What is Being Done About Soring?

In 1976, the Horse Protection Act (HPA) was passed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to protect the show horse by not allowing chemical aids to be used. The law outlawed soring practices and imposed limits on the weight of chains that are used. The HPA is administered by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) division of the USDA. A team of Veterinary Medical Officers (VMOs) trained to recognize soring was developed to on spot inspections onsite at horse shows.

The goal of passing the HPA was to end soring. Citations are issued each year to trainers and owners for soring their horses, and the penalties include both fines and time in jail, depending on the amount of violations and/or the severity of the case involved.

“The battle that we seem to be fighting is a battle that no longer exists: the pre-1976 Walking Horse....There seems to be a group of people in southern California that don’t like this look and so, in an effort to remove the look, they seem to want to make a case about abuse, and the abuse has not existed since 1976, when the law went into effect.”
~ Mr. Bill Harlan, National Horse Show Commission, Inc. (NHSC) representative, Inside Edition,
circa 2000

However….

USDA statistics show us that soring is still the major form of “training” Big Lick horses.

In 2000 and previous years, the NHSC had the highest amount of violations when APHIS officials were present at their shows—more than double the next highest amount of violations (USDA Horse Protection Enforcement, Calendar Year 2000, page 9). At all events that the APHIS attended in 2000, “Padded horses are found in violation at a rate almost five times that of flat-shod horses” (USDA Horse Protection Enforcement, Calendar Year 2000, page 20).

New statistics have been gathered using the chemical “sniffers,” officially known as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) devices. From the USDA website: “GC/MS is a testing technique used to identify the composition of chemical mixtures, which are sometimes applied to horses’ legs. APHIS collects the samples at shows and sends them to USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, where testing is conducted to identify any chemicals in the samples. GC/MS can detect minute amounts of substances. Prior to GC/MS analytical techniques, foreign substances were detected by sight or smell.”

The USDA took 92 samples at the 2005 Celebration and 25 samples at the 2005 Kentucky Celebration. Of the 92 samples taken at the 2005 Celebration, 54 percent indicated a chemical was present, primarily numbing agents, UV radiation blockers, DMSO, and diesel or other fuels. At the Kentucky Celebration, 100 percent of the horses tested positive for diesel fuel, and almost half were found to have numbing agents. Camphor and sulfur were also detected. (“USDA to Industry: ‘Step Up or We Will,’” The Voice magazine, March 2006.)

In contrast, the sniffer was used in 2004 and 2005 at a Friends of the Sound Horses (FOSH) show and a National Walking Horse Association (NWHA) show, and none of the samples tested positive for any adverse chemicals or banned substances. (“USDA to Industry: ‘Step Up or We Will,’” The Voice magazine, March 2006.)

The HPA is so pleased with these results that they will be using the sniffers at all of the shows that they attend. Click here for the USDA’s April 14, 2006 official announcement of the use of chemical “sniffers.”

Why Isn’t the HPA Working?

In short, trainers have found ways to get around the USDA. Organizations that represented the breeder and trainers asked the USDA if they could self-regulate their practices. The Horse Industry Organization (HIO) was developed to work with the USDA in assigning Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs)—people who would be trained to recognize soring, like the VMOs. The NHSC and TWHBEA are both members of the HIO and provide the most funds to it.

The NHSC provides the rules and regulations for most TWH shows. However, the NHSC is mostly run by breeders and trainers that most likely practice soring. While the NHSC rules against soring in their rule book, their DQPs have been elected to the position by the aforementioned breeders and trainers. Therefore, many times a horse that is being sored is looked upon with a “blind eye” and allowed to show.

“The actual DQPs...are [TWH] horse industry people to the core, trainers, assistants, farriers, etc. They view their job as to protect the horse industry, not to write up sore horses. Some have told me that if they cite too many, the no longer get to go to horse shows.”
~ Dr. Tom James, former TWH owner/exhibitor and recently retired USDA veterinarian, Horse Illustrated, July 2004

Money is also a major factor why soring continues. The TWHBEA is one of the very few profiting horse registration organizations in the United States. Millions of dollars are tied up into this industry, especially in the State of Tennessee. Changes in “the way things are” would result in a crash in the TWH market, and many Big Lick trainers would be out of business and bankrupt.

“As long as the big lick wins at shows, the trainer must produce it to stay in business....The day a trainer stops producing big lick horses is the day all the horses in his or her barn are removed and taken to another trainer. The pressure is enormous.”
~ Dr. Tom James, Horse Illustrated, July 2004

“After DQPing for 10 years and watching HIOs get payoffs to allow sored horses [to] go through, I cannot find a clean HIO and no longer DQP.”
~ Ms. Jan Saltzman, TWH Breeder and Trainer in Pennsylvania, quoted from email, June 18, 2004

Why Doesn’t Someone Stop Them?

Confronting the offenders is dangerous and not productive. Offenders have been known to assure anyone who asks about soring that it doesn’t hurt the horses. In fact, Bob Cherry of the TWHBEA Board of Directors once was quoted to have said “Horses don’t feel pain.”

