Posted 2010-08-05 9:50 PM (#123233) Subject: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Location: KY
I am posting this here 'cause I can't figure out how to attach this file on the horse board. I make no judgment, just posting it for information purposes.
Posted 2010-08-07 10:24 PM (#123271 - in reply to #123233) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Location: KY
CRG, I understand not wanting to clutter up your computer. If you can open the document but not save it, that would be a way I think to keep it off your machine. I don't think I could summarize it so I am pasting the following which is the press release from FOSH: (and again I make no judgment and no, I am not a member of FOSH nor do I support all their ideas)
Animal Protection, Horse Industry Groups File Petition Seeking New USDA Rules For Horses
WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Horse Protection Association, Friends of Sound Horses and former U.S. Sen. Joseph Tydings filed a legal petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture' s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeking new regulations to strengthen its enforcement of the federal Horse Protection Act. Tydings was the original sponsor.
The Horse Protection Act was passed in 1970 to safeguard horses from the cruel practice of soring — the intentional infliction of pain to the limbs and hooves of Tennessee Walking show horses to create an artificial, animated show-ring gait known as the "big lick."
The petition asks APHIS to permanently disqualify from competition chronic, repeat violators of the law as well as horses scarred by soring. It further calls for the implementation of certain mandatory enforcement protocols — including minimum penalties for HPA violations — and the decertification of non-compliant industry groups certified by USDA to conduct inspections of show horses.
"Forty years after passage of the Horse Protection Act, soring is still a widespread problem in the performance Tennessee Walking horse show industry," said Keith Dane, director of Equine Protection for The Humane Society of the United States. "Federal law requires USDA to protect horses from the intentional cruelty inflicted by the practice of soring. This broad coalition of horse advocates has come together to help USDA in bringing a prompt end to this egregious and blatant abuse."
Facts
The most common form of soring is performed by applying caustic chemicals to the pasterns (ankles) of show horses — sensitizing the area and forcing the horse to lift his front legs high off the ground in an attempt to avoid pain. The horses are then ridden and shown with metal chains around their ankles, which further accentuate the high-stepping action with each painful stride. Soring often leaves telltale scars — including tissue change, calluses, bleeding, inflammation, and skin and hair loss —all of which are evidence of this cruel and illegal practice.
For decades, horses found by federal and industry inspectors to have been sored (and scarred) in order to achieve the artificial "big lick" show-ring gait, have been allowed to continue to compete—forced to endure painful abuse for years throughout their show careers.
Many winning trainers in the Walking horse industry have repeatedly been found in violation of the HPA, yet these individuals continue to train — and sore — horses for customers while on suspension from showing. There is little concern for being caught soring, as the consequences are mild, and there are far greater monetary incentives to sore horses rather than abide by federal law and train horses naturally.
Several horse industry organizations that have been certified by USDA to conduct HPA inspections have consistently failed to detect and disqualify non-compliant horses at a rate comparable to that of the agency's own veterinary medical officers. Yet no such organization has ever been decertified for non-compliance, as authorized by the HPA and regulations.
The HSUS is represented in this matter pro bono by Latham & Watkins.
Posted 2010-08-08 12:23 AM (#123275 - in reply to #123271) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Expert
Posts: 2614
Didn't the USDA recently cave in to tremendous pressure by the HSUS and pass laws that will affect livestock and poultry farmers in a huge manner? I think the laws went in to effect for California,I may be wrong,but,specified the size of cages,among a LOT of other mandates?
Posted 2010-08-08 11:46 AM (#123283 - in reply to #123233) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Member
Posts: 28
Location: Kansas
I am not a bleeding heart when it comes to horses. I believe in taking care of the good ones but it's ok to have a meat market for the horses that could or have hurt humans. I read this and it made me just a little sick. I own QH and don't know anything about Tennesses Walkers but this sounded cruel. Why would they do this just to win and I guess money has a major impact on it. So sad to see this happening.
Posted 2010-08-12 9:57 PM (#123458 - in reply to #123233) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Veteran
Posts: 186
I think as long as there is Show Competition there will be torture to all types of animals. I can choose to boycot showing that allows such things. I bought a 5 year TWHBEA stallion 7 years ago from a rescue place with tremendous breeding, temperment he had scares so couldn't be shown, it happend to him as a two year old. I asked the lady why she didn't turn in the people who took him to an Auction to be sold for meat (to cover up their mistake) and she said "I like my barn" meaning you don't tattle tale or they will burn you out... Anyway It is a very sad thing but I have seen many Sad things in the Quarter Horse Show circut also, like tieing the horses head up high for many hours before they go in the ring so their neck is so sore they -keep it low- all of the breeding for small feet has created not just navicular but all the way up leg problems. Chemicals used on their necks so sweat off the neck fat but not the fat off their as ses... QH tail nerves cut so they didn't twitch their tail in a class... Saddlebred and Arab showers used to put musterd oil in the horses rectum so they would hold their tail's high I could write pages ... every breed out there has it's IDIOTS I haven't showed in 30 years I love to trail ride now.
Posted 2010-08-13 11:43 PM (#123495 - in reply to #123233) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522
Location: Tucumcari NM
My grandfather bred some outstanding tennessee walkers and was active in the show ring. He was always disgusted by the lengths that some of his competitors would go to to win in the ring, and even more disgusted with the judges who rewarded such behaviors with ribbons. You are so right, there are some real idiots out there. But they are far outnumbered by the real horse people like most of those on this forum.
Posted 2010-08-16 10:33 AM (#123610 - in reply to #123458) Subject: RE: walking horses and USDA-APHIS
Expert
Posts: 2614
Saddlebred and Arab showers used to put musterd oil in the horses rectum so they would hold their tail's high I could write pages ... every breed out there has it's IDIOTS I haven't showed in 30 years I love to trail ride now.
That is still going on,it isn't past tense.The foxtrotter show ring is known for using ginger for the same effect.It goes on in all breeds,all kinds of artificiality and forced gaits,tactics that are pretty hard on the horse and some downright cruel.