SOUTH CAROLINA HORSEMEN’S COUNCIL ISSUES “STATEMENT OF SUPPORT”
FOR THE PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS ACT
May 23, 2018
Dear Senator/Representative,
We are writing to request you to support co-sponsor the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act ((H.R. 1847) (Previously S. 1406) PAST Act.). The PAST Act would strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses
Soring is an abusive practice used b some horse trainers in the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse and Racking Horse industry. It usually involves the use of chemicals, pads, wedges and other practices to cause pain in the horse’s forelegs to produce an accentuated show gait for competition. Despite the existence of a federal ban on soring for over 40 years, this cruel practice continues in some segments of the walking horse industry.
The PAST Act would amend the HPA to prohibit a Tennessee Walking Horse or a spotted Saddle Horse from being shown, exhibited or auctioned with an “action device,” or a “weighted shoe pad, wedge, hoof band or other device or material” if it is constructed to artificially alter the gait of the horse and is not strictly protective or therapeutic. These new restrictions would not apply to other breeds that do not have a history of soring.
The legislation would also increase fines and penalties for violations, including a lifetime ban for repetitive offenders.
The bill would create a new licensing process for horse show inspectors, eliminating the current ineffective designated qualified persons program (DPS). The bill would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to train, license and appoint new independent inspectors for shows and other HPA-regulated activities that wish to hire an inspector. Licensed or accredited veterinarians would be given preference for these positions. The desire to hire and the cost of an inspector would still reside with the management of a show, sale or auction.
Most major national horse show organizations support the PAST Act, including the American Horse Council, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, U.S. Equestrian Federations, the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the United Professional Horsemen’s Association, Appaloosa Horse Club and many other state and local organizations. The bill also has bipartisan support in the House and Senate.
Our organization hopes you will consider co-sponsoring and supporting this important bill.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Carl D. Cartwright
Carl D. Cartwright
President, South Carolina Horsemen’s Council
Dear Senator/Representative,
We are writing to request you to support co-sponsor the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act ((H.R. 1847) (Previously S. 1406) PAST Act.). The PAST Act would strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses
Soring is an abusive practice used b some horse trainers in the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse and Racking Horse industry. It usually involves the use of chemicals, pads, wedges and other practices to cause pain in the horse’s forelegs to produce an accentuated show gait for competition. Despite the existence of a federal ban on soring for over 40 years, this cruel practice continues in some segments of the walking horse industry.
The PAST Act would amend the HPA to prohibit a Tennessee Walking Horse or a spotted Saddle Horse from being shown, exhibited or auctioned with an “action device,” or a “weighted shoe pad, wedge, hoof band or other device or material” if it is constructed to artificially alter the gait of the horse and is not strictly protective or therapeutic. These new restrictions would not apply to other breeds that do not have a history of soring.
The legislation would also increase fines and penalties for violations, including a lifetime ban for repetitive offenders.
The bill would create a new licensing process for horse show inspectors, eliminating the current ineffective designated qualified persons program (DPS). The bill would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to train, license and appoint new independent inspectors for shows and other HPA-regulated activities that wish to hire an inspector. Licensed or accredited veterinarians would be given preference for these positions. The desire to hire and the cost of an inspector would still reside with the management of a show, sale or auction.
Most major national horse show organizations support the PAST Act, including the American Horse Council, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, U.S. Equestrian Federations, the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the United Professional Horsemen’s Association, Appaloosa Horse Club and many other state and local organizations. The bill also has bipartisan support in the House and Senate.
Our organization hopes you will consider co-sponsoring and supporting this important bill.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Carl D. Cartwright
Carl D. Cartwright
President, South Carolina Horsemen’s Council
| Past Act Support Letter |
TAKE TIME TO KNOW THE FACTS
Eliminating soring in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry has broad support in the horse industry and has been a priority of the American Horse Council (AHC) for the last several years. The focus of these efforts for several years has been passage of the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act or PAST Act in Congress. Additionally, last year the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) also began promulgating new regulations governing enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA), intended to strength regulations against soring. President Trump’s government-wide freeze on all new federal regulations pending review has put an indefinite hold on these new HPA regulations. Now many in the horse industry are wondering what is status of these efforts to eliminate soring. Read more
Soring: Unethical and Illegal Fact Sheet Here
AVMA - https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Practice-of-Soring.aspx
AAEP - https://aaep.org/position-practice-soring
https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/2016-11/AAEP%20White%20Paper%20on%20TWH%20Soring.pdf
Soring: Unethical and Illegal Fact Sheet Here
AVMA - https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Practice-of-Soring.aspx
AAEP - https://aaep.org/position-practice-soring
https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/2016-11/AAEP%20White%20Paper%20on%20TWH%20Soring.pdf
