ASPCA Launches Petition to Enforce Federal Laws On Soring Tennessee Walking Horses

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Monday, 29 October 2001

If you agree with this statement and would like to add your endorsement, please e-mail your name and address to hpa@att.net; send a letter of support to ASPCA TWH Petition, 424 East 92nd Street, NY, NY 10128; fax it to 212-876-2835; or call 212-876-7700 and dial H-O-P-E.

To Members of Congress of the United States of America, and The United States Department of Agriculture:

The official breed registry of the Tennessee Walking Horse was founded in 1935. The first National Walking Horse Celebration, still the largest show in the industry, was held in 1939. In the 1950's, the practice of "soring," a variety of techniques that accentuate the gaits by causing pain when the horse walks, spread rapidly. Soring became a federal offense in 1970 under the Horse Protection Act.

A former official of the largest provider of Walking Horse show judges and inspectors estimated that "80 to 90 percent of the horses shown in some areas of the Southeast are sored." In December 1999, USDA Deputy Administrator Dr. Ron DeHaven pointed out that nine of the last ten presidents of the Walking Horse Trainers Association and nine of the last 16 Trainers of the Year had federal cases pending or convictions for soring.

In the last five years, a dozen people serving on the Board of Directors of the official breed registry have received 17 industry and five federal penalties for violating the law. Eight of them served on the Board again the following year. While the USDA has resources to attend only 10% of Walking Horse shows, violators, including "Celebration Hall of Fame" inductees and "Celebration" Judges, continue to defile this great American breed.

Soring is deceitful, dangerous and cruel. It hurts the horse, and it hurts the honest, humane horse owners, trainers, and exhibitors across the nation who can not compete on equal terms at the "highest" levels of Walking Horse competition. The inability of the industry to deal openly and effectively with the problem of soring is intolerable.

We, the undersigned, demand the following from our representatives and the USDA:

- Resources for enforcement of the Horse Protection Act must be increased. Funding is needed for research and development of objective methods to detect evidence of soring. Existing forensic technology from other federal agencies should be adapted to this purpose.

- The USDA should direct resources proportionally where the problem is greatest. Federal veterinarians must inspect more shows, and with no prior warning. They must inspect the horses, not serve as back up for inspectors provided by the industry. They must be present for the entire National Walking Horse Celebration.

- "Horse Industry Organizations," which provide inspectors to shows, must not be granted authority vested in the USDA. The industry may conduct private inspections, but no system of rating violations or schedule of penalties should supercede or interfere with federal law.

- The Horse Protection Act and regulations need to be strengthened. Budgets must be adjusted for over 30 years of inflation. The definition of soring must be clarified and expanded to include any gait-enhancing practice, procedure, or device that is shown to be harmful in any way.

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org