something in conjunction with it that is banned, like valerian root like ltkng1 mentioned.


----------

