Walking Horse show opens, the protests follow in Columbia

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…

APHIS to use iris scanners to identify sored horses

JILL BARNES NELSON reporting for the Tehachapi News writes: " . . .companies are working on an eye scan for identifying horses — just like in the spy movies. "The scanners will use an infrared light that can capture an image of a horse's iris from distances of up to a yard away. The iris…

Hundreds turn out for walking horse forum in Murfreesboro

MARY REEVES reporting for the Daily News Journal points out two significant changes to the Horse Protection Act that may actually rid this country of the barbaric practice of horse soring, an abusive practice used to accomplish the abnormal gait called "Big Lick" in competition. 1. The USDA would train, license and screen all horse…

Will we ever really get rid of the horrible abuse of horse soring?

The Tennessee Walking Horse industry has failed to eliminate horse soring for decades. Sports Illustrated exposed horse soring (although the term did not yet exist) in 1956 in an article entitled "Woe for Walkers." It states: Horse business and sharp practice have not traditionally been divorced. But far uglier than mere chicanery is the widespread…

Celebration not so celebratory for Tennessee Walking Horse (Tn)

Bonnie Erbé writes the following for the US News & World Report's weblog: ----------------- It's that time of the year again when Shelbyville, Tenn., hosts its annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Let's hope 2008 marks the year when the horses are allowed to celebrate along with the humans by being treated and trained in…