Furthermore, offenders that think a venue is being strict on their rules will use less obvious methods of soring to pass inspections. Topical anesthetics are used to hide the pain during inspection, which wears off before the horse enters the show ring. Salicylic acid is used to burn the offending scars off so the hair grows back. Horses are also “stewarded,” which means they are taught by being severely whipped or beaten not to react to the pain during inspection.

Offenders also will leave a show if VMOs directly from the USDA arrive to do spot inspections. For example, USDA VMOs came for a spot inspection to a NHSC show in Pennsylvania in June 2004. After the arrived, the majority of the exhibitors packed up their horses and left. The show was canceled due to rain. The day was only cloudy, and this show has gone on before in the pouring rain (Dr. Pamela Reband, NWHA Board of Directors, Former TWHBEA Board Member, interviewed July 1, 2004). Just as commonly, some offenders genuinely don’t think they’re doing anything wrong.

Offenders also have been known to threaten a person who stands up against them. Dr. Pamela Reband, Board Member for the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA) and a former TWHBEA Board Member, has received death threats against herself, her family and her horses for standing up to the NHSC and TWHBEA for this offense. She moved to a different state and “went into hiding” in order to protect herself and her family. Some USDA VMOs who write a high number of violations have also received death threats, and at a TWH auction in 2000, some USDA inspectors had their tires slashed.

“Unfortunately, efforts to enforce the HPA effectively have not been embraced by some individuals. In 2000, APHIS had to request that U.S. Marshals and law enforcement agents from USDA’s Office of the Inspector General accompany APHIS VMOs to numerous shows due to threats of violence against APHIS personnel.”
~ USDA, Horse Protection Enforcement, Calendar Year 2000

How Can I Help?

I always get questions asking what we as horse lovers and TWH enthusiasts can do to help stop the horrific pratice of soring. It's very simple: avoidance.

As the above information states, it is dangerous to confront the offenders themselves. People have been threatened and even hurt by offenders who "gang up" and "go after" people who are standing up to them. There is a documented legal case in the book From the Horse's Mouth by Eugene Davis where the names have been changed about a woman who brought in USDA inspectors at a horse show, and a specific TWH owner and trainer later threatened her with his "thugs" because she brought in USDA inspectors. I personally know the woman who was threatened in this case.

Therefore, the best thing we can do as consumers is to avoid all venues, barns, people, etc. that are associated with soring. That way we're not feeding money back into the system.

DON'T go to any show that uses commissions that have past violations for their rules and regulations. Paying to get into one of these shows only gives money back to the system that is encouraging soring.

DON'T buy a TWH from a barn that stacks or pads their horses. Do your research. It's easy to ask around or search on the Internet and find out if the barn the horse is from stacks their horses. Whether they're soring or not (and more often than not they are because it’s the most common way to produce the exaggerated Big Lick in young horses), avoid them. There are plenty of quality TWHs out there that don't come from barns that stack their horses.

I have a lot of folks who have told me they want to save these horses from this abuse. So do I. However, we are paying into the abuse when we buy a horse that is being abused. The money we give to that person is going to go back into buying chemicals, breeding more horses, or buying more horses that they in turn will abuse. It’s better for the person to get the message that we don’t tolerate the abuse by losing money because the general public won’t buy their horses.

DON'T be a member of clubs and associations that are listed as offenders in the USDA Horse Protection Enforcement Calendar Year 2000 document. The only USDA-recognized registration for TWHs is the TWHBEA. This means the TWHBEA is recognized by the Federal government as a source for legal information about a horse. If you wish not to be involved with the TWHBEA, you can pay the non-membership fee to transfer the horse’s name and ask them not to include you on their membership roster. You don't have to be a member to own a TWHBEA registered TWH, although you do have to be a member to show in A-listed shows recognized by the TWHBEA.

DO join clubs and associations that do not tolerate soring and are working to stop it. The largest of these are Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. (FOSH), the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA), and the Sound Horse Organization (SHO). They can all use our help and support, even if it's just by becoming a member with them.

Further References

The following are links to websites that contain factual information about soring. Please know that I am only including information that is based in facts, not hearsay or gossip. I either know the owners of these websites or I personally endorse the information.

MOST RECENT INFORMATION

UPDATE: THE USDA HAS THROWN DOWN THE GAUNTLET AND CHALLENGED THE TWH INDUSTRY TO “STEP UP AND DO [THEIR] JOB.” See the below three links to find out what happened.

USDA to Industry: “Step Up or We Will”, The Voice magazine, March 2006. This article is the transcript of a listening session hosted by the USDA on February 8, 2006. This listening session explained the scar rule, the meaning of soring, and why it is continuing. The listening session was headed by Dr. Todd Behre and his presentation detailed real facts and information that proved that soring is still the main form of training TWHs. Dr. Behre’s parting statement: “You [the TWH industry] are at a crossroads and you can either step up and do your job or you can put us in a position where we have to do it for you. And if we’re forced to do it we will do it and we will not be very compassionate. It’s our job to enforce the regulations. Once it gets to be federal, it’s a completely different game.”

