The Sound Advocate - Issue 1, 2023

The Sound Advocate

A Champion for All Gaited Horses

Volume 6, Issue 1, 2023

Sound Advocate

Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. 6614 Clayton Rd. #105 St. Louis, MO 63117 info@fosh.info * www.fosh.info

Board of Directors President - Teresa Bippen Missouri Tbippen1957@yahoo.com

Secretary/Treasurer-Gina Vehige Director at Large-Bill Coon VP IJA Program-Dianne Little Missouri Utah Alberta, Canada gvehige115@gmail.com wbotis@gmail.com ddlittle@telus.net

VP Programs/Gaited Sport Horse Director at Large-Anita Dunham VP HIO/DQP-Lisa Harris Dianne Little Missouri Tennessee Alberta, Canada dunhamanita@gmail.com ddlittle@telus.net

Executive Advisory Committee

Maggie MacAllister Hawaii Virginia breezewood@mgwnet.com

Keith Dane

Patti Potts Pauline Stotsenberg Missouri California pottspa@gmail.com ps@yesteryearfarms.net

Editor Stephanie J. Ruff Florida editor@fosh.info

To promote all “sound,” naturally gaited horses, with a specific emphasis on Tennessee Walking Horses. (In this context, sound means not “sored”.)

Importance is placed on education in regards to the humane care for the emotional, mental and physical wellbeing, training, and treatment of all gaited horses.

FOSH will only support flat shod or barefoot horses and will never endorse any event that uses stacks and/or chains as action devices, or any mechanical, chemical, or artificial means to modify the natural gaits of the horse.

To these ends, FOSH focuses on three areas for gaited horses:

1) educating people about sound horse training principles;

2) supporting sound shows, events and activities;

3) working to end soring.

FOSH is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Your donation to support the FOSH mission is needed to advance the goals set forth by FOSH in conjunction with its formal mission statement.

FOSH Mission Statement

Publication Guidelines

The Sound Advocate is a digital magazine published quarterly by Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. Reproduction of any article is prohibited without the express written permission of FOSH.

FOSH accepts unsolicited submissions, but reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for content, style and space constraints. FOSH further reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason.

At no time shall the publisher’s liability exceed the total cost of the revenue from advertising in the issue involved in any dispute.

All show suspensions and show results are printed as they are received from the reporting agencies. FOSH does not guarantee their accuracy.

FOSH does not endorse the content of any advertisement in this publication, nor does it warrant the accuracy of any advertisement.

Readers are urged and cautioned to use due diligence and to thoroughly research, including asking for references, before following through with any transaction.

FOSH does not endorse any trainer, educator, clinician, style of natural training, tack, or horse equipment to the exclusion or preference of any other. Each horse is an individual and may respond differently to particular methods.

Articles published by FOSH reflect the views and opinions of the writers and do not reflect, necessarily, those of FOSH.

Publication Information

Subscribers: The Sound Advocate is a benefit of membership. To ensure that you receive your issues, be sure that your e-mail address is current. To change an e-mail address, contact gvehige115@ gmail.com.

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More FOSH information can be found online. Find us at www.fosh.info.

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the cover: Spring has sprung. Among the flowers is the Tennessee Walking Horse Uphill Dusty Gold owned by Natalie Speckmaier of Vancouver, British Columbia. Photo courtesy of Natalie Speckmaier.

In ThIs Issue:

From the President...

which is the passing of Clant Seay. Clant was a journalist and grassroots organizer of numerous protests at big lick horse shows. I joined him on some of his protests along with like-minded, sound horse supporters. He was a source of strength while I was in Washington, D.C. to testify on behalf of the PAST Act and again when I met with USDA Secretary Vilsack. His reporting on the efforts and work of other sound horse supporters kept us informed when we could not be on the ground with him. Due to his efforts, there are fewer big lick shows today and for shows still around, the audiences are much smaller. Yes, the enthusiasm for the big lick is dying which is due, in part, to his efforts.

Happy FOSH Friends!

Well is your day going to be cold, chilly, warm, hot, wet or dry? Most of us are dealing with those erratic weather changes that can be challenging for our horses and us at this time of year.

As you can see, Eli and I are outfitted for the cold in our photo, and he is all fuzzy. As he is my first donkey and arrived with all that fur, I am wondering just how slicked out he will be when warm weather arrives? Will he slick out as much as Shiloh and Dusty? I’m unsure as his coat is so darn thick. At least he is much smaller for when grooming time arrives.

I hope you read our Sound Advocacy Update on page 7. The talented Jo Ellen Hayden generously wrote this issue’s update and provided some history on the legislative and political battle to eliminate soring. The battle has been ongoing for so long, we sometimes forget our wins.

There is one loss we wish to acknowledge,

As we went to press, we were delighted to receive grant requests for a show and two clinics. We will have follow up stories and photos in our next issue. If you are in those areas (MO, OH and MN), all three have flyers in this issue so you can learn more about them. With our grants available for your clinics and shows, maybe you and your gaited horse cohorts will decide to hold your own clinic or a schooling show.

As you enjoy those spring rides with the leaves peeping out and beautiful spring flowers, please take some photos and send them to our editor. We would love to publish them. They are a delight for our readers who are no longer able to ride.

Enjoy your rides, and don’t’ forget your helmet!

Best, Teresa

Teresa Bippen FOSH President

Tbippen1957@yahoo.com

From the Editor...

With a new Congress in session, the PAST Act faces starting over again. Read the important advocacy update written by Jo Ellen Hayden for details on where we are and where we need to go. We face yet another long road.

This issue has three different stories of women who found their way to gaited horses. Each story is unique but shows the undeniable bond between horse and human. Everyone has a story. What’s yours? We would love to share it with our readers. Please reach out on social media or email me at editor@fosh.info.

If showing is your style, there are a variety of shows listed for 2023 in this issue. Please participate, go and watch, volunteer or just help spread the word about these competitions that showcase our beautiful, naturally gaited horses. That’s how we raise awareness – one person at a time.

