# USDA rule change to end soring.



## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced changes to the Horse Protection Act on Friday that many hailed as a major step toward ending the abusive practice of âsoring.â

Soring is the practice of intentionally abusing Tennessee walking horses and related breeds to exaggerate their gait, causing the animals pain each time they step so they lift their front legs higher in what is known as the "big lick." The abuse often includes the use of caustic chemicals cooked into the skin and then irritated by chains, but also can involve shoving objects between the hoof and stacked shoes, among other methods."

It's about time this was ended, in my opinion. 

More: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...unces-rule-changes-end-horse-soring/96566330/


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Trying to end this abuse has gone on for years, decades. It&#8217;s about time.


----------



## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I like Plantation-style Walkers myself - wouldn't trust one of those big lick moving horses to get me to the mailbox and back with out breaking it's leg or mine - especially with the stacked hooves. And I've seen how they train them. Look out if they have to do anything but move straight down the barn-aisle or ring wall. I've seen so many literally explode in the show ring that it's a public safety hazard.

But the article is real thin on exactly how anybody is going to police how these horses are trained on the farm. Yeah, if I recall right now, they aren't supposed to show scarring and such at shows, and hooves are only supposed to be built up so much, but they ARE inspected at shows right now and have been for many years. Looks like a PR stunt to me, until I see some real changes - like banning stacked hooves and natural flat shod - gait showing only. I doubt there is much interest in such a commitment, even on the USDA's part. I see no real particulars in the article about what's changing - and if I know the USDA APHIS, there will be a prolonged "comment period" before anything is actually acted on...if ever.

Next thing, they can get after the stock horse people who train their horses to stumble along with their noses on the ground and their ears pasted back like demons. That's about as inhumane - at least the training methods are.


----------



## CelestielAcres (Sep 16, 2016)

This abuse will never end they( owners/breeders) will just get better at hiding it. I still have never understood how the "big lick" can be considered an attractive gait. Sigh.


----------



## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

CelestielAcres said:


> This abuse will never end they( owners/breeders) will just get better at hiding it. I still have never understood how the "big lick" can be considered an attractive gait. Sigh.


Part of what the USDA said they were doing is to use veterinarians to train show inspectors on what to look for soring. 

From the link: "The horse industry is currently responsible for training its own inspectors in what the USDA says is a conflict of interest that leaves them with no incentive to find violations. During audits, federal inspectors consistently find more sored horses than private inspectors do.

The new trainers would be veterinarians and veterinarian educators. The USDA said it will be able to deny an application for a horse protection inspector's license or revoke the license of an inspector "who does not meet the minimum requirements, who fails to follow the designated inspection procedures, or who otherwise fails to carry out his or her duties and responsibilities in a satisfactory manner."

They started cracking down on trainers a few years ago. Several, including Barney Davis, were given prison time. Which is a very good thing.


----------



## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I've had access and conversations with USDA APHIS vets for decades (job related in one of their other capacities) and they are simply spread WAY to thin. There is no money. The same people deal with bird flu outbreaks and everything else under the sun that way (Ag). They can hardly keep up as is.

Unless the Feds hire a lot more vets (not cheap) spend even more on travel, and put more trained/certified techs in the field, it's still going to be a piecemeal operation. Maybe nail a few high profiles, and hope the rest fall in line. Same ol' same ol'.


----------



## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

It will be interesting to see what the TWH classes at the smaller local shows in my area of KY look like this spring. I certainly don't agree with the extreme shoeing and soring, think the "Big Lick" horses are ugly, in fact, but they are certainly in the majority in this area.

As I say, will be interesting to see what changes I will see at some of the small local shows.


----------



## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Thankfully this poorly-written law has been put on hold for the time being. 

Has anyone actually read this??? The addendum specifically says "all horses", not just TWH, and the language forbids the use of several things we farriers use to help many horses. Spider plates, acrylics, and dental impression material are regularly used for many show horses (I work mostly with jumpers and eventers), these things are illegal under this law. 

The HSUS should not be writing laws for us.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

malinda said:


> Thankfully this poorly-written law has been put on hold for the time being.
> 
> Has anyone actually read this??? The addendum specifically says "all horses", not just TWH, and the language forbids the use of several things we farriers use to help many horses. Spider plates, acrylics, and dental impression material are regularly used for many show horses (I work mostly with jumpers and eventers), these things are illegal under this law.
> 
> The HSUS should not be writing laws for us.


In my experience breed specific laws don't work. When Michigan's DNR banned feral hogs, they come in all colors and shapes, so the law was overly broad. When various communities banned Pit bulls, everyone simply called them Staffordshire Terriers.

I'm sure if the law specified humane treatment to TWH only, we'd see a new breed registry (Kentucky Walking Horses?) that wasn't covered under the law.

While I've shod horses of many breeds, my main focus has always been draft horses. I am ashamed at the convoluted shoeing on even the National Champions. Scotch bottoms, a couple leather pads, buckets of acrylic body filler. Hind feet are trimmed deep on the inside, allowed to flare out on the outside, shoes with a thin wedge on the inside and 1/2 inch plus a heal caulk on the outside, designed to twist the horse's rear legs together at the hock.

I say enforce the new regulation. If your shoeing is helping the horse, who's inspecting anyway? If you are soring a horse, any breed, you are out. If you are stacking up pads and weights, stop it, no matter the breed.

A corrective shoe, single pad to keep the frog from drying out, no one will have an issue. But for most of the hot messes that pass for action enhancement, these violations are obvious and cross breed lines.

I agree that PETA and their ilk should not be writing animal laws. This has happened in the livestock industry,too. As an example a major lobbyist was writing proposals for livestock laws, to be presented and voted on by our elected officials, couldn't tell me the difference between a farrowing crate and a gestation crate.


----------



## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

Agree, I've seen many a draft horse sent to the show ring/auction ring with Bondo for hooves, sadly often for lack of regular care. They lop off the mis-growth and build a new foot. People do what they think they have to do to get through the day, and I doubt that a law will change it.

But totally agree that reconstructive and therapeutic shoeing/hoofwork should be exempt from interference.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Trump discovered this ruling favored East Coast liberal Democrats and he stopped the ruling. Read all about it:

 Trump administration places horse 'soring' ban on hold
Michael Collins, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

The Commercial Appeal

January 24, 2017





WASHINGTON - A federal regulation finalized in the waning days of the Obama administration to end the abusive practice of horse soring is on hold.



Just one week before President Barack Obama left office, the Department of Agriculture announced it had finalized a new regulation to update the Horse Protection Act. To become effective, the rule must be published in the Federal Register.



The new rule was supposed to be published Tuesday. But on President Donald Trump's first day in office last Friday, the White House issued a memorandum for all unpublished rules to be withdrawn and sent back to the relevant agency for review.



"They pretty much put a hold on it," said Keith Dane, senior adviser for equine protection for the Humane Society of the United States.


----------



## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

You can't fix stupid. But sometimes a good ass whipping goes a long way. I am getting old now, and can't get around like I used to. When I was seventeen years old and showing at a 4H horse show. I saw a man beating a horse that didn't want to get into a trailer. That guy fell down and broke his right arm. Damdest thing you ever saw.

By the time a crowd had gathered the shovel was back in my dad's truck.


Muleskinner2


----------



## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Muleskinner, that’s an awesome post. Couldn’t agree more with you.


----------