The USDA’s Listening Session Presentation. The USDA posted their presentation for their listening sessions on their website. The link to the presentation is under the heading “Recent Issues, Reports, and Highlights.” Note that this presentation is in Microsoft PowerPoint and is very large. If you have trouble downloading it, feel free to contact me and I can be sure you receive a copy of it.

The Transcript of the Question and Answer Session Following the USDA’s Listening Session Presentation. A Q&A and comments session was held after the listening session. Attendees put their name on a list and then were called up and allowed to voice their opinions and ask the USDA questions with no interruptions. The USDA had a professional court reporter transcribe the session and have also posted it on their website.

WEBSITES

USDA Animal Care Website Includes the Horse Protection Act and the Horse Protection Enforcement information.

USDA Animal Care Newsroom The USDA’s news releases, program announcements and media advisories. In the blue box to the right, click “APHIS Releases” to view the latest information concerning the HPA.

The Sore Tennessee Walking Horse Includes information on the current use of thermography to detect soring and some excellent photographs.

Soring of Gaited Horses An article compiled by Rhonda Hart Poe.

1999 Celebration Controversy This is the true account about Champagne Watchout, a Keg/Lite Shod horse that was shown in the 1999 World Grand Championship class against padded horses. This is directly from Walkin’ On Ranch, owners and trainers of Champagne Watchout.

American Horse Defense Fund, Inc. While the AHDF is working to end all forms of horse abuse, they do have a whole section on soring and pressure shoeing that has some great statistics and facts.

The 1986 CNN Special Assignment Report NEW Posted courtesy of Walkin On Ranch. Although made 20 years ago, this video is vital to the fight against soring because it shows actual evidence of horses being sored. These activities are still going on—the fight is just as strong today as it was 20 years ago.

ARTICLES

The following are transcripts of recent articles covering information about soring. In some cases I transcribed these articles to save website space.

Why Soring Persists, Equus magazine, November 2005 This article was featured as a Special Report in the November 2005 issue of Equus magazine. The article is extremely important because it is written by a woman who didn’t know anything about soring before she started research for this article, and she witnessed true evidence that soring still persists during her research. Please note: this is a new link posted per my request to Equus to transcribe their article. Unfortunately due to copyright laws I can’t transcribe the article myself, but I thank all of the staff at Equus for taking my request to heart and providing it on an international source for everyone to be able to read!

To my readers:

Being adamantly against the promotion and practice of animal abuse for personal financial gain, I will do the best I possibly can to keep everyone informed through real evidence that soring exists. I do my best to research all information I receive and only post information from reliable sources. I truly think that knowledge is power, and that the more I can pass on the information that soring does exist, the better chance we have to finding an end to this horrible practice.

I do know that there are trainers and breeders out there who train and show Big Lick horses without soring them. I have come across them many times and I try not to lump them into the category of those who sore their horses. These are people who are dedicated to conditioning their horses to the pads and chains and are careful to make sure their horses are given the best care they can possibly give them. I actually like to hear from people who don’t sore their Big Lick horses because I like to discuss the future of these horses and why they think soring continues.

The reason I am against the Big Lick as a whole is that it is an inaccurate representation of the Tennessee Walking Horse. The natural gait and capabilities of this breed are a true gift unique to this breed, and there is no reason to make changes to it. We live in a time now where the Big Lick is NOT attractive to the general public. I have had many, many people tell me that they are turned off by the Big Lick horses and have walked out of horse shows because they are so disgusted with how these horses look. The Big Lick paints a poor picture of the breed. Additionally, the only federally recognized organization that will register Tennessee Walkers promotes and rewards the Big Lick by showcasing it prominently at the National Celebration and in their publications. When we talk about a horse being valued for the amount of World Grand Champions in its pedigree, we are talking about Big Lick horses. All of this causes people outside of the breed to think that all Tennessee Walker owners are cruel.

Therefore, in my opinion, the only way to stop this image and to stop soring is to eliminate the Big Lick overall. The practice will not cease until we stop seeing the Big Lick and the industry stops showcasing it.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, positive or negative, I welcome discussing them. If I have any information wrong, please feel free to let me know. (For example, I did discover that I had some photos posted that I thought were considered public domain but are or could be considered copyrighted information, and therefore I have removed those photos and apologized to those who contacted me about their photos for any inconveniences it may have caused.) However, I do not tolerate angry emails and letters or childish behavior. We are all adults here, and there is no reason why we can’t approach this subject in a logical and calm manner. I have read the laws and done the research to know that my information is as sound as the horses I represent.

~ Andrea Ohnstad of the Silver Phoenix Horse Ranch

Again, many thanks to Andrea Ohnstad of the Silver Phoenix Horse Ranch for allowing me to reproduce her hard work here. Please visit her site for even more information on the evils of soring and how it can be stopped.

Back to Page 1