Spring is trying to arrive in many parts of the country. The cover of this issue is a beautiful representation of the colors and warmth that spring promises.

But what a wild winter it’s been for so many people, and it’s not done yet! If you are one of the many that have been impacted by all the snow, flooding, cold or otherwise wicked weather this winter, you have my upmost sympathy! I hope everyone can come out on the other side soon and in good shape.

While it may still look like a long way off, spring is coming, I promise. So get out there and enjoy the longer days with your horses.

Stephanie J. Ruff Editor editor@fosh.info

Stephanie

What’s Next for the PAST Act?

By Jo Ellen Hayden

On the enforcement front, both the PAST Act and the long-awaited USDA Rule barring stacks and chains while moving inspections out of the hands of the HIOs, are languishing in the bureaucracy of Washington politics.

“The Rule” - We are waiting for USDA to issue a new version of their Rule (aka as a regulation) which would mandate much of what is in the PAST Act. If you recall, after PAST had been put in front of Congress several times with no action, the USDA put together a Rule and put it out for public comment in July 2016, as is required for all new regulations. During most of the rest of that year, the Rule was available for comment, with the comment period extended at least once. Over 130,000 comments were logged on the official government site, with overwhelming

support for the Rule as it was written, and a small dissenting group protesting that the Lickers would be “put out of business” and harmed if they were forced to train horses without using cruelty. (Many others pointed out that no other branch of the horse world finds it necessary to use cruelty to stay in business.)

After wending its way through the lengthy process of readings, comments, etc., the Rule was swept aside in the first days of the Trump administration. As is common, the new administration chose to suspend all new Rules and regulations that had been issued in the 90 days prior to January 20, the day the new president and Congress take office.

A couple more years went by, and a new twist was added: the Humane Society of the United States filed suit against USDA to force it to publish

the Rule. But the suit is larger than that question – it actually questions whether an agency can rescind a rule without notice or comment –that is, whether the new administration can rescind all rules that were issued right before it took the reins of power, and just what exactly is required to say that a Rule has been “Published” and takes effect. It happens that the specific rule that is in question is the rule about soring, but the question applies to the far larger and politically sensitive area of rules in general.

As you can imagine, this question is a huge hot potato in Washington, rocking the boat of how things have been done for decades by both parties. The court initially found in favor of the USDA, then on appeal an upper-level court found in favor of the Humane Society, then the Celebration tried to intervene in the suit and asked for a new hearing of the entire case (both of those requests were denied), and the suit itself has now been sent back down to the original court for a re-do in light of the USDA saying that a new Rule was being planned.

So where are we now?

• USDA claims it does not want to issue the old 2016 version of the rule because it is writing an update. However, note that at least six years have passed and nothing new has been issued for public comment. What are they waiting for?

• A new Congress is elected ev-

ery two years and each one has increased funding to USDA for enforcement of the existing Horse Protection Act (HPA). If the existing law was strictly enforced, it would go a LONG WAY toward tamping down soring. Over $4 million was appropriated this year, more than four times as much as only a few years ago. Congress has also sent increasingly strongly worded direction to USDA telling the agency that it needs to step up HPA enforcement. This is all to the good, if still not enough because pads and chains are still legal under the existing regulations.

• The PAST Act has been passed in the House of Representatives twice – including last year. But because the entire House of Representatives is re-elected every two years, the bill must start over completely if it does not get passed by both House and Senate the same session.

It takes a huge amount of time and education to bring newly elected representatives up to speed on the problem of soring – most of them have never heard of the problem, and there are no sored horses in their states. So, if the bill is going to be passed, it will be late in the twoyear session.

And it will only pass in the House, not in the Senate because Senator Mitch McConnell, Minority (Republican) Leader of the Senate, has vowed never to allow it to come up for a Senate vote. His party is in the minority (barely), but he still wields

considerable influence and has the power to prevent votes on things he does not want passed. Nonetheless, it is worth keeping PAST in the sights of the Congress – quite likely, those same educational efforts to try to get votes for PAST are what has resulted in increased funding to USDA.

What can you do?

• Write to your senators and representative and ask them to support the PAST Act. Watch the Sound Advocate to find out the new bill’s number as soon as it gets introduced.

• Consider writing to Mr. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, asking him why the new Horse Protection Rule has not been issued for public comment. When it is finally issued, make sure you comment on it via the link that will be provided.

• Continue to educate your friends locally and in other states about this problem.

• Continue to ride and show your sound horses, and tell the public about the problem and how your horses are so much more beautiful and happy than the unfortunate Big Lick horses.

Jo Ellen Hayden retired in 2012 from a career spanning 43 years, much of it spent as a civilian engineering program manager with the US Navy and with nearly a decade in clinical practice as a licensed acupuncturist. She owned and competed several horses and is a USDF Bronze Medalist in dressage. In recent years, she has focused on volunteer work with multiple community groups, event planning, historic research and writing, support of veterans and equine welfare, including the fight against soring. She is the author of an extensive web publication on the use of horses and mules in World War I, www.ww1cc.org/horses.

Youth Trail Obstacle & Desensitizing Clinic

With

Ashley Frones & Sally Frones from Carlton, MN

Clinicians:

Open to 20 Youth Participants $25

Welcome: Youth and Adult

Hosted by Salm's Hickory Hill Farm Inc, Larsen, WI

Sponsored by FOSH (Friends of Sound Horses, Inc.) & Salm's Youth Riders

Autditors

$15

Come, First Serve, Reserve Your Spot Now!

