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Tell the USDA to Finalize, Not Withdraw, Rule to End Horse Soring

Dear John,

Your action is needed before August 21! In January 2017, the US Department of Agriculture, under Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, issued a rule to strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). The purpose of the rule was to crack down on the pervasive practice of "soring," whereby unscrupulous trainers deliberately inflict pain on Tennessee walking horses' hooves and legs in order to produce an exaggerated high-stepping gait for competition.

Soring methods include applying caustic chemicals to a horse's limbs, using plastic wrap and tight bandages to "cook" those chemicals deep into the horse's flesh for days, attaching chains to strike against the sore legs, inserting hard objects such as screws into tender areas of the hooves, paring the soles of the feet down to sensitive tissue, and using salicylic acid or other painful substances to slough off scarred tissue in an attempt to disguise the sored areas.

Before the rule could be finalized, however, the Trump administration took office and immediately froze its progress. Now, under the Biden administration, Secretary Vilsack is once again heading the USDA and the department has the authority to reissue this much-needed equine protection rule. However, on July 21, the USDA opted to formally withdraw the 2017 HPA rule rather than follow through on its stated commitment to finalizing this long-awaited and widely supported rule.

As part of the formal withdrawal process, the USDA is accepting public comments on its decision now through August 21.

TAKE ACTION ([link removed])

What You Can Do

Please let the USDA know that you do not support withdrawal of the 2017 HPA rule, particularly since the USDA has yet to move forward with any revised rulemaking in its place ([link removed]). Under the status quo, Tennessee walking horses continue to suffer horrific abuse; it's long past time that the USDA finalize an HPA rule to end soring once and for all.

Thank you in advance for your help and for all you do for animals!

Sincerely,

Joanna Grossman, PhD
Equine Program Director and Senior Advisor

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Photo by HSUS

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