Horse Soring
Early in my horse years, my daughter and I were visiting a training barn. Inside the barn, I glanced into a shadowy stall and saw a horse with large blocks of wood somehow attached to his front hooves. I couldn’t hide the shock and blurted, “What the heck is that?” The trainer explained that it encouraged the horse to lift his front feet higher, like if you had heavy mud in your shoes. His easy, friendly tone conveyed that all was okay, no big deal. I may have just nodded or made some bland comment, I don’t remember. After all what did I know about these horses? But the image left an unease in me. The horse must feel some discomfort. And what about angles of navicular bones and other hoof structures that I was just beginning to learn about. It wasn’t until later that I realized I had just seen a form of horse soring.
Horse Soring has been used by trainers and owners extensively and saw an increase in the early to middle twentieth century, as the Tennessee Walking Horses, and their horse show and event industry gained popularity. Soring is based on the principle of using pain to increase the horse’s naturally showy step, or “big lick” as it is called in the industry. Common methods, or “fixing”, include applying an irritant, such as kerosene, to the horse’s forelegs, wrapping the leg in plastic for a few days to sensitize the skin, and then placing a device around the leg that moves with each step with the goal of exaggerating the step. Other methods use improper trimming of the hoof to cause discomfort or place devices in shoes to cause pain. It’s important to point out, these techniques have no benefit other than producing the showy step used in shows and events. It is not used to perfect the comfort of the racking gait the walking horse is prized for, to make the horse a safe mount, or to better the horse’s health. “Soring”, at a minimum, is an accurate word for this practice. In severe cases, soring can cause scaring, infection, and permanent damage to hoof including laminitis and founder.
Yes, this practice was deemed illegal under the Horse Protection Act of 1970. But the soring continued. Self-policing in the industry was not working and the use of drugs or other methods, such as a nerve cord placed on the roof of the horse’s mouth, were used to hide the soring. Clearly, deeper legislation was needed. Just recently, after a six year journey, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act made it through its first hurdle to pass the US House of Representatives by a decisive vote of 333-96. It still faces the Senate and the White Houses’ signature. The act expands on the Horse Protection Act by better defining the inspection or detection, curtailing the use of stacked shoes and chains, and increasing the penalties.
Both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) “condemn the practice of soring” as both unethical and illegal. The above AVMA link to the issue is loaded with more information chronicling the effort to end soring through legislation. And here’s my warning, there is a video that is graphic and heart wrenching.
But we should watch it. The USDA who is responsible for the inspection process is woefully underfunded. They cannot be at every event, or every training barn. As horse owners, we must educate ourselves to recognize abusive practices. This idea extends to all horse disciplines. If a training aid makes you a bit itchy, like it did for me all those year ago, ask about it, research the method and then decide if it is ethical or legal. The PAST Act must be finalized. Please contact your Senator and urge him or her to approve the Act. This practice must stop.