To reserve a spot, sign up as an auditor, or for more information contact Shannon Salm at

If particiapant spots are not filled by April 10th, the remaining spots will be opened up to Adult participants

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Kathy Calabro and

One woman’s story about her unexpected journey

I’ve ridden horses since I was 10 years old. When Joe and I got married in 1997, we bought two horses and soon moved to an 11-acre ranch in Brooksville, Florida. Over the years, I’ve shown in hunters, jumpers, eventing, western pleasure and trail, and I was involved in Pony Club with our daughter. Joe was never interested in showing, but he joined the sheriff’s civilian mounted unit and worked on obstacles, formations and crowd control.

In 2016, we sold the farm and moved to Hernando Beach, where we could more easily enjoy our other major pastime, scuba diving and spearfishing. We sold all the horses except for my Paint mare, Jules, the granddaughter of the mare Joe bought in 1992.

When our daughter left for college in 2021, Joe thought back to the trail rides and equestrian vacations we used to take before she was born. He decided it was time to get back into riding, but he wanted the smooth ride of a gaited horse.

He found Rosie, a young Rocky Mountain Horse cross, through an ad on Facebook and drove up to Georgia to try her out. We knew very little about her and very little about gaited horses.

At the time, I was showing my mare in jumpers and dressage, but the day Joe brought Rosie home, Jules was lame. Not long after, Joe was injured and needed rotator cuff surgery so I became Rosie’s trainer.

I read books and watched videos to learn about Rosie’s gaits. Joe found the videos that Ivy Starnes had posted, and we both liked her approach

Kathy and Rosie are all smiles.

and Rosie

journey with a gaited horse.

and the results we saw. When she announced an opening in her Orlando clinic, we immediately signed up.

Ivy cleared up some confusion we had about Rosie’s gaits—sometimes she was trotting, sometimes pacing, and sometimes she would give us a beautiful saddle rack. Once I could tell what she was doing while I was riding her, and knew how to ask for that rack, her gait became much more consistent.

I had ridden her in a couple of local

gaited horse shows, but didn’t really enjoy the experience. I thought to myself, “Why can’t gaited horses do dressage?” So, I searched online for gaited dressage and found the FOSH IJA (Independent Judges Association) dressage tests. At the clinic, I asked Ivy about gaited dressage, since I was experience in “regular” dressage. She very enthusiastically encouraged me to try it as a way to further Rosie’s training.

Once we returned home, I emailed a longtime friend and trainer Judy

The successful team of Kathy, Joe and Rosie.

Fannin, who regularly holds hunter/ jumper/dressage shows at Fannin Hill Farm. She spoke to the dressage judge, who welcomed us, and the next month I rode the IJA 2 Gait Dressage Test A. We earned a score of 66% and got many positive comments from the judge.

Rosie and I continued to show throughout the year at Fannin Hill, adding IJA 2 Gait Test B to our classes, and finally trying IJA Training Level Test 1. We’ve had nothing but positive experiences and feedback. I have found that the hours of training

I put in to prepare for these shows has transformed Rosie. She is no longer the skinny, gangly horse we bought and is developing strength, suppleness and confidence.

Joe is back to riding again, and Jules is sound as well. I plan on continuing Rosie’s training—we have to work on her canter—and look forward to another year of showing her. I am also rejoining Pony Club as an adult and hoping to bring Rosie to a lesson or two this year.

All photos courtesy of Kathy Calabro.

Kathy looks forward to more gaited dressage success with Rosie.

June 7th-10th, 2023

MFTHBA Showgrounds in Ava, MO

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023 – 9:00am – Versatility Arena

Open Showmanship

Youth Showmanship

Open Western Pleasure (No Canter)

Open Western Pleasure (Will Canter)

Youth Western Pleasure (Will Canter)t

Open Western Horsemanship (Will Canter)

Youth Western Horsemanship (Will Canter)

Open English Pleasure (Will Canter)

Youth English Pleasure (Will Canter)

Thursday, June 8th, 2023 – 9:00am – Versatility Arena

Open Trail

Youth Trail

Open Reining

Youth Reining

Open Barrel Race

Youth Barrel Race

Open Pole Bending

Youth Pole Bending

Open Stake Race

Youth Stake Race

Friday, June 9th, 2023 – 9:00am – Versatility Arena

Ranch Sorting Jackpot (cash entry only)

Saturday, June 10th, 2023 – 9:00am – Versatility Arena

Ranch Sorting Jackpot (cash entry only)

High Point Awards for Open Versatility Champion and Youth Versatility Champion Entry Forms and Class Patterns: mfthba.com/springshow/forms-and-downloads/

MFTHBA Registration Papers & Membership required to enter, this includes Ranch Sorting.

Questions: Cheyenne Dunham

(816) 284-3196

Cdunham0976@gmail.com

2023 Paso Fino and Open Gaited Horse Shows

April 22-23, 2023 - Carolina Classic Horse Show at T Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton (Clemson), SC

This is a traditional, yearly Paso Fino show, and we also have Rocky Mountain Horses showing with us this year. Sanctioned by PFHA and RMHA. On Friday April 21, we will have a Trail Horse Clinic and Test with the program sanctioned/approved by PFHA. Our clinician and tester will be Rick Shaffer who helped to develop the program.

We also welcome all trail riders to join us for the weekend to ride on the public trails across the road and to participate in the non-point trail class each day during the show and the progressive barn party on Friday evening and the exhibitors dinner on Saturday evening.

May 20, 2023 - Summer Celebration Open Gaited Horse Show at Lone Hickory Arena in Yadkinville, NC. This will be our seventh annual event, and we have classes for all gaited horses as per the FOSH and PFHA rulebooks. This show is especially suited to amateur riders, beginners, novice or horses who need practice and schooling in a low-key show environment. There are classes for everyone, and attire is casual. This is a sanctioned B show for the Rockies, and so their attire, tack and procedures will follow RMHA show rules.

New for 2023, there will be professional trainers who are members of the Piedmont PFHA who will be on hand for tutorials and coaching for exhibitors upon request at no charge.

June 16-18, 2023 - Asheville Alive Paso Fino Horse Show at WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, NC.

