Tennessee Walking Horse Update

[WalkInTheWoods]

Despite overwhelming bipartisan support the PAST Act (Prevent All Soring Tactics) did not pass last year. Out of 435 Representatives, 308 (71%) supported it but it never made it out of committee to the floor for a vote.
Out of 100 Senators, 60 supported it and it was put out of committee to the floor for a vote, but a vote was never scheduled. Dirty underhanded behind closed door politics at play.

Until the bill can be reintroduced, the battle is being fought on many different fronts.

Please sign this time sensitive petition asking the USDA to do their job protecting Tennessee Walking Horses as mandated by the Horse Protection Act of 1970.

Sign the Petition

Here is another petition asking management of the Mississippi Charity Horse Show to cancel the big lick classes in their upcoming horse show.

Sign the Petition

Roy Exum has written a couple hard hitting columns in the last 2 weeks.

http://chattanoogan.com/2015/3/7/295477/Roy-Exum-Keep-Your-Big-Lick-Money.aspx

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/3/14/295934/Roy-Exum-The-Latest-Facebook-Lie.aspx

FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF HORSE SHOWS, EQUINE EDUCATIONAL VENUES, EXPOS, AND STATE FAIRS THAT HAVE BANNED THE “BIG LICK” PERFORMANCE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE

March, 2015 - THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER “DISASSOCIATED” FROM MISSISSIPPI CHARITY HORSE SHOW

February, 2015 - THE 57 YEAR OLD GALLATIN LIONS CLUB HORSE SHOW (TENNESSEE) DIED THIS WEEK.

North Carolina State Fair - 2015
North Carolina Deputy Agriculture Commissioner N. David Smith, confirmed that the 2015 N.C. State Fair Horse Show will not hold “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horse classes at the State Fair 2015. It will hold classes for Flatshod Walking Horses, Racking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses including youth.
Thanks to the extraordinary effort of Michelle Disney who generated a petition which accumulated over 19,000 signatures and AAWHA North Carolina representatives Lila Corey,Debbie Nuding, among many, who took a stand and made a difference for North Carolina’s Sound and Natural Walking Horses.

Virginia Horse Fair
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

United States Equestrian Federation (Olympics)
Has banned the use of pads, chains, and banded shoes at their shows. Barefoot and Keg Shoes are welcome.

Walking Horse Owners Association (WHOA)
Removed all reference to Padded horse classes and rules from their 2015 rulebook. Banned Pads, Chains, and Hoof Bands. They also will no longer associate with any shows that have Performance (Big Lick) horse Classes.

Spring Hill, TN Lions Club
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Germantown, TN Charity Horse Show
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Hoosier Horse Fair, Indiana
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Los Angeles County Fair, California
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Missouri State Fair, Missouri
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Orange County Fair, California
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Florida State Fair, Florida
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Illinois State Fair, Illinois
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Devon Horse Show & Country Fair, Pennsylvania
Banned the Big lick and all Flatshod Walking Horse Classes
*As a result of “bad image” all classes for the Tennessee Walking Horse were eliminated

National Horse Show, (Originally held in Madison Square Gardens, N.Y ) Washington D.C.
Banned the Big lick and all Flatshod Walking Horse Classes
*As a result of “bad image” all classes for the Tennessee Walking Horse were eliminated

International Horse Show, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Banned the Big lick and all Flatshod Walking Horse Classes
*As a result of “bad image” all classes for the Tennessee Walking Horse were eliminated

Equine Affair, Ohio
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Equine Affair, Massachusetts
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Horse World Expo, Maryland
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Horse World Expo, Pennsylvania
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Big D Charity Show, Dallas Texas
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

Walking Horse Assoc of Michigan
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horse Classes

World Equestrian Games, Kentucky Horse Park Lexington, Kentucky
Banned the Big lick Horses- Accepts Flatshod Walking Horses

University of TN
Replaced Big Lick Horse with Natural Flat Shod Horse for Game opening ceremony since 2012.

Lost Sponsorships:
Pepsi – Pulled sponsorship from Celebration 2013
Regions Bank – Pulled sponsorship from Celebration 2014

Removed from the Rule Book Of:
National Plantation Walking Horse Association (Southern California)
NWHA, National Walking Horse Association

[Ambitious_Kate]

Caqn you post a link of a flatshod class? I’m hoping its not as dysmophic and unnatural as the big lick ones, but I’d like to see such a class?

The rest of your list, by the way, is wonderful to hear.

[WalkInTheWoods]

Heres one from the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfyFnu6bbe0

Several more:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nwha+world+equestrian+games

[Lady_Eboshi]

The ball is rolling! Way to go . . . !

