Taking the wind out of soring

Taking the wind out of soring


The term ‘soring horses’ has been in the news recently. But instead of referring to horses gracefully soaring over jumps, it has a much darker meaning.

Soring (that’s s-O-R-i-n-g) refers to the unscrupulous means of intentionally causing pain to force exaggerated gaits in horses like Tennessee walkers and others. Although soring is illegal, some unethical trainers use it to get a leg up on their sporting competition.

Soring may involve application of harmful chemicals to a horse’s lower legs. Instead, or in addition, a horse’s hooves may be cut too short or shoes applied improperly. Whatever the means of inflicting pain, the horse raises its legs higher and faster to try to escape it.

The Prevent All Soring Tactics, or PAST, Act pending in Congress would crack down on soring. Horses deserve our protection and a life free of pain.

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