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Soring 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOSH Proposes Changes to USDA Horse Protection Program Operating Plan Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) presented a number of proposed changes to the 2007 USDA Horse Protection Program
Operating Plan (OP), at a meeting of Horse Industry Organization (HIO) representatives held September 13, 2005.
Sound horse supporters can demonstrate their support of the proposed changes by either writing to the USDA or
attending the USDA Listening Sessions, which will be held in various cities throughout the United States (dates
and cities are provided). Following two years of historical data analysis, FOSH identified several areas of the current Operating Plan that
minimize the effects of penalties and allow violators to continue to participate in shows while on suspension.
FOSH believes the following changes to the next USDA Operating Plan are needed in order to improve enforcement of
the Horse Protection Act. Regarding the Operating Plan development process, FOSH believes the USDA should post on its website all proposed
OP changes submitted to date, prior to the holding of each scheduled listening session. Posting such changes in
advance means that interested parties can provide input to the Department on proposed OP changes. By holding an
open forum to obtain input on proposed changes, the OP is more likely to be a collaborative document that is supported
by individuals and HIOs alike. FOSH welcomes input on these and any other changes to the next Operating Plan; comments may be sent to Keith Dane
at djuj@aol.com. FOSH also requests that concerned members of the sound horse community contact the USDA to indicate their support
for the above proposed changes and/or attend a USDA Listening Session. Letters and emails should be sent to USDA.
For information on contacting the USDA or a sample letter, visit FOSH’s website at www.fosh.info. The first USDA APHIS Listening Session will be held on February 8, 2006, from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Blue Ribbon
Circle Club on the Celebration show grounds in Shelbyville, TN. A second session will be held on March 13, from 1 to
5 p.m. at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, MO. Listening sessions will also be held
in Chattanooga, TN, Pomona, CA, and Dallas, TX. FOSH is a national leader in the promotion of natural, sound gaited horses and in the fight against abuse and
soring of Tennessee Walking Horses. For more information about FOSH or to become a member, please visit www.fosh.info
or call 1-800-651-7993. The USDA is the government agency tasked with enforcing the federal Horse Protection Act, (HPA), which prohibits the showing, sale, auction, exhibition, or transport of sored horses. In the past, the USDA has issued annual summaries of their Horse Protection Act activities and findings. However, after their fiscal year 2000, they have been unable to publish this summary. Therefore, to make this information available to the interested public, in a format similar to the USDA's report, Friends of Sound Horses, FOSH, has voluntarily collected and summarized the data for 2001 through 2004. The data shows these HIOs with the worst rates of soring & HPA violations per 1,000 horses per average from the past four years when the USDA officials are present at inspection:
The data shows a concerning trend for the Horse Industry Organizations, (HIOs) with double-digit violation rates. Their rate of soring violations dramatically increases when the USDA officials are present vs. when the organization is self-policing itself with its own Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs) performing the inspections. This assumes that all shows have equal importance and likelihood of soring, which may not be a valid assumption. The following averages are compiled for years 2001 through 2004:
These four HIOs represent almost 80% of all show entries reported. This trend is increasing over the past four years for all four of these organizations. For example, the NHSC's rate of violations with the USDA present vs. self-policing has steadily increased to a difference of 1180% more violations in 2004 when the USDA is present, compared to 440% more violations in 2001. A representative of the NHSC stated that this data was not statistically significant. FOSH asked several professional statisticians to review this data, and each of their findings confirmed that the data is statistically significant. One stated, “From a statistical viewpoint the issue is a slam dunk. There is no question that the rates of violation are statistically significantly different between when the USDA is present versus not.” Another stated, “At a 99.9% confidence level (well above the typical 95% or 99% confidence level that most statisticians would deem statistically significant), you can see that there is absolutely no overlap between the ‘with USDA violation rate' and the ‘without USDA violation rate.'” For those that are opposed to the cruel and illegal practice of soring, this data highlights that if USDA officials were able to audit all Tennessee Walking Horse shows, the annual number of soring violations recorded would sharply increase. This is an alarming number of incidences of horses being treated cruelly each year (and this data only reflects those being caught for soring their horses.) Of the Horse Industry Organizations that have reported soring & HPA violations at their shows for the past four years, in total, these have been the number of violations cited: a. National Horse Show Commission (NHSC) 1,715 During recent years, the USDA officials have been able to officiate at a declining percentage of the horse-entries in reported shows and sales : 2004 5.7% FOSH is a national leader in the promotion of natural, sound gaited
Field Testing Begun of New Soring Detection
Methodology-4/20/2004
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) is
pleased to report that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
has begun field testing of a new methodology of detecting illegal soring
agents. The new methodology is an electronic chemical sniffer test that
processes and analyzes illegal substances that may have been administered
or used on the horse to cause soring. Earlier this year, FOSH had
volunteered for its shows to participate in the establishment of
baselines for horses in a live show environment. Samples were collected
at the FOSH-sanctioned Gaitway Walking Horse Association Spring Schooling
Show, held April 16 & 17 at Lake St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to the
sampling, the usual inspection processes were still performed by FOSH
DQPs at the show.
