Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses: History and Impact

Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses has a long and complex history that has had a lasting impact on the breed. It originated in the 1930s in Tennessee, where horse breeders would use techniques to deliberately cause pain and inflammation in a horse's legs to enhance their performance in shows.

The practice was often used to create a "padded" or "sored" horse, which would display an exaggerated gait, known as the "Big Lick." This gait was highly prized in the breed's early days, and many owners and trainers saw it as a key to success in the show ring.

The use of soring techniques continued for decades, with many breeders and trainers turning a blind eye to the suffering of the horses. In fact, some even went so far as to defend the practice, claiming that it was necessary to produce a high-quality Tennessee Walking Horse.

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Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses has a long and problematic history. The practice of soring dates back to the 1930s, when it was first used to create the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.

Soring was initially used to enhance the breed's gait and performance, but it quickly became a widespread and accepted practice. The use of soring was so prevalent that it became a defining characteristic of the breed.

In the 1960s, the Tennessee Walking Horse industry began to recognize the negative consequences of soring. Despite this, the practice continued to be used, often under the guise of "legitimate" training methods.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) finally began to take action against soring in the 1970s, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the practice was officially banned. The Horse Protection Act of 1970 prohibited the use of certain devices and practices, including soring, but it was often poorly enforced.

The USDA's enforcement of the Horse Protection Act was further hindered by the creation of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry's own inspection program, which was designed to self-regulate the practice of soring. The program was widely criticized for its lack of effectiveness and its failure to prevent the continued use of soring.

Despite these efforts, soring continued to be used in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, often in secret and with the knowledge of industry leaders. It wasn't until the passage of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act in 2020 that the practice was finally prohibited, and the industry was forced to confront the harm it had caused.

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Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses is a serious issue that affects the well-being of these magnificent animals. Soring involves the intentional infliction of pain or distress on a horse's legs to enhance its performance in competition.

There are several methods used to sore a horse, including the application of an irritating or blistering agent to the horse's legs, the infliction of burns, cuts, or lacerations, the injection of chemicals or the use of devices such as nails or screws, and other forms of physical abuse.

Clinical signs of a sore horse are a clear indication of the harm being inflicted. These signs include visible granulation tissue or scars on the pasterns or coronet band, wavy hair growth or hair loss in the pastern area, and darker hair on the pasterns compared to the rest of the horse's coat.

Here are some specific clinical signs to look out for:

A sored horse is a horse that has been subjected to a painful and inhumane practice.

The methods used to sorer a horse are often deliberate and cruel, involving the application of irritating or blistering agents to the horse's limbs.

These agents can be applied internally or externally, and can cause physical pain or distress, inflammation, or lameness when walking.

The use of tack, nails, screws, or chemical agents injected into or used on a horse's limbs is also a common method of soring.

Other substances or devices can also be used on a horse's limbs, or a person can engage in a practice involving a horse, resulting in physical pain or distress.

Clinical signs of a sored horse include visible granulation tissue or scars on the pasterns or coronet band.

Wavy hair growth or hair loss is often visible in the pastern area.

The horse's pasterns may have darker hair than the rest of its coat.

A sored horse may stand with its weight unnaturally shifted to its hind legs, sometimes described as "standing in a bucket".

The horse may carry its hocks low and twist them outward when moving.

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A sored horse may lie down for extended periods of time and be resistant to standing up.

The horse may resist handling of its hooves.

A sored horse may have difficulty walking and may fall.

Here are some of the common clinical signs of a sored horse:

Soring can cause severe pain and discomfort to horses, leading to a decrease in their quality of life.

Horses that are subjected to soring often exhibit abnormal gaits, which can make everyday tasks a struggle.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reports that soring can lead to chronic pain and inflammation in horses.

Soring can also lead to laminitis, a painful condition that affects the tissues connecting a horse's hooves to its bones.

In severe cases, soring can even lead to laminitic lesions, which can cause permanent damage to a horse's hooves.

Horses that are subjected to soring often require expensive and lengthy veterinary care to manage their pain and inflammation.

The emotional toll of soring on horses can be just as significant as the physical pain, leading to anxiety and stress that can affect their behavior and well-being.

Soring can also have a ripple effect on the horse's owner, causing emotional distress and feelings of guilt and shame.

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The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1684) aims to put an end to soring in Tennessee walking horse competitions.

Soring involves intentionally inflicting pain on a horse's hooves and front limbs to produce an exaggerated high-stepping gait known as the Big Lick.

Industry-run inspections have been deemed ineffective, with the American Association of Equine Practitioners calling for their abolition due to acknowledged conflicts of interest.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners endorse the PAST Act and have lost faith in the industry's ability to police itself.

For decades, irresponsible individuals have found ways to sore horses and circumvent the inspection process, leading to a lack of trust in the industry's self-regulation.

The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1684) aims to put an end to soring in Tennessee walking horse competitions. Soring involves intentionally inflicting pain on a horse's hooves and front limbs to produce an exaggerated gait.

The USDA has expressed concerns about the lack of compliance when they're not present at a show. It's highly unlikely that exhibitors only present noncompliant horses for inspection when USDA is present.

According to the Walking Horse Report, between October 2017 and March 2018, 3.48% of horses failed inspection when USDA was not present. This number jumps to 8.17% when USDA is present, and many horses are not even presented for inspection.

The reported numbers are skewed because they include flat shod Tennessee Walking Horses, who are not sored but are inspected. This makes the percentage of sored horses look smaller than it is.

The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1684) is a crucial piece of legislation aimed at putting an end to the inhumane practice of soring in the Tennessee walking horse industry.

Soring involves intentionally inflicting pain on a horse's hooves and front limbs to produce an exaggerated high-stepping gait known as the Big Lick.

