http://www.kentucky.com/595/story/496900.htmlReaders' views
Stop the practice of "soring' in horse shows
On Aug. 7, the Association of Equine Practictioners issued a white paper about the practice of ”soring“ in the Tennesse walking horse industry.
Calling it one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline, the association issued recommendations for eliminating the abusive practice. Soring is the infliction of pain to create an extravagant or exaggerated gait in horses for training or show purposes.
Strangely enough, there has been a federal law on the books (enacted under the 1970 Horse Protection Act) that prohibits this abuse. Unfortunately, Congress completely underfunded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is charged with enforcing this law.
As a result, USDA inspectors inspect less than 10 percent of the shows. Surrogate inspectors, who more often than not are employed by the Tennesee walking horse industry, are used to inspect the remaining 90 percent of the shows and venues.
The difference in the number of violations written when the USDA inspectors are there versus the ”fox guarding the hen house“ inspectors is astronomical.
People are breaking the law because we can't enforce it. We can't enforce it because the agency charged with enforcing it is not funded adequately. This has to stop. The pain these horses are subjected to is incredible. For what? To get an exaggerated high stepping gait?
I urge people to write public officials and sign an on-line petition at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/533003783.
Penny Austin
Vice President/Treasurer
One Horse at a Time, Inc.
Nicholasville