In 2014, 42% of initial entries to the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC) were either scratched or were disqualified. In 2015, 52% of initial entries either scratched or were disqualified, and last year, 2016, 30% of initial entries either scratched or were disqualified. In 2014, 218 violations were found on the “big lick” padded horses and 165 horses were disqualified. In 2015, 260 violations were found on the “big lick” padded horses and 195 were disqualified. And in 2016, 190 violations were found on the “big lick” padded horses and 129 were disqualified. These statistics are public, accessible to anybody interested and published under the USDA Horse Protection Activity Report.
This must stop. People are finally understanding the extent of this cruelty. Why sored horses are still performing is an atrocity and against the law.
Then you’ve got the judges who have abused horses. These people are currently the judges in the 2017 Celebration event – right now. Jennifer Bingham violated the Horse Protection Act by soring a horse and served a one year suspension. David Landrum had a two year federal suspension and has had five suspensions since. The CEO of the Celebration, Mike Inman, has 9 violations (2 unilateral soring, 3 scar rule, 3 foreign substance and 1 other violation). The people at the top have demonstrated an unwillingness to consider any change to benefit the horse or the average Walking Horse owner.
Allowing the Walking Horse industry to self-regulate has only led to ongoing abuse of horses.
Every horse is checked before they are allowed to show, so anyone posting about soring needs to educate themselves and stop parroting HSUS false claims. Really, you all just look ignorant. The chains weigh 6 ounces. Is your wristwatch terribly painful on your wrist, because it weighs about the same. The pads weigh very little as well. Thes horse naturally bob their heads since birth; it has nothing to do with them being uncomfortable. Seriously folks, get a life. Maybe there were a handful of trainers that did use soring techniques years ago, but they've been run out of the sport by TWHBEA. The Celebration is a beautiful demonstration of what these horses can do, whether theyre flat shod or on pads.
I so much enjoy watching this amazing event. Beautiful horses and talented riders.
Fortunately, former leaders in the industry are coming forward, despite serious risks to their livelihoods and even personal safety. A past president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association tried, unsuccesffuly, to reform the industry, but instead got ousted by the pro “big lickers.” John Haffner, DVM, who not only worked in the industry and witnessed soring, but helped hide it, has had a change of heart. In a presentation, Haffner stated: “The reality is that soring is the foundation upon which the big lick is built.”
Why hasn’t the industry ended it? If soring is not pervasive, then why has the former four-time President and current Senior VP of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder’s and Exhibitors’ Association has been BANNED for three years for soring several horses (including “Generating The Command” and “The Sportster” in the 2016 Celebration event)?
People speak of horse cruelty, but from what I've observed for many years is that these horses live better than some people. They are immaculately clean and well taken care of. The thing I don't understand is that there are race horses put down many times at the race track, but no one seems to batter the race horse people about that. .....Why is that?!?!
At the time that the USDA is uncovering rampant soring, TWHNC is denying it. In 2014, TWHNC claimed to find violations in 1.86% of horses while the USDA found violations in 51% of horses. Similarly, in 2015 TWHNC found violations in 2.51% of horses while the USDA found violations in 43% of horses.
Why is it still a problem 47 years after it was made a federal offense? Why do essentially all the trainers active during those years have a record of violations? Why did pressure shoeing become a common practice after pastern inspection began? Why do horses have to be trained to stand still while their pasterns are palpated? Why do so many swabs test positive for forbidden substances? Why when going from barn to barn were all the horses in training for the big lick sored? Why would inspections at horse shows still be necessary? Why hasn’t the industry ended it?
The “Big Lick” is a pain-based gait. It is man-made. The horses don’t love it, man does. Action devices are not necessary for the horse to gait correctly – it is only human beings who desire that action. Pads, stacks and chains are not natural.
Lastly, there are 67 Horse Industry Groups, the American Veterinary Medical Association (as well as every state’s Veterinary Medical Association), the American Association of Equine Protectors, 273 members in the House of Representatives, and 50 members of the Senate who have all come out strongly against pads, stacks and chains.
The Tennessee Walking Horse industry’s claim that soring is limited to “a few bad actors” is simply not true. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Horse Protection Act (HPA) database are updated weekly with new violations and suspensions, and the data is clear: Soring is pervasive in the industry.
Walking Horse Celebration is a US Point Of Interest based in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Walking Horse Celebration is located at 1110 N Evans St, Shelbyville, TN 37160, USA.
Please contact with Walking Horse Celebration using information above: Address, Phone number, Fax, Postal code, Website address, E-mail, Facebook. Find Walking Horse Celebration opening hours and driving directions or map. Find real customer reviews and ratings or write your own review.
Find Point Of Interest in Shelbyville