The PAST Act would close loopholes in the Horse Protection Act, which has allowed the industry to police itself with minimal repercussions for those who hurt horses.

Those who hurt horses face minimal repercussions, get deferred disqualifications, and are typically allowed to continue carrying out the abuses that got them disqualified in the first place.

The bill would replace the self-policing system with third-party, independent inspectors who are trained, licensed, and assigned by the USDA.

The PAST Act would also ban the devices integral to soring, such as the stacks and chains, and strengthen penalties for soring.

Every major veterinary, equine, animal welfare, and law enforcement organization in the U.S. has endorsed this bill.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) are among the many organizations that support the PAST Act.

The AAEP issued a 2008 white paper condemning soring, calling it “one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline.”

In a joint statement, the AVMA and the AAEP stated, “For decades we've watched irresponsible individuals become more creative about finding ways to sore horses and circumvent the inspection process, and have lost faith in an industry that seems unwilling and/or unable to police itself.”

The investigation and enforcement of soring in Tennessee Walking Horses has been a long-standing issue. A 2010 audit by the USDA Inspector General exposed how trainers in the industry continue to train horses using inhumane methods and evade detection.

The audit recommended stiffer penalties and eliminating the flawed system of industry self-policing, as well as increased funding to enable the USDA to more adequately oversee compliance with the law. Unfortunately, little has changed with HPA enforcement in the intervening years.

In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a report urging the USDA to discontinue its reliance on industry inspectors, and instead depend on veterinarians to inspect horses for soreness. This recommendation was made to ensure more accurate and impartial inspections.

The Lee and McGartland case is a prime example of the complexities of investigation and enforcement. In 2013, Lee and Mike McGartland's horse, The Royal Dollar, placed third in the Red Carpet Show of the South, but was later found to be sore during a post-show inspection.

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A veterinary officer from the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that The Royal Dollar was indeed sore. The McGartlands received further official warnings from 2013 to 2016, and were identified as "violators" on the USDA's website.

The McGartlands took issue with the USDA's enforcement program, claiming it denied them due process and broke privacy laws by publishing personal information. They sued the USDA, citing these concerns.

This case highlights the importance of due process in investigations and enforcement. The McGartlands' lawsuit may have contributed to the removal of records of animal welfare cases from the USDA's website.

The USDA's track record on investigating and enforcing horse soring cases is a complex issue. In 2013, Lee and Mike McGartland received official warnings and were identified as "violators" on the USDA website after their horse, The Royal Dollar, was found to be sore.

The McGartlands sued the USDA, claiming that the enforcement program denied due process and broke privacy laws by publishing personal information. This lawsuit may be linked to the removal of records of animal welfare cases from the USDA's website.

A 2010 audit by the USDA Inspector General exposed how trainers in the industry continue to train horses using inhumane methods and go to great lengths to evade detection. The audit recommended stiffer penalties and eliminating the flawed system of industry self-policing.

Despite these recommendations, little has changed with HPA enforcement in the intervening years. In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine urged the USDA to discontinue its reliance on industry inspectors and instead depend on veterinarians to inspect horses for soreness.

The USDA finally finalized new HPA regulations in 2024, which will replace the industry self-policing system with one involving impartial inspectors, primarily those with veterinary experience.

The industry has a history of self-policing, but it's not a very effective system. The US Department of Agriculture has never provided the resources for its inspectors to attend most shows.

This led to the creation of an industry-run enforcement system, where horse industry organizations were allowed to train their own inspectors, called designated qualified persons (DQPs). DQPs are often employees of show organizations and exhibitors of Tennessee walking horses themselves.

The problem with this system is that DQPs tend to avoid citing those who hired them, which undermines the integrity of the enforcement process.

The Big Lick gait is a grotesque and unnatural way of walking that some Tennessee Walking Horses are forced to endure.

Soring, the practice that causes this gait, was made illegal in 1970 by the Horse Protection Act.

Inspectors are directly employed by show managers, which creates a clear conflict of interest in enforcing the law.

Penalties for soring are nearly non-existent, allowing the practice to persist in about 200 trainers who impact over 10,000 horses.

The overwhelming majority of sored horses are Tennessee Walking Horses, but two other breeds, the Racking Horse and the Spotted Saddle Horse, are also impacted.

The PAST Act would close loopholes in the Horse Protection Act, which has allowed the industry to police itself with minimal repercussions for those who hurt horses. This lack of accountability has led to the continued use of soring devices like stacks and chains.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) have lost faith in the industry's ability to police itself, stating that irresponsible individuals have become more creative about finding ways to sore horses and circumvent the inspection process.

PAST would replace the self-policing system with third-party, independent inspectors who are trained, licensed, and assigned by the USDA. This would provide a more reliable and effective way to prevent soring.

The current system has allowed those who hurt horses to receive deferred disqualifications and continue carrying out abuses with little consequence. PAST would strengthen penalties for soring and ban the devices integral to it.

The AAEP issued a 2008 white paper condemning soring, calling it "one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline." They called for the abolition of industry-run inspections and the adoption of meaningful uniform standards and regulations.

Tennessee Walking Horses commonly suffer from the practice of soring. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) issued a 2008 white paper condemning soring, calling it “one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline.”

Sored horses can be left in their stalls for days at a time, their legs covered in caustic chemicals and plastic wrap to "cook" the chemicals deep into their flesh. This is a common sight in training barns where soring takes place.

Trainers put chains around the horse's sored ankles whenever they are ridden, in training or competition, causing further irritation to the already painful areas. This is a deliberate attempt to accentuate the horse's gait.

Big Lick or "performance"-gaited show horses are fitted with tall, heavy stacks of pads to force them to stand at an unnatural angle. This is similar to wearing high heel, platform shoes all day, every day.