Introduction
The Horse Protection Act (HPA) was enacted into law in 1971. It has been enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for over forty years. USDA deems soring to involve the use of action devices, chemicals, cuts, burns, pads, wedges or practices like trimming a horse’s hoof to expose sensitive tissue, so that it causes pain in the horse’s forelegs and produces an accentuated show gait for competition or sale.
On April 27, 2015, Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) re- introduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2015 (PAST act) in the Senate and on July 28, 2015, Representatives Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) re-introduced the PAST Act (HR 3268)) in the House of Representatives.. The bill is intended to strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. The PAST Act was previously introduced Last Congress and is supported by the American Horse Council and most national horse show organizations.
AHC Position
The AHC supports this legislation, as does the American Association of Equine Practitioners, U.S. Equestrian Federation, the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the American Morgan Horse Association, the Pinto Horse Association of America, the Arabian Horse Association, the American Saddlebred Horse Association, the United Professional Horsemen’s Association, the Appaloosa Horse Club, and the American Veterinarian Medical Association.