[WalkInTheWoods]

hi old friend - lets get er done this time !

[PeanutButterPony]

Heres one from the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfyFnu6bbe0

the husband and wife team at 30 seconds & again at 2:26 are among the most delightful horse folks I’ve ever met. Their barn features HAPPY horses in the right jobs, doing them well.

[Char]

WOOT! Looks like if the politicians are going to play dirty, public opinion will have to do the dirty work. If no one wants any part of it, they won’t have a choice but to give it up. Sooner would be better than later, in my book.

Naturally moving, flat shod Walkers are a wonderful sight to behold. I just can’t figure out why in this day and age these “Big Lick” practices are not only still legal, but socially acceptable in certain circles. I mean… Huh?!

[Wicky]

Thanks! Signed!

[Red_Horse_Mama]

The Horse Protection Act needs to be strengthened (the purpose of the PAST Act) NOT weakened.
The scar rule has been upheld (on appeal) by the courts and is necessary to diminish the number of horses being abused for competition.
Only scarring on BOTH front pasterns qualify for scar rule violations making it highly unlikely that normal activities cause qualifying scars.
Please sign and share the petition…this is an important fight.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=Willow Watch;8061237]
The Horse Protection Act needs to be strengthened (the purpose of the PAST Act) NOT weakened.
The scar rule has been upheld (on appeal) by the courts and is necessary to diminish the number of horses being abused for competition.
Only scarring on BOTH front pasterns qualify for scar rule violations making it highly unlikely that normal activities cause qualifying scars.
Please sign and share the petition…this is an important fight.[/QUOTE]

It’s important to remember that the Scar Rule is an exception to the general rules of the HPA. Those rules say that if a horse is scarred it is disqualified. The Scar Rule permits a level of scarring that, in theory, is consistent with the normal sorts of injuries that even well kept horses can suffer. Elimination of the Scar Rule would disqualify large numbers of horses.

G.

[Red_Horse_Mama]

[QUOTE=Guilherme;8061285]
It’s important to remember that the Scar Rule is an exception to the general rules of the HPA. Those rules say that if a horse is scarred it is disqualified. The Scar Rule permits a level of scarring that, in theory, is consistent with the normal sorts of injuries that even well kept horses can suffer. Elimination of the Scar Rule would disqualify large numbers of horses.

G.[/QUOTE]

A scar rule violation is BI-lateral…how is that consistent with naturally occurring injuries?
Also, how does eliminating the scar rule Disqualify a larger number of horses?

[walknsound]

Well said Willow Watch.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=Red Horse Mama;8061345]
A scar rule violation is BI-lateral…how is that consistent with naturally occurring injuries?
Also, how does eliminating the scar rule Disqualify a larger number of horses?[/QUOTE]

Because the Scar Rule allows horses that would otherwise be disqualified to compete. It’s an exception to the general rule. Remove the exception and you’ll have more disqualifications.

G.

[Bluey]

A question, is that going to also affect those saddlebreds with the huge pads and cut tails, or is that a different group of gaited horses and training?

[TWH_Girl]

Signed. LOVE the Walking Horse (if you can’t tell by by user name). Our organization follows WHOA rules so not padded or big lick horses. Just nice natural gaits and flat shoes.

[WalkInTheWoods]

Nope Bluey not at all. It affects TWH, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses only.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=WalkInTheWoods;8061822]
Nope Bluey not at all. It affects TWH, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses only.[/QUOTE]

Oh, ok, thanks for explaining that.

[WalkInTheWoods]

Most breed associations take care of their own problems. The Tennessee Walking horse is unique in that the government has had to step in to stop the abuse. The Horse Protection Act of 1970 tried to address the problems, but the lickers have found loopholes.

[Malda]

[QUOTE=PeanutButterPony;8061131]
Heres one from the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfyFnu6bbe0

the husband and wife team at 30 seconds & again at 2:26 are among the most delightful horse folks I’ve ever met. Their barn features HAPPY horses in the right jobs, doing them well.[/QUOTE]

I would gladly own any of those fine horses. Any idea which farms they’re from? I’m horse shopping.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=WalkInTheWoods;8061846]
Most breed associations take care of their own problems. The Tennessee Walking horse is unique in that the government has had to step in to stop the abuse. The Horse Protection Act of 1970 tried to address the problems, but the lickers have found loopholes.[/QUOTE]

You’ve touched the heart of the matter. The Big Lick boosters find absolutely nothing wrong with the gait or any of the practices required to attain it. As long as that is true then there will be no official TWHBEA action to address the issue.

From all appearances the Big Lick fanciers would rather see the ruination of the TWHBEA than accept reality.

G.