Congressman Scott Desjarlais believes a bill before Congress aimed at preventing soring "would significantly hurt the Walking Horse industry."
Last month, Shelbyville's mayor and council wrote to Desjarlais and other members of Congress to express their concern over H.R. 1518, The Prevent All Soring Tactics Act.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, currently has 266 cosponsors in the House.
Mayor Wallace Cartwright wrote that the bill "is more encompassing than needed in its extent of new federal regulations through the Department of Agriculture."
Cartwright said the council finds the practice of soring or other abusive practices reprehensible, "but it is not necessary to enact complex new federal legislation," instead urging that the current law, the Horse Protection Act of 1970, be continued.
