The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a proposal to amend its Horse Protection Act regulations and it could be a major step forward in protecting horses from the abusive practice of “soring.”
Horse hooves encased in 'stacks' s form of soring.
The rule would eliminate the use of devices integral to soring and the conflict-ridden industry-run self-enforcement system, which has allowed horse soring to continue for decades, and return enforcement authority to USDA.
© 2013 by APHIS veterinarian Todd Behre New window.
Soring is where trainers purposefully inflict pain on horses’ hooves and legs to create an artificial high-stepping show ring gait known as the “Big Lick.” They use a variety of gruesome techniques—some trainers even cut the hooves down to the delicate tissue and jam in hard or sharp objects to make the pain even more excruciating whenever the horse puts weight on his or her front legs.
The rule would finally eliminate the use of devices integral to soring and the conflict-ridden industry-run self-enforcement system, which has allowed horse soring to continue for decades, and return sole enforcement authority to USDA.
USDA needs to hear from YOU that you support this proposed rule and urge them to update the HPA regulations to once and for all put an end to soring.
TAKE ACTION
Please send the message below to Dr. Aaron Rhyner, DVM, Assistant Director of USDA APHIS’ Animal Care, urging USDA to amend and strengthen the Horse Protection regulations.
This action alert is for U.S. residents. International advocates, please visit Humane Society International.
Your Message
Subject - Please protect horses by quickly finalizing USDA’s proposed rule to strengthen the Horse Protection Act regulations!
Dear Dr. Rhyner,
I am writing to urge the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, in the final version of its proposed rule, to ban the use of soring devices and end the role of Horse Industry Organizations and Designated Qualified Persons in the inspection of horses at shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, and assign inspection authority solely to APHIS Veterinary Medical Officers and those individuals APHIS has authorized to perform inspections on its behalf after a complete review of qualifications and potential conflicts of interest.
This proposed rule includes prohibitions on all action devices and all pads and wedges (except where pads and wedges are prescribed for the horse’s therapeutic veterinary treatment) on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The proposal also requires that management of HPA-covered events must, among other things, submit certain information records to APHIS and provide inspectors with access, space, and facilities to conduct inspections. The rule also requires management to have a farrier physically present to assist inspectors at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions that allow Tennessee Walking Horses or racking horses to participate while wearing therapeutic pads and wedges if more than 100 horses are entered, and to have a farrier on call if 100 or fewer horses are entered. These provisions are vital for preventing horse soring, and we encourage their inclusion in the final HPA rule.
To strengthen the proposed rule, the agency should include weighted shoes in the prohibitions on devices allowed on any Tennessee Walking and racking horses at covered events, and extend the prohibitions on the use of weighted shoes, pads, wedges, and action devices to Spotted Saddle Horses (a breed that has also been victimized by soring through the use of these devices).
Soring has been allowed to persist for far too long. The USDA must swiftly strengthen and finalize this proposed regulation to put an end to this cruelty once and for all.
Thank you.
Signed, [Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP]
90,941 supporters have taken action.
Join the action by clicking HERE for further information and form to send USDA
Press release by The Humane Society of the United States