The practice of soring, shown here, uses chemicals, chains, or abrasion on a horses limbs to induce an exaggerated gait.

Last August, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, with encouragement from various Tennessee Walking Horse industry organizations, issued a white paper on ending the soring of Walking Horses. Soring is the infliction of pain to create an extravagant or exaggerated gait in horses for training or show purposes. Although this practice is prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, the USDA documented 103 competitor violations during the 2007 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration.

In the white paper, "Putting the Horse First: Veterinary Recommendations for Ending the Soring of Tennessee Walking Horses," the AAEP calls for reevaluating judging standards to emphasize innate traits rather than manufactured ones; instituting drug testing at every competition; developing objective methods to detect soring so that the practice is eliminated; and conducting horse inspections by independent veterinarians, who can impose sanctions for violations of the Horse Protection Act.

The National Walking Horse Association, which is committed to preserving and fostering the Walking Horse’s natural abilities and welfare, commended the AAEP’s white paper. The NWHA issued a zero-tolerance policy that states that indications of soring will be subject to the scar rule provisions of the Horse Protection Act and ticketed at NWHA events.

To read the white paper, visit www.aaep.org/press_room.php. For more information on the NWHA, call (859) 252-6942, or visit www.nwha.com.

— Judith Houlding