Traditionally one of the largest regional Paso Fino shows, we are restructuring our show this year, and it will be a charity show. Our Piedmont PFHA region is committed to promoting the Paso Fino breed to the public, and we hope to bring back the spectators who were lost in the past few years. We typically have exhibitors from most of the east coast states at this show. Sanctioned by PFHA.

August 19-20, 2023 - Second Annual Southeast Summer Championship Open Gaited Horse Show at Great Smoky Mountain Expo Center in White Pine, TN. This format proved successful and popular with our first show in 2022, having over 90 horses in attendance. In 2023, we have classes for all gaited breeds and specifically for Paso Finos, Rockies, Mountain Horses and probably Racking Horses, plus many OGB classes as per the FOSH rulebook. Sanctioned as 2 A shows for RMHA and sanctioned by PFHA as a point show.

For more information on any of these shows, please contact Milda Minter at pasofinotrainer@gmail.com or 336-225-0214.

Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. Sound Show / Event Support Form

Please print or type information below

Name of Event:

Event Description: ______________ ____________ (show, clinic, expo, etc.)

Breeds Included: ____________________________________________________

Date(s) of Event:

Location of Event: ____________________________________________ (street)

__________________ (city) __________ (postal code) _____(state or province)

___________ (country)

Principal Contact Person: ______________________________(name)

Principal Contact Person Email: __________________________________

Principal Contact Person Phone: ______________________________

Name of Organization to RECEIVE Support Check: (check will be made out to…)

ADDRESS to where support check should be sent: ___ (street)

__________________ (city) ____________ (postal code) (state or province)

___________ (country)

If your event is approved, you should receive your support check within 30 days.

Please EMAIL this completed form to: president@fosh.info (faster) or mail to:

FOSH 6614 Clayton Rd., #105 St. Louis, MO 63117

For FOSH use only… Amount provided: _______________

Whitesell Wisdom

When you ride out, do you feel you are riding your horse forward to the speed you desire, or do you feel you use the reins to control speed? If you use the reins to contain your horse’s speed, you actually don’t have speed control. If you must use equipment to contain speed, then the horse is not mentally following you and allowing you to determine the speed. Then riders feel they have to keep contact on the horse to have control of them physically.

There is nothing wrong with a shank bit on an EDUCATED horse, but if you feel you must have a shank, then you are using mechanical equipment instead of knowledge to control the horse physically.

If you were driving your car down the interstate, do you ride the brake to prevent the car from speeding up, or do you use the gas to send the car to the speed you want and maintain the exact speed? Too many riders control speed by holding the horse’s face instead of using their seat to tell the horse exactly how fast to

By Larry Whitesell Jennifer Bauer

go. Have you taught your horse how to follow your energy so the horse doesn’t feel confined? This confinement is a primary cause of spooking, pacing and anxiety. The more you confine a horse, the more he wants to go when his energy comes up.

Reins shouldn’t mean go. Legs mean go. My seat and my energy tells my horse the speed. If your reins contain the horse all the time, then, as the horse’s energy comes up, it takes more pressure and bigger bits to control him.

Almost all the gaiting and behavior problems I see every weekend are a result of the horse feeling restrained even though riders don’t feel they are doing that. If the horse feels restrained in any way, by reins or by the rider’s seat, the rhythm is compromised, which causes anxiety. These horses cannot find their balance when they lose rhythm.

Retraining these horses is a process. I cannot just loosen the reins and hope the horse finds balance. I also

cannot hold the horse in a posture to get balance because now he feels restrained. There is a process to teaching SELF balance and forwardness.

Many riders tell me that their horse is too forward. They are confusing forwardness with running through the bridle. When they use the reins to control speed, the horse feels trapped and loses respect for the rider’s hands. Respect for your hands means the horse never pushes on the reins while you never hold his face with the reins. I will never lose control of my horse if he knows not to push on the reins. I don’t want to use stronger equipment that will make him afraid to connect to me. I want him to understand how my aids help him balance.

A lot of groundwork today uses the hands to teach the horse to let us control him physically. When the rider gets on the horse to go out on the trail, they get in trouble.

They don’t connect their leg aids or how the reins talk to the horse’s feet to organize balance. The horse only knows how the reins contain. When you do ground work, do your hands direct energy or try to contain energy? Do you direct the horse’s feet or drive the horse? Much of the groundwork has the rider driving the horse forward to the rope and the halter containing the horse. Those are conflicting aids.

If there is any pressure in the rein, then the feet and the mind aren’t going in the same direction. You will have to use stronger bits, legs and reins to make the feet go where you want. You need to train the mind how to follow soft aids so you have access to the feet. If the horse gives you access to the feet through the mind, you will have a relaxed and responsive horse.

Relaxation is no good without responsiveness. Responsiveness is no good without relaxation.

www.gaitedhorsemanship.com

Facebook: Gaited Horsemanship

We have to teach horses to follow the rider because some of our riders aren’t strong enough to hold the horse and they like to go fast.

Apache Silver Moondust

Aka “Earl the Pearl”

By Julie Dillon

“Earl’s” beautiful color (a rare light pearl grey Tobiano) is what our Native Americans call a “Ghost Paint” because in the winter months these horses look white until they shed out in spring when their paint colored markings shine through.

In late October of 2014, I got a call from a stable nearby asking for an evaluation on a troubled Tennessee Walking Horse that was brought in by an elderly woman’s family. “He’s lame and vibrating with fear, and by the way, he looks just like your big white Walking Horse, ‘Music’!” The barn owner sounded bewildered and asked if I would come, talk with the horse and appraise him as his owner had left the state and

needed to sell him right away. She also knew I was a sucker for a grey!

His story was very sad. During the past several years, his elderly owner had been physically abused by her husband. In addition, the step-son had spent hours terrorizing the horse in the barn by raking empty feed bags against the bars of his stall at night. It was also reported that the horse had been traumatized while being kept in an old barn with a wooden foundation. The floor eventually gave way and he fell through to the cellar below.

