Vet Ethics: Soring Horses Is Illegal and Inhumane – What Must Change in 2025 🐴🚫🔥

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Soring—a cruel and illegal act—continues to darken the reputation of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry. Despite being banned under the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, this inhumane practice persists behind the scenes, driven by show ring expectations and prize money. In 2025, it’s time for stronger enforcement and cultural change. 🧠🐎

In this equine ethics guide, Dr Duncan Houston explains what soring is, how it affects horses, what the law says, and how proposed legislation like HR1518 aims to protect horses and close enforcement loopholes. ⚖️🔥

1. What Is Soring? 🩹

Soring refers to the deliberate infliction of pain to a horse’s forelegs or hooves to artificially exaggerate the animal’s gait—particularly the “Big Lick” gait in Tennessee Walking Horses. It involves:

• 🧴 Applying chemical irritants like diesel, kerosene, or mustard oil
• 🔥 Using chemical stripping agents to hide scar tissue
• 🦶 Mechanically soring by inserting sharp objects under the hoof or over-trimming the sole
• 🔗 Using action devices like chains or metal bands to strike painful areas

The goal is a more dramatic leg lift in the show ring—but at the cost of the horse’s pain and welfare. ❌

2. How Soring Hurts Horses 🧠🐴

Horses subjected to soring suffer from:

• 🥵 Chronic pain, open wounds, and hoof trauma
• 😖 Behavioral stress, anxiety, and fear of handling
• 🏥 Infections such as clostridial myositis
• 💔 Long-term lameness or disfigurement

The abuse is not short-lived—it leaves physical and emotional scars that last a lifetime. 💥

3. Soring Is Illegal—But Still Happens ⚖️

Despite being outlawed by the Horse Protection Act (1970), soring still occurs due to:

• ⚖️ Weak penalties and limited USDA enforcement
• 🎯 Judges rewarding exaggerated gaits in the ring
• 🧪 Clever attempts to conceal evidence during inspections

Many trainers continue these practices because fines are minimal, detection is rare, and prize money is significant. 😡

4. The Role of Action Devices & Performance Packages 🧱🔗

To amplify the painful gait, trainers often use:

• 🔗 Chains that hit sore pasterns with each step
• 🧱 Performance packages or “stacks”—heavy pads nailed to hooves with concealed foreign objects

These increase limb height and alter motion by exaggerating pain—but also compromise hoof health and increase risk of injury. 🦴💣

5. Legislation: HR1518 and the Push for Reform 📜

Introduced in 2013, HR1518 (Prevent All Soring Tactics Act) proposed amendments to the Horse Protection Act, including:

• 💰 Increasing fines from $3,000 to $5,000
• ⛓️ Raising jail time from 1 year to 3 years
• 🔎 Requiring USDA-licensed inspectors at shows
• 🚫 Banning all action devices and performance stacks

This bill was a direct response to ongoing violations and aimed to eliminate loopholes allowing soring to persist. ✅

6. The Industry’s Divided Response 🥊

While many horse welfare groups and vets support HR1518, some industry figures pushed back:

• 🎙️ Michael Inman, CEO of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, argued that certain devices like 6-ounce action chains and pads have been shown to be “non-harmful”
• 🛑 However, most veterinary bodies and independent welfare studies disagree

In 2025, the consensus is clear: no device that creates or conceals pain has a place in ethical horsemanship. 💡🐎

7. Summary Table: The Case Against Soring 📋🚫

8. Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston 💬

Soring is outdated, unethical, and inexcusable. No competition, tradition, or visual standard justifies hurting horses for human reward. Stronger legislation, stricter show judging, and community education are needed to ensure soring becomes history—not an ongoing headline. 🧠🐴🛑

Need help identifying ethical training resources or want to support legislative reform? Visit AskAVet.com or download the Ask A Vet app 📲 for welfare-focused support, vet-endorsed education, and legal advocacy tools.

— Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc