Soring is an abomination.

Intentionally inflicting pain so one can drape flowers and ribbons on a majestic steed while its owner walks away with a trophy and a fattened wallet is evil. It’s not a bold or brave statement. Few disagree.

The Horse Protection Act (HPA) was enacted Dec. 9, 1970 — more than 54 years ago — to end soring. Let’s be honest, full compliance is not possible. A law isn’t in effect that ends any crime. Laws can significantly curtail a criminal act, and there’s still work to be done as it relates to soring.

The Tennessee Walking Horse industry agrees.

“Have we achieved 100% compliance with the Horse Protection Act?” Jeffrey Howard, publisher of The Walking Horse Report, wrote May 16, 2024, after the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association (TWHCNA) filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) final rule. “We have to be honest and acknowledge that we have not; however, our compliance rates are strong, and the super majority of our horses are compliant with the HPA.”

USDA veterinarians inspected 2,740 horses in 2023, with 525 found to be sore — an 81% compliance rate. Another 96 were detected because of other unspecified noncompliances, a compliance rate of 96%. The horses examined, however, are not solely Tennessee Walking Horses. All entries are mixed breeds and disciplines.

HPA Protects Horses

The TWHCNA’s lawsuit challenging provisions of the final rule proved successful. The HPA without the…