It's past time to end the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses
The Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration is underway in Shelbyville, Tennessee. This event displays horses that have been abused by the practice of soring, is a tactic inflicted on some Tennessee Walking Horses and other gaited breeds. Abusive trainers use caustic chemicals on the horse's front ankles, causing extreme pain and suffering, then use chains on the abused areas to cause even more pain. This causes the animals to lift their front legs high into the air and perform what is called the Big Lick.
The only way to bring this cruelty to an end is the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (S. 1007/H.R.693). The U.S House of Representatives passed this legislation by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 333-96 last summer, but the Senate has yet to act. I urge our senators, Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn, to support the PAST Act and help end the cruelty and abuse of the horse that bears our state's name.
I also ask Tennesseans to boycott this year's Walking Horse Celebration because we should not celebrate abusing animals. When soring has been abolished by passage of the PAST Act, then Tennesseans can celebrate the walking horse.
Maryann Davis, Hixson