What drugs are acceptable for NRHA?

I would think a reiner would have a really hard time performing while under the influence of ACE. I think that is probably more common in the hunt world then the reining world. ACE effects the neoro-system, can make them stumble...

The only reiners I have expereince with are the ones that are at the AQHA shows. The drug testers have been at just about every show this summer so I know they are clean. I would say almost all of them are really actually very quiet horses. The worst I've seen them do is get a little excited on the spin....

No ACE has to many negative side effects. I do not know anyone who uses ACE any more for anything.

ACE is really common up here as a sedative (tons of vets use it), not on reiners, but as a general use it's used very often. What are the negative side effects are you talking about? All I've read is it a generally very safe to use and side effects are uncommon. Obviously I would never want to ride a horse on it, but I've never heard or seen it have really any negative side effects.

Only thing I've found online about it the risks are for male horses and risk of paraphimosis.

There's another sedative we use up here too, I think it starts with an R or something, I think ahha.

As a general sedative for a vet to use to get his job done it works OK. Not something I like to use but have in the past on a few mares. Would never use it on a stallion or Gelding for the reason you listed. As a sedative for a horse that you wish to ride it is too risky. The way it works in counterproductive to what you want. I am sure if you have used it you have seen how the horses react on it. Plus that is anouther problem some horses have a very negative reaction to it. I have seen a few go ballistic on it.

Oh most definitely I would never ride a horse on Ace. If I had to give a horse Ace for them to be safe to ride/show, then honestly its not a horse I want to be riding haha.

I still think the best drug is "wet saddle pads"...

The thing is that with that wet blanket time come sore horses. So they get drugs to help them with that. What you find most with in the NRHA are drugs to help make the horse more comfortable not to dull them down or sedate them. This is where drugs like Bute come into play. There are some people will black certain areas if the horse is off. I personally think that is going a bit fare but if they did not the horse would never show.

Rompun - actually xylazine

What does it mean to "black certain areas"? I've never heard that used before.

Wait, like a literal wet saddle pad? What does that do exactly? I've never even heard of it before...