The owner’s children were outraged at this abuse of both their mother and her beautiful horse. They flew into the nearest airport, rescued their mother from the situation and spirited her back to her home in Tennessee. Before leaving for the airport, they insisted that her beloved horse be sequestered to a place where his safety and recovery could be assured.

The doctors had been very clear advising that their mother at the age of “seventy something” should not be tempted to ride and therefore they advised that the horse should remain behind and rehomed in New England.

The day after I got the call, I went to meet the horse and figure out how I could help. As I approached his stall door he was immediately alert, his beautiful eyes were tented and wide. He turned his gaze to me questioning and alert to my slightest motion.

At first, I just stood quietly next to him. We stood together and after a while he relaxed so we walked together through the barn into the indoor arena. My tack is small and light weight, and he was polite about allowing me to saddle and bridle him. Standing to mount was a detailed conversation, but in the end, he wanted me to know that a belly rub was an adequate bribe.

As nervous as the horse was in his stall and at the mounting block, when Apache felt my weight gently sink into the saddle, he relaxed completely and took a deep breath. That’s when I knew he was going to be okay. It was just a matter of finding his perfect person.

During that first ride, I could feel that he was slightly off on his right hind leg, but his gaits were still true. This is rare in a gaited horse of any breed that he can maintain correct timing and footfall even when unsound. It was a very short ride and he passed with flying colors, but he wasn’t ridden again until he recovered from his lameness.

The chiropractor came with the permission of the owner and within a few sessions and after weeks of quiet rest, his injury eventually healed. But now it was December. And here in New England, winter board is expensive, horse care is demanding and few folks are looking to purchase a horse during the bitter cold season which sometimes can extend well into April.

After many conversations with his owner, I agreed to take him to my barn and care for him until the spring arrived when we could showcase the gelding for a more permanent situation. By March his owner, the beautiful gelding and I all agreed that he was destined to stay with me for life. As you have already guessed, that was when he became and will forever be a “Horse Feathers” horse!

When reading his registration papers, it was clear that this horse was really something special and perhaps “Sterling” was a name to be adopted for him as he began his new life. Later, when processing his transfer, I selected a new name “Apache Silver Moondust” to reflect his legacy breeding from the “Dusty Sally” line. “Dusty Sally” was one of the purebred white Sabino Walking Horse mares that produced Tobiano offspring and therefore infused authentic “gaited color” into the Walking Horse bloodlines. And so he now answers to “Earl”, a shortened version of “Sterling” which actually perfectly fits his kind, sensitive and down to earth nature.

That first spring we attended a Gary Lane Clinic together where Earl proceeded to spin under me in circles around the arena while the other participating horse and rider teams made more impressive progress. Gary advised that maybe I shouldn’t keep the horse to which I replied that he was going to be just fine because I had good feeling about him.

Well maybe the arena isn’t his favorite place, but I discovered that the open trail is Earl’s bliss! He joyfully glides through the forest, over hills and through rivers and creeks. His talent and skill as a brave leader has directed our activities as each summer he becomes more and more happy in his new life.

I could have searched for years and never found one of his caliber. He truly is a gift from the Heavens. It was as if he fell from the skies into my heart. Since that day, he continues to promote the Tennessee Walking Horse by carrying many new and beginner riders on their first gaited “glide ride” experience!

Up until her passing, we sent regular photos and videos of our adventures to his “first mom” to assure her that he was always loved, cared for, safe and happy. She never liked the name Earl but continued to kindly overlook this one, odd little concession of mine. I will always and forever be grateful to “Miss Jackie” for trusting me with this rare and beautiful gift of a horse! I believe she still watches us from above while as we joyfully explore the countryside where ever we may wander.

This story originally appeared on Julie Dillon’s Facebook page.

GE ING TO KNOW... GAITED MULE

From the American Gaited Mule Association.

What is a Gaited Mule?

A gaited mule is any mule that has a smooth gait other than a walk and one which is distinct from a trot. Gaits include single-foot, fox-trot, rack, running walk, stepping pace and paso fino, among others. Whatever the gait may be called, its primary virtue is smoothness. A gaited mule (or horse) can be ridden farther without discomfort from bouncing while trotting, and at a more manageable pace than a canter. A gaited mule is great for trail riding, also.

What is the American Gaited Mule Association?

The American Gaited Mule Association (AGMA) is a group of people who have gotten together to:

• Promote the joy of owning and riding gaited mules

• Sponsor shows or classes within those shows

• Form a registry of gaited mules, jacks, jennets, and mares

• Train and supply judges for gaited mule shows

• Interact with other horse and mule organizations and enthusiasts

• Educate the public on the virtues of gaited mules

American Gaited Mule Association History

In November 1993 Bill Moore, Ricky Davison and Eddy McCrary had the first meeting of the American Gaited Mule Association at Old Charles Restaurant in Lebanon, Tennessee. Soon after, Warren Bagley, Elizabeth Gilmore and Sue King came aboard to help form the AGMA. At this time, the six of us felt as if we should have some input from the Walking Horse Industry and contacted Ronald Young, David Howard and Tommy Grider for guidance. John T. Bobo, of Bobo, Hunt and Bobo Law Firm, came aboard as our attorney.

In the spring of 1994, the board of directors was formed. The first AGMA Board of Directors and Officers were Bill Moore (President), Eddy McCrary (Vice President), Warren Bagley (Treasurer), Elizabeth Gilmore (Secretary) and Directors: Ricky Davison, Ronald Young, Tommy Grider, David Howard and Sue King.

On July 6, 1994, the AGMA was incorporated with the state of Tennessee as a non-profit organization. In the fall of 1994, the AGMA was contracted by Sue King from the North American Saddle Mule Association at her request we formed a rules committee to do a section in the rule book for gaited mules. The Rules

Committee included Eddy McCrary, Ricky Davison, Ronald Young, Warren Bagley and Bill Moore. This started our affiliation of the AGMA with the NASMA.

