𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧

[Paint_Party]

This is a poorly written, badly communicated piece of legislation meant to crack down on the cruelty endured by many of the big lick horses. If you don’t ride a big lick horse, or manage a show that’s likely to attract them, you have nothing to stress about. At least that’s the way I look at it.

Beyond that, the logistics of an inspector materializing at any competition that does not attract big lick horses is incredibly minute. This supposed army of specially trained inspectors doesn’t exist and I personally doubt they will ever come close to amassing the number of qualified inspectors they hypothetically will need. I really don’t think this will be the confounding issue some are making it out to be.

[poltroon]

With any piece of legislation, it’s often important to read the whole thing to understand all of the language, because earlier clauses will define and redefine words in ways that are important.

I promise you, if this was affecting those of us without TWH, USEF et al would have already let us know it needed changes.

When you read that transportation section, ask yourself why it had to be added. There’s a story there, probably one that is not pretty. And note, it says that no one filed a public comment addressing that section.

[K_VanOlst]

@poltroon

USEF et al would have already let us know it needed changes.

…USEF literally sent an email out about it two days ago:
USEF has joined AHC and other equine industry organizations to voice concerns to USDA/APHIS and request that the implementation of the new regulations be delayed for a minimum of sixty days to provide time for clarification of our concerns.

[Showbizz]

While that is true, what if I overlook something that they would consider soring? I don’t own most of the horses at these shows, so maybe one or two of them have a topical applied to their pastern for whatever reason. I’ve considered it, but I may also consider letting the government send whomever they choose and let them do it.

I was not complaining in my first post. I was providing factual information. I’m having a hard time finding threads such of these that have FACTUAL information on this topic. I posted to help anyone it might. That is all.

[enjoytheride]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRPyZ-lJWN0&t=6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDygeHVZ6qw&t=114s

[Djones]

Trotters can’t be sored. It doesn’t create what’s fashionable.

[OverandOnward]

As I have been told … the bottom line for why the resistance to doing away with big lick showing is that there is too much money committed to, and made by, the biggest competitions and competitors to give it up.

There are marquee annual events that are bound in tradition and keep it going. The TWH Celebration show every July since 1939 is a huge economic event.

Many people’s lives and incomes are built around these events. And have been for so many long that for many reasons, no one has yet worked out how to stop the momentum.

Suddenly not having it creates too large of a whole in someone’s economy. Money keeps it going. But money can stop it, as well, if horse people who are involved put an end to their support, financially and every other way.

The USDA inspection programs were created to try to stop it. Obviously that hasn’t been successful. Trainers are finding ways around the inspections – so that their horses can show, and win, and increase their income and the horse’s asset value to the owner.

How much good have the inspection programs done? Are things better? Is the public more aware? Are fewer owners willing to continue the big lick, as a result of the inspections? How effective has this program really been? I’m not close enough to the industry to know the answer to that.

[Djones]

Entries are down year over year.

[OverandOnward]

@Djones

Entries are down year over year.

Good.

But the pressure has to stay on until it is completely gone.

A lot of years have been invested to get to this point … and still it is happening.

[Djones]

Is MADD a failure?

[OverandOnward]

This article is very disheartening. How trainers are getting horses approved at inspection, then soring them again before they enter the ring. I’m not sure how/why they are able to do this, but according to these ad-hoc undercover investigators …

https://www.humanesociety.org/blog/undercover-investigation-horse-soring#:~:text=Only%20the%20elimination%20of%20the,the%20Humane%20Society%20Legislative%20Fund.

Activities documented in 2022 and 2023:

We documented strategies used to dodge detection of soring in official inspections, as well. Our investigation shows that horses were injected with a powerful sedative to ensure the animals would not react to pain. McConnell and other staff then conducted mock inspections of the doped horses by pushing forcefully into their chemical burns to see if they would pass inspection by not reacting to the pain. Staff used combs to remove dead skin caused by soring prior to inspection. Most of McConnell’s horses did pass inspection.

Directly after inspection, in the holding area, our investigator witnessed several of McConnell’s horses being injected with stimulants to wake them from their sedation and some being subjected to another round of soring. Several horses had a paste of soring chemicals applied in the holding area before performing. Our investigator obtained a sample of the paste, which was tested and found to contain oil of mustard.

Also in the holding area, McConnell, his staff and Billy Young formed a human shield to block USDA officials’ view of horses being actively sored by Earsie Allen, a staff member who was federally disqualified from participating in horse shows at the time.

The article describes some large cash prizes that have been won by big lick trainers with documented soring practices.

[Showbizz]

While I know horse people don’t sore trotters, does the APHIS inspector coming to the show know that?

Have you read the scar rules?

[Djones]

I’ve had walkers for 20+ years. Yeah, I have.

No one is coming to inspect your trotters at your horse show.

[Djones]

@Showbizz

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.

No inspection will happen at your show. I promise.

Unless you do the following,meaning kicking a horse out of the show for soring (not stepping on themselves in the trailer, people), you don’t have anything to do or report.

[jvanrens]

@Djones

Is MADD a failure?

Mothers Against Drunk Driving?

[Djones]

Yes.

[jvanrens]

So you expect APHIS to show up at what is pretty much a schooling show when they have problems getting enough inspectors at big lick shows? I’m not sure why your show would even be on their radar.

[Djones]

"
IMO we kill off soring by exposing and shaming year over year. It takes time. Starve it of money and it goes away. It is awful that it still exists but atrocities are often averse to failure.

[Showbizz]

I hope not. But they could.

One point of view I’ve heard is that my type of show might be what they are targeting. Grass roots shows. Get rid of those, and eventually you have no big shows.

I’m not sold on that. I’m keeping an open mind. But I do detest having more paperwork to complete.

[Djones]

How did you come to find yourself reporting said show to anyone?