Attending VMOs from the USDA provided
explanations of the sniffer testing process to the interested exhibitors
and spectators. Exhibitors were pleased that the procedure for obtaining
samples took less than a minute per horse.
The USDA will be randomly attending
gaited horse shows throughout the 2004 show season to establish show ring
guidelines and procedures for the widespread use of chemical sniffers.
Until the new test is approved as an inspection methodology, no
violations will be issued based on the findings of the test.
FOSH is a national leader in the fight
against abuse and soring of Tennessee Walking Horses and in the promotion
of the natural, sound gaited horse. For more information about FOSH,
please visit
www.fosh.info or call 1-800-651-7993.
FOSH Sponsors $5,000 in Investigative Journalism Awards for 2004-3/26/2004 To increase public awareness of the illegal practice of soring, FOSH (Friends of Sound Horses, Inc.) is awarding up to $5,000 to three winners for the most outstanding journalism that exposes the illegal and cruel practice of horse "soring." Soring is the application of chemical or mechanical means to enhance a horse’s gait in an effort to win in "big lick" show ring competitions. The types of journalism that qualify are print, broadcast and on-line media, and all professional, freelance and student journalists are welcome to participate. To be eligible for an award, material must be published or broadcast during 2004. Applications and rules are available at www.fosh.info, and deadline for submission is November 1, 2004. FOSH is a national leader in the fight against abuse and soring of Tennessee Walking Horses and in the promotion of natural, sound gaited horses. For more information on the journalism award or to become a member, please visit www.fosh.info.
FOSH offering "From the Horses’ Mouth" at
the FOSH website-3/5/2004
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) now has available at its web site copies of the book, From the Horses’ Mouth, written by Eugene Davis. From the Horse’s Mouth provides a vivid portrait of the abuse that a young Tennessee Walking horse endures in order to excel in the Tennessee Walking Horse show ring. The story is an eyewitness account by Davis from his 20+ years as a trainer in the Tennessee Walking Horse show world. When Davis was asked what one action that individuals could take to fight soring, he responded that spreading the word about soring would be key in its elimination, so sharing his book with others or donating a copy to a public library would be a crucial step in that endeavor. From the Horses’ Mouth was also recently purchased by the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal enforcement arm for the Horse Protection Act, to educate its veterinarians and staff members about soring and the Tennessee Walking Horse show world. From the Horses’ Mouth is available for a donation of $15 to FOSH, plus shipping and handling. To obtain a copy or become a member of FOSH, please contact info@friendsofsoundhorses.org or call 800-651-7993. FOSH Announces Successful HPA Strategic Planning Meeting...more – released 2/05/04 NEWS from "Friends of Sound Horses"--released 12/18/2003 Visit this link on the USDA website to read the Horse Protection Act! What Is Soring? Many horses that are shown for cash prizes, trophies and
ribbons are "trained" in certain ways. The Gaited Horse breeds are victims of Chemical and/or Mechanical "Soring". The Horse Protection Act was enacted in 1970 to protect ALL horses but it came into being because of the atrocities committed upon the Tennessee Walking Horse (atrocities committed to this day and which have "spread" to other Gaited Breeds!) Some of the Chemicals of choice by the Sorers include
Mustard Oil, fuel oil and other petroleum products, Collodian and Salicylic
acid. When the USDA/APHIS recognized this, they created the NO SCAR rule which in turn drove the Sorers (who will NOT give up their abominable practices even though they are breaking Federal Laws) to the use of Salicylic Acid which is applied liberally to the scarred areas and literally "burns off" the scarred skin while the horses lie in excruciating pain without the benefit of anesthetic. This "new" skin (IF the horse survives) is scar free but thickened and sparsely haired. Many horses, after this "treatment" have open lesions
and/or "scurfing" on their pasterns but are "passed" as "clean" by the Sored-Horse
Inspection Organizations when the USDA/APHIS is not present at their shows. Mechanical Soring can be just as hideous and just as
painful for the horses. Pressure Shoeing causes appalling pain and even some of the Sored-Horse Trainers stop short of this despicable practice, though too many do not! Road Foundering is a common practice before showing causing exactly the amount of pain you would expect with "acute founder". Heavy Plantation Shoes ("manhole covers" up to 60 oz. in weight) accompanied by a Chemical "touch-up" and chains on already painful areas, also produce the sought after but bastardized "gait". Horses that are "chemically sored" not only suffer
instant pain but can also be subject to Nervous System Disorders, sterility,
genetic mutations, spontaneous abortions, intestinal tumors etc. and most die
from Colic. Bonnie A. Yeager | ||||||