New essential medicines for horses in the EU: what changes in 2026 for veterinarians and stables

Key data

If you manage a stable, are an equine veterinarian or participate in equestrian competition, this regulation directly changes which medicines you can use and which no longer appear on the essential list. The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1810, published on 27 July 2026, modifies two key regulations: 2025/901 and the classic Regulation (EC) No. 1950/2006. The result: three substances enter, seven exit.

In the field of equestrian competition, where substance control is especially strict, knowing this updated list is not optional: it is an operational and regulatory compliance obligation.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2026/1810 acts on two fronts simultaneously:

1. Incorporation into Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/901 — Three new substances are added to the list of essential medicines for equines:

2. Removal from Regulation (EC) No. 1950/2006 — Seven substances are removed as they have become outdated or reclassified:

Note that ketoconazole appears in both lists: it is removed from Regulation 1950/2006 precisely because it is incorporated into the more updated framework of Regulation 2025/901. It does not disappear from the therapeutic arsenal; it changes its regulatory framework.

Compliance is mandatory in all Member States from the entry into force of the regulation.

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not a direct economic sanction, but rather operational and compliance-related. The practical consequences are:

• New therapeutic options available: Veterinarians can now prescribe ketoconazole, midazolam and sevoflurane with explicit regulatory backing as essential medicines for equines, which facilitates their use in therapeutic cascade.
• Mandatory protocol review: Stables and veterinary clinics that had protocols based on the 7 removed substances must update them. Continuing to use or document treatments based on the Regulation 1950/2006 framework without taking these removals into account may generate non-compliance.
• Impact on competition: In equestrian competition contexts, where permitted and prohibited substances are strictly controlled, the update to the list may affect pre-competition protocols and treatment records that owners must maintain.
• Stock management: Veterinary pharmacies and stables with stock of removed substances must review the status of those products under the new regulatory framework.

Who does it affect?

• Veterinarians treating equines: Must be aware of the new substances available as essential and stop referencing those removed under the Regulation 1950/2006 framework.
• Horse owners: Especially those participating in competition, where treatment records are auditable.
• Stable managers and supervisors: Must update their internal medication protocols and veterinary treatment records.
• Equestrian competition organizations: Must review their internal substance control regulations in light of the new list.
• Veterinary pharmacies and distributors: May be affected in the marketing and dispensing of modified substances.

Practical example

A veterinary clinic specializing in equines has a surgical procedure scheduled for a competition horse. Until now, the documented anesthetic protocol did not include sevoflurane as an essential medicine under the current regulatory framework for equines.

With the entry into force of Regulation 2026/1810, sevoflurane is incorporated into Regulation 2025/901 as essential. The veterinarian can now document its use under this updated framework, which facilitates justification before competition controls and simplifies the traceability of treatment in the animal's history.

At the same time, if that same protocol included griseofulvin (antifungal removed from Regulation 1950/2006), the stable manager must update the record to reflect that this substance no longer appears on the current essential list, and consult with the veterinarian if it should be replaced with ketoconazole, which is now included in the updated framework.

What should companies do now?

1. Review current medication protocols in the stable or veterinary clinic to identify if they include any of the 7 substances removed from Regulation 1950/2006 (digoxin, dorzolamide, griseofulvin, imipramine, ketoconazole, phenytoin, ticarcillin).
2. Update treatment records to reflect the new regulatory framework, especially in competition horses where traceability is audited.
3. Inform the veterinary team of the three new essential substances available (ketoconazole, midazolam, sevoflurane) under Regulation 2025/901, so they can incorporate them into their therapeutic protocols when clinically appropriate.
4. Consult with competition organizations in which your horses participate to verify if their internal substance control regulations already reflect this update.
5. Review medicine stock in pharmacies or stable first aid kits to ensure that the management of affected substances is consistent with the new regulatory framework.

Official source

Consult full regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601810