In 1995, the AGMA asked the Great Celebration Mule Show in Shelbyville, Tennessee to hold their first World Championship Show and in 2006, an AGMA Rule Book was published.

AGMA Membership

Gaited mules, mares, jacks and jennets may be registered. It’s easy to join AGMA; print and complete the membership form, checking the level that fits you best. Membership levels include Founding Charter, Family and Single.

For more information, visit http:// www.americangaitedmule.com/ home.html.

How I Got Started with Tennessee

By Dianne Taplin, Soldotna Alaska Photos courtesy of Dianne Taplin.

Originally published in January/February 2023 Walking Horse News. Reprinted with permission.

For starters, I was born in Tennessee. You might say that I have Walkers in my blood.

My Walking Horses have been Stewball (green but willing), Sunny (gentle yet powerful), Romeo (intuitive, elegant, cautious), and soon Dusty (sweetly does it all, so I am told).

These basic Walking Horse traits, plus adaptability, personality and gaits, inspire my adoration for these amazing creatures. Each individual Walker has its own style. A ride in the backcountry on a strong, solid, trustworthy, brave TWH always took my breath away.

From my early years, my grandfather Hight made sure I had a horse on his farm near Culleoka, Tennessee. The first Walking Horse he gave me I named Stewball (named from a song). Not elegant, but a young teen age, horse crazy girl does not always rise to elegance.

The first time I tried to bridle him it took two hours. I do not know if that was due to his youth, lack of train-

ing or just testing me. In any case, from there on, bridling was easy and quick. I love the trait of willingness.

A family friend loaned me a book on Allen F-1, the foundation Walking Horse. I absorbed every word of Walking Horse history.

During those years, Tennessee Walking Horse people focused on the stallions Midnight Sun, Merry Go Boy and Ebony. I see those names and their descendants in pedigrees of many current horses, including my Sunny (Alaska’s Golden Sun), Romeo (Image’s Tuff Stuff) and soon to be Dusty (Northfork Cotton Trim). I do not know the lineage of Stewball, but he had good sense.

Grandfather Hight also gave me his Richardson Walking Horse saddle (pictured below), which was nearly

Tennessee Walking Horses

100 years old in 1968. Mr. Richardson, after his time in the Civil War that ended in 1865, declared that he was going to design a saddle that was comfortable for long days of riding. He built exactly that at his saddle shop in Culleoka.

I rode in that Richardson saddle for many miles, but the wear on the leather and stirrups proved that those who rode it for 10 decades before me also put many more miles on it.

Being as this saddle was nearly worn out, my grandmother took me to the historical National Bridle Shop in Lewisburg, Tennessee, for a new flat modern saddle. I rode in that saddle until I graduated college and moved myself to Alaska, without saddles.

As you can tell from this image (at right), Walkers adapted to varied tasks! My other grandfather, Clifford Dawson, was also from Culleoka. I assume that Mr. Dawson perched himself on a Walker with his carriage because I do not remember much about any other breed of horse being in that area of Tennessee except Walkers. Do not try this at home!

In 1968, who knew there would be horses in Alaska? Turns out there were horses so the saddles were shipped up to me. My grandparents

had provided me a base of support for my future TWH.

After two months in Alaska, it seemed all roads lead me to the Diamond H Ranch, in Anchorage. Imagine that! I left Tennessee and landed at the only stable in Alaska with a Tennessee Walker, the stallion, Alaska’s Golden Sun (aka Sunny).

The (Diamond) H stands for Howard Taplin, founder, owner and instructor. Growing up in the 1920s on South Dakota prairies, he rode horses as normal transport. At 17, he joined the Horse Mounted U.S. Cavalry, where the military trained him to

ride Cavalry style. This Cavalry man became my riding instructor, and then husband.

After Howard acquired ownership of Sunny, I found a Christmas card with 100 yards (meters) of ribbon, leading to the barn, ending with a big bow draped around Sunny’s neck. He was mine! Sunny took me all over the place, both saddled and bareback.

In the summer of 1969, we toured around the western states. Unsurprisingly, having a Tennessee Walking Horse from Alaska show up at the Fair Grounds in Idaho and Montana created a stir.

At a small show in rural Ninilchik, Alaska, Howard demonstrated Sunny’s gaits to astounded onlookers who knew nothing about gaited horses. For the finale, Howard turned Sunny across the arena, straight toward the crowd seated ground level by the fence. Imagine the gasps as this horse powered toward them, then gracefully stopped inches from the fence.

Sunny’s natural flair and showmanship won the crowd’s respect.

Due to sparce numbers of Walkers in Alaska, I had a dry spell of sorts after Sunny passed. I filled in the gap with Appaloosa mares, Shetland Ponies and Belgians.

In 2018, Romeo, CRTWH, showed up on Facebook in Fairbanks. Romeo’s name suits him perfectly, being as the first night he was here; he broke out of an iron pipe fence and easily stole all the mares away from all the geldings.

Romeo is fabulous on the ground, easy to manage and we communicate non-verbally (mentally) in the most unique way. He is vastly intuitive with a strong desire to please. I encourage his emotional stability; he requires patience

and understanding. On the other hand, his sweet soul teaches me things like “Less is more” and “Haste makes waste”.

Working with Romeo is great, but I want to ride again. Leslie Hunchuk steered me to the amazing palomino Dusty, in Alberta, Canada.

The Tennessee Walking Horse stallion, Alaska’s Golden Sun (aka Sunny)

Dusty apparently does everything, judging by comments of those who know her and by the photos and video they sent. I will become revived with those marvelous Walker gaits as we mosey along the trails. The Cointreau Stables folks, and Dusty’s owner Lori, have been wonderful in helping this long distance transaction materialize.

At right: The Tennessee Walking Horse “Romeo” joined the herd in 2018.

Below: The latest addition to Taplin’s herd is the beautiful “Dusty”.

And that, my fellow TWH enthusiasts, takes my Tennessee Walking Horse journey from Tennessee through Alaska and Canada to today.

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The Vitals: Know Your

By Colleen Scott

A horse’s vital signs offer early clues into his overall health. Get to know your horse’s main vital signs and practice taking them. The earlier a potential issue is identified the better the chances for responding and preventing a larger issue from developing.

Temperature: 99 to 101.5 F

Like humans, horses are individuals and may have a slightly higher or lower resting temperature and it may vary with ambient temperature and exercise. Therefore, knowing your horse’s baseline is essential.

Take and record the horse’s temperature several times a month to establish what is “normal.” Exercise and weather can create fluctuations. Measure while the horse is at rest, after work, and in other common scenarios.

How to measure: Use a rectal thermometer and lubricant. Digital thermometers are available at local drug stores, tack stores, and farm supply stores. The inexpensive thermometer provides easy reading but requires batteries, which can be sensitive to cold weather. Check and change batteries as needed.

option but can be more challenging to read and aren’t readily available for purchase. The benefit is no batteries are required. With either model, you can attach a string to the end and clip it to the horse’s tail to avoid it getting lost.

What it means: A slightly elevated temperature can suggest a horse is fighting a mild infection or having an inflammatory reaction that could be the equivalent of a cold in humans. A mild fever after vaccination can be normal and just shows that the immune system is responding. Mild fevers can just be monitored while watching for any other clinical signs. If the fever persists and the horse stops eating, consult with a veterinarian about treatment with cold hosing or an NSAID.

“Bringing the fever down can help the horse resume eating and drinking but it’s important to remember that fevers have a purpose in terms of fighting infection so we don’t want to just mask them with drugs,” said Sarah Reuss, VMD, DACVIM, Equine Technical Manager, Boehringer Ingelheim.

Fevers that climb to 105 F or greater could suggest several different infections from Equine Herpesvirus to Potomac Horse Fever, influenza, etc.

Mercury thermometers are another

Your Horse’s Numbers

“If your horse has an increased temperature, contact your veterinarian,” said Dr. Reuss. “They can guide you through the next steps based on the horse’s condition.”

Pulse: 28 to 44 beats per minute The average pulse rate can vary based on the age and size of the horse. For example, a fit racehorse may have a resting pulse of 30, whereas a nervous pony may be closer to 40. Foals also have higher pulse rates at birth and through the first few months of life.

How to measure: Along the jawline and at the fetlock are the easiest places to locate a pulse. Place two fingers in either location and feel for pulsing. Count the pulsations for 15 seconds and multiply the result by four.

“If you have a stethoscope, you can listen for the pulse just behind the horse’s left elbow,” said Dr. Reuss. “Listen for a ‘lub-dub’ sound. Count for 15 seconds and then multiply by four.”

What it means: It’s normal for a horse to have an elevated pulse after exercise. However, if the horse has not worked or takes more than a few minutes to return to normal depending on the intensity of exercise, it’s time to call the veterinarian. High

pulse rates can point to pain, dehydration, illness, and distress.

Respiration: 10 – 24 breaths per minute

How to measure: Count the number of breaths for 15 seconds. Watch the horse’s sides as he inhales and exhales. Again, multiply by four. Then, hold one hand or a mirror by the horse’s nostrils to feel for breath out of each nostril.

What it means: Horses in heavy work can take as many as 150 breaths per minute. In addition, heat, humidity, exercise, and fitness level can influence respiration rates. “Get to know how long it takes a horse to recover after exercise to establish a baseline for what is acceptable and to signal a potential issue,” said Dr. Reuss. “Continued rapid breathing can suggest respiratory disease, pain, or discomfort, and it is essential to work with your veterinarian.” Horses with fevers often have an increased respiratory rate as well, so be sure to check all vitals if you notice any one of them being abnormal.

3 additional vitals to know

In addition to T-P-R other physical clues can offer insight into a horse’s health.

Mucous membranes: Healthy tis-

sues are pink and moist. These tissues are visible when the skin meets an opening on the body. The most common are the gums and the conjunctival sac of the eyes.

Capillary refill: This is how quickly blood returns to an area after applying pressure. This is best observed on the horse’s gums. Apply firm pressure to the gum and release. It should return to pink within one to two seconds.

Gut gurgles: Stand beside your horse and listen for intestinal sounds. Gurgling, growling, and rumbling-like noises indicate all is well. If it’s silent, the horse may be colicking or may have just not eaten for awhile.

“Knowing a horse’s vital signs make it possible to catch and diagnose a problem early, which allows for quick intervention,” said Dr. Reuss. “It’s always prudent to contact the horse’s veterinarian if they are off. Sharing the horse’s vital signs can help determine how quick the response must be and the next steps.”

About Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is working on first-in-class innovation for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of diseases in animals. For veterinarians, pet owners, producers, and governments in more than 150 countries, we offer a large and innovative portfolio of products and services to improve the health and

well-being of companion animals and livestock.

As a global leader in the animal health industry and as part of the family-owned Boehringer Ingelheim, we take a long-term perspective. The lives of animals and humans are interconnected in deep and complex ways. We know that when animals are healthy, humans are healthier too. By using the synergies between our Animal Health and Human Pharma businesses and by delivering value through innovation, we enhance the health and well-being of both.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has deep roots in the U.S. From a start in St. Joseph, Missouri, more than 100 years ago, it has grown to encompass seven sites. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health’s portfolio contains widely used and well-respected vaccines, parasite-control products and therapeutics for pets, horses and livestock including NexGard®, Heartgard®, Pyramid® + Presponse®, VAXXITEK®, Ingelvac CircoFLEX® and Prascend®.

Learn more about Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA at bi-animalhealth.com

©2023 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Duluth, GA. All Rights Reserved. USEQU-0129-2022.

