Proposed USDA rule would prohibit 'soring' of walking horses
WASHINGTON _ The U.S. Department of Agriculture will propose a rule Tuesday that would eliminate the practice of "soring," used by some horse trainers but decried by animal welfare groups.
Under the proposed changes, the department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service would screen, train and license the inspectors charged with enforcing federal law.
Soring involves burning or binding a horse's legs to modify its gait. Congress banned the practice in 1970 but has allowed the industry to largely police itself. Soring produces a unique gait prized at horse shows but that can cause the animals pain and discomfort.
Kentucky and Tennessee breed most walking horses, which are known for their prancing gait.
The USDA's proposal would also ban the pads, chemicals and other devices used to achieve soring from horse shows, sales and auctions, bringing federal rules in line with standards set by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Identical bills introduced last year in the House and the Senate aimed at stopping the practice have considerable bipartisan support but have not made it through committees.
_McClatchy Washington Bureau
