Walking Horse show opens, the protests follow in Columbia

Image from 2015 HSUS Horse Soring Investigation.

James Bennett, writing for the Columbia Daily Herald states:

“The Spring Jubilee Tennessee Walking Horse Show opened a three-day run Thursday at Maury County Park, featuring some of the top horses and trainers in the Southeast.

“And for the fifth straight year, the event will include Friday and Saturday protests from some of the most-determined animal welfare advocates in the region.”

That would be Clant Seay and two very brave women, Alix Nardone and Christina Gray, and they are determined alright. Put them all in your book of heroes.

What are they protesting? Horse soring. Illegal horse soring. So it shouldn’t even be going on. But it is. It’s Tennessee, who have their fair share of citizens who believe they have a right to do what they want with their horses, including abusing them to win a ribbon.

Bennet explains:

“In Tennessee Walking Horse competitions, the illegal practice of “soring” has soiled the sport’s reputation in the last decade. ‘Soring’ is deliberately inducing pain to force a horse to exaggerate [his] gait, called the Big Lick, to impress judges.”

The “Big Lick” pictured here is accomplished from ‘soring’ Tennessee Walking horses so they will snatch their feet up in a jerky, awkward gait from intense pain, in competitions all in pursuit of a ribbon. Source: Columbia Daily Herald.

Nardone says:

“I thought the issue of animal cruelty and the Big Lick had been something that had gone by the wayside. I was startled it was still going on, and there’s still controversy going on. It hit me in the heart. I felt very strongly these beautiful animals could be shown in their natural gait, not with irons and chains.”

Gray added:

“This is a great way to advocate and make a difference. The heart of the filth is right here in Middle Tennessee. To me, it’s a moral imperative that we legislate against cruelty. Horses are reliant completely on the owners and trainers for their well-being. If we allow the law to be circumvented, we are sinking to a level that is unacceptable.”

We have not read the number of horses trained in this way, but the article states there are “260,000 walking horses registered nationwide, including over 58,000 walking horses in Tennessee.”

Imagine that much pain and suffering, all to exaggerate their gait, when the Tennessee Walking horse’s gait is already so naturally beautiful. The exaggerated, herky jerky movement the horses have in these competitions from snatching their feet up because of the extreme pain inflicted on them is anything but. It is ugly, cruel and heartbreaking to watch.

Source: Columbia Daily Herald »

Learn more about horse soring at The Horse Fund website »

TAKE ACTION

HR 693

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/693

See also http://www.congress.org to contact your elected representatives.