Murdoch Minute

No. 07: Finding Good Thigh Contact

Reprinted with permission. www.murdochmethod.com

Do you have trouble getting your horse to go forward? Do you bump or hit the front of your saddle with your pelvis? Do you feel insecure over the fences? The answer may be caused by not having good thigh contact with your horse and saddle.

Next time your ride pay attention to your thighs. Are they close to the saddle? Could someone slide their hand between your thigh and the saddle without gapping or pinching? How much muscular effort are you aware of in your thighs? Do you feel like you have to “hold” your leg in place? Does it feel like your thigh is being “pushed” out by the saddle? Take a moment to assess how your saddle fit fits you.

Your saddle has a tremendous influence on the way your thigh rests. If the flap is too short, the knee rolls are incorrectly placed or the seat is too wide (as in some tree-less saddles) you will have difficulty getting your thigh to lie flat on your horse’s sides. If the saddle is too big, the stirrup bars or fenders are placed too far forward or you are riding with a hollow

By Wendy Murdoch

back you might tend to grip with your thighs in an attempt to feel secure.

Photo 1. Good thigh position. Notice the even contact of the thigh with the saddle, without gapping or pinching. This provides good weight distribution and support for the rider and allows her seat to follow the motion of the horse.

Your saddle needs to accommodate the length of your thigh. For more information on saddle fit I highly recommend “The Pain Free Back and Saddle Fit Book” by Dr. Joyce Harman. While this book is geared towards English saddles, 40% of the information applies to western saddles and riders.

In her book, Dr. Harman discusses the key to correctly fitting the rider. Correct seat size is determined by your thigh length not your buttocks. In addition, the ground seat or twist of the saddle needs to match your pelvic shape to free your hip offering you a comfortable leg position. Whatever the cause, riding with a thigh pinched in or turned out makes riding harder for both you and your horse.

When your leg lies flat along your horse’s sides your weight is distributed over the area of your thighs and pelvis. This increased surface area decreases pressure in any one place. Think of a broad firm hug vs. being poked in the back. You want your weight distributed down through your thighs along the horse’s sides, not just pressing down on his back.

Riding with your knees turned out places most of your weight directly on the horse’s back. This leg position will not distribute weight along the horse’s sides. Standing in the stirrups or posting the trot with your knees turned out puts all your weight in the stirrups, which through the fenders or stirrup bars is concentrated on the horse’s back.

Knee pinching again minimizes the

surface area over which your weight is distributed and takes a lot of muscular effort. Gripping will restrict your ability to follow the horse’s motion and can restrict the horse’s breathing since you are essentially squeezing the horse’s ribcage. Imagine what would be like to have someone constantly giving you strong hug. Knee pinching also creates a point around which you can pivot thus the reason for feeling

Photo 2. Knee turned out. Now the rider’s weight is only on her seat with no thigh support. This will restrict the rider’s ability to follow the horse’s movement and the horse from freely moving forward.

Photo 3. Gripping with the thigh. A too-tight thigh will block the horse’s movement and the rider’s seat while creating a pivot point, making the rider unstable.

very insecure over fences.

When the thigh lies flat on the saddle the femur or thighbone becomes the structural support for the stability minimizing the amount of muscular effort needed to be adhesive and adherent with the saddle and horse.

Use this Murdoch Minute as a ‘body position self-check’. An even contact with the thigh gives you more stability with less muscular effort. Your weight will be distributed over a larger surface area making it more comfortable for your horse. If you find you are having difficulty achieving this position, check your saddle fit.

Congratulations to rider/trainer Nancy Smith and the Lusitano Eragon VO (pictured above) for their successful year in dressage in 2022. Sarah Bushong is the proud owner of Eragon VO, the number one Lusitano for dressage with USDF for 2022. Bushong has been a longtime supporter of FOSH, gaited horses, education and dressage for gaited horses.

Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. Scholarship Request Form

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Note: Checks will be made out to [Institution Name] for the benefit of [Student Name] and will be sent to the attention of the Financial Aid department. If you are chosen to receive a scholarship, you will be notified within 90 days of applying

Please EMAIL this completed form to: president@fosh.info (faster) or mail to:

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Scholarship Guidelines are on the following page (and do not need to be submitted with this form).

FOSH Scholarship Guidelines

1. Students must submit an essay (minimum 500 words) with the application. The essay should describe how they have supported the FOSH vision/ mission statement and how they have personally supported horses emotionally, mentally, and physically. Essays MAY be published in the Sound Advocate and remain the property of The Friends of Sound Horses.

2. Students with a declared major in an Agriculture, Equine, Veterinary (or pre-veterinary) Medicine, or Journalism related field will be granted preference over students with majors in other programs.

3. Student must be between the ages of 16 and 24 to apply.

4. Only one scholarship per student will be awarded.

5. Scholarship requests must be made at least 90 days prior to the start of the academic semester for which the request is being made. This can be prior to any semester in the program.

6. Scholarships are for Baccalaureate programs only.

7. Schools must be accredited by or members of one of the following:

a. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

b. New England Association of Schools and Colleges

c. New York State Board of Regents

d. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

e. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

f. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

g. Western Association of Schools and Colleges

h. Membership in Universities Canada

8. Scholarship money available and the number of scholarships available each year may vary at the discretion of the board.

9. Scholarship awards are payable in U.S. Dollars by check to the school for the benefit of [student name] and not directly to the student / parent / guardian.

10. All decisions of the FOSH Board are final and cannot be appealed.

*Participation may be as a rider, worker, or volunteer and is not a scholarship requirement

FOSH Sound Principles

Principle #1

All FOSH events adhere to the requirements of the Horse Protection Act.

Principle #2

Horses are to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.

Principle #3

Horses must be presented as sound in both body and mind.

Principle #4

The preferred way of going is natural, correct, and without exaggeration.

Principle #5

Shoeing is intended only for the protection of the foