09/08/2023
The HSUS
Protect horses from the cruel practice of soring!
In 2017, the Trump Administration unlawfully withdrew a 2017 Horse Protection Act rule, which had been finalized at the end of the Obama administration. Since then, we have been fighting to reinstate the rule and were hopeful we could achieve our goal under the Biden Administration, but unfortunately its U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving to officially withdraw the rule, stating that they are working on a new proposed rule – but giving no timeline for when that rule will be finalized. It could be months. Or years. And during that time, horses will continue to suffer.
Withdrawing the rule without efficiently moving forward with any new protections for horses would fail to achieve the HPA’s purpose—ending “soring.” Soring is an abusive practice where trainers purposefully inflict pain on horses’ hooves and legs to create an artificial high-stepping show gait known as the “Big Lick.” They use a variety of gruesome techniques—some trainers even cut the hooves down to the delicate tissue and jam in hard or sharp objects to make the pain even more excruciating whenever the horses put weight on their front legs.
The 2017 HPA rule eliminated the use of devices integral to soring and the conflict-ridden industry-run self-enforcement system that has allowed horse soring to continue for decades – the rule would return sole enforcement authority to USDA. But that rule is now on the brink of being withdrawn without any of the regulatory reforms that are urgently needed to protect horses.
We need YOU to let the USDA know you DO NOT support the withdrawal of the 2017 HPA rule without implementing new regulations that truly ban soring. No horse should have to suffer for a blue ribbon—it’s past time the USDA fulfills its legal duty to end soring once and for all.
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Please use the form to send a message to the USDA urging the agency to amend and strengthen its Horse Protection regulations.
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This action alert is for U.S. residents. International advocates, please visit Humane Society International.
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