Congressman Cohen Applauds USDA Decision to Publish Strengthened Horse Protection Act Rule
United States Congressional Seal
August 17, 2023
Press Release
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeking comment on rule to outlaw horse soring
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a longtime advocate for ending the practice of horse soring – the intentional injury to horse legs to produce an exaggerated gait called the “Big Lick” – today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announcement that it will be publishing a proposed rule to strengthen Horse Protection Act (HPA) requirements. Congressman Cohen has long urged the USDA to reissue an HPA rule forbidding the practice. Congressman Cohen, a longtime member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus who has worked to end horse soring, was named the U.S. Humane Society’s Humane Horseman of the Year in 2022 for his efforts.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“Soring is cruelty and has no place in walking horse competition. Intentionally injuring horses for a competitive advantage is unacceptable. I applaud the USDA on seeking to strengthen the Horse Protection Act by eliminating this practice.”
“Soring is a perverse cruelty, carried out in secret by scofflaws seeking to cheat their way to glory in the show-ring,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “It’s high time the full authority of the USDA be realized through implementing this rule in final form. No industry deserves to operate with such unfettered abject animal cruelty. We are grateful to Congressman Cohen for his steadfast leadership to end soring by pressing for this rulemaking and for Congress to pass the PAST Act.”
Congressman Cohen introduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, to protect Tennessee Walking Horses and related breeds from soring.
The proposed changes include:
relieving horse industry organizations and associations of all of their regulatory responsibilities, which will eliminate potential conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality of inspections;
establishing qualifying criteria for people applying to be inspectors, as well as processes for denying applications;
allowing event management to appoint an APHIS representative to conduct inspections;
prohibiting any device, method, practice, or substance that could mask evidence of soring, as well as all action devices and non-therapeutic pads and wedges, and substances applied above the hoof;
clarifying the “scar rule” by modifying the description of visible changes that indicate soring, and;
amending recordkeeping and reporting requirements for management at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions to increase oversight and prevent those that have been previously disqualified from participating in events.
