The person I saw was Yourhorseandponyleader on TikTok lol
So it seems that there have been legislators touting this as being overreach by APHIS/USDA in regards to the TWH industry. There have been subpoenas of USDA and APHIS leaders in regards to this since at least October. Mainly KY and TN legislators.
I suspect the heavy shod TWH industry diehards are at least somewhat behind the push into the stock horse world with the slippery slope theory.
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So the TWH abuses are โover-reachโ but the rest is business as usual โฆ
Appreciate the enlightening information about all of this. Thanks to the those of you researching. 
I just had to stop following the FB page for a nearby barn for this exact sort of hyperbole. I had been following it for years as it was a local-ish place. I dunno if the older trainer learned how to operate FB or lost/fired their person who was previously doing the posting, but it went from only posting events and maybe six a year to weekly posts about stuff like this.
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Colton Woods & Western Justice are just fear mongering. If it was really that relevant to everyone, you know USEF would have sent everyone 5 billion emails about it already. Please watch this excellent explanation from TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zanzancancan/video/7458812695039511839?_r=1&_t=ZT-8t0s1rC6WZ1
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Colton woods needs to keep his mouth shut. That man is a hack job trainer who keeps a pig sty as his barn. I do not like him and I whole heartedly believe he runs his business off his ability to sit on a horse and โsmooth talkโ women in the industry. If he wasnโt conventionally attractive he would not have any clients.
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I am running a small catch-riding show next month with about 45 riders and 20 donated horses.
This is what I have to submit, in addition to requesting an APHIS inspector or hiring an HPI (of which there is no current updated list for me to pick from):
At Least 30 Days Before the Event
Under ยง11.14 of the HPA regulations, you must submit to the
APHIS Administrator the following information:
๏ฎ Event date(s), name, street address, and zip code
๏ฎ Event managerโs name, address, phone number, and
email address (if one is available)
๏ฎ A copy of the official program, if one has been prepared
๏ฎ Anticipated or known number of entries
๏ฎ Whether you have requested an APHIS representative,
chosen and appointed an HPI, or will not use an
inspector to conduct inspections
๏ฎ Whether you will allow any horse to be shown,
exhibited, or sold with wedges, pads, substances, or toe
extensions restricted under ยง11.6 of the HPA regulations
for therapeutic treatment (View the list of prohibited
devices and substances at www.federalregister.gov/
d/2024-09469#sectno-reference-11.6)
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anyone else find that weird? what happens if you say you will not use an inspector? and who is going to say โyup, Iโm gonna let people use restricted wedges etcโ. The whole thing sounds like something our govโt here would do - write a grandious law with no clue of what they actually banned and no plan on who is going to administer it.
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I did a final research project when I graduated (as an old person, haha) last year on soring and how to end it. I talked to one veterinarian in particular who was involved in the industry and then finally realized how bad it was that he sold his vet practice and is now working at a university. He sent me several sources of information including a letter he sent to the US House of Representatives. I found most of that letter online, as well, so I feel I can post it here. He says without soring, there is no Big Lick.
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2013/12/19/265814/Roy-Exum-A-Horse-Doctors-Letter.aspx
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@Showbizz. Isnโt most of that information what your insurance company would also ask for? Or donโt you bother with show insurance?
Do you have classes dedicated to walking and racking horses?
You donโt have to have an inspector. There is no requirement to do so unless you are a Walking or Racking horse show.
Furthermore the HPA has always applied to all horses but the definition of soring was and is limited to TWH and Racking Horses. That wording has not changed.
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That article is spot on.
Also by breeding for the heavy shod horses they are breeding for a pacier horse not a true running walk.
I talked to a USDA vet 30 years ago who talked about how his hands would be numb after inspections at a show and that he would have headaches after shows as well. But he could not elicit pain so he had to pass them.
Iโve been to TWH shows. I had security grab my camera and just about pull me down at the Celebration demanding to see what I had photographed. Horses. I took pictures of horses.
The top half, yes. Requesting or hiring inspectors, no.
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This is partially true. If you do not have walking or racking horses, but do not wish to have an inspector, an APHIS inspector can show up at your show. If they find a horse they feel is against the updated HPA rules, the show manager is liable.
I have had direct contact with the USDA that says I MUST request an APHIS inspector, hire an HPI, or do all inspections myself, as the show manager, and am liable if something they find nefarious slips through the cracks.
ETA: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/tech-note-hpa-event-records.pdf
So thereโs a lot of words to read and absorb. But is this saying that if I had a neighbor, friend, or shipping business haul a horse that a inspector could force them to assist in an inspection?
This doesnโt seem to specify anything to do with the soring issue. What if a horse steps on itself and pulls a shoe in the trailer? That could make a horse sore on itโs way to a horse activity. Is the carrier and/or driver at fault and liable for fines? I also read somewhere that the inspectors can enter trailers, etc. without permission?
Transportation Requirements
Under proposed ยง 11.17, moved from
current ยง 11.40, we required that each
person who ships, transports, or
otherwise moves, or delivers or receives
for movement, any horse with reason to
believe such horse may be shown,
exhibited, sold or auctioned at any
horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale,
or horse auction, must allow and assist
in the inspection of such horse at any
such horse show, exhibition, sale, or
auction to determine compliance with
the Act and regulations. The person will
also need to furnish to any APHIS
representative or HPI appointed by
management upon their request the
following information: (1) Name and
address of the horse owner and of the
shipper, if different from the owner or
trainer; (2) name and address of the
horse trainer; (3) name and address of
the carrier transporting the horse and of
the driver of the means of conveyance
used; (4) origin of the shipment and date
thereof; and (5) destination of the
shipment. We received no comments
specifically addressing this section and
are finalizing as proposed.
I mean, are you expecting horses to be sored at your show? If not, then you wonโt have liability because it wonโt be happening.
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Basically that section around transportation is saying you canโt avoid having your heavy shod padded sored horses officially inspected by appointed officials by having them on a horse trailer or under the control of a shipper instead of the trainer or groom or owner.
Not a problem for me.
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I am just questioning the wording that they could have people not familiar with my (or any horse) forced to handle them in an environment that sometimes even a saint of a horse could be fired up. I truly believe there should be an end to soring but I donโt want every horse show activity to go down with it. Some of these rules are pretty vague on who and how they will be enforced. This trickles all the way down to 4-H and pony club! I donโt believe they have the people to enforce the rules but there may be some unintentional consequences.
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