OP / ED
The Biden Administration’s new Horse Protection Act rule might sound like a good idea on paper, but let me tell you — it’s a disaster in practice. This rule isn’t about protecting horses; it’s about federal bureaucrats grabbing more control over an industry they clearly don’t understand. The United States Department of Agriculture’s new rule is so absurd that it makes using fly spray on a horse a potential violation. That’s not a joke — they can’t be serious!
The HPA was enacted in 1970 with good intentions — to regulate the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and to outlaw the showing, sale, auction, exhibition or transport of sored horses. Soring is the intentional infliction of pain on a horse’s legs or hooves using chemicals, devices or other harmful methods to force an exaggerated, high-stepping gait. This is common in competitive show circuits for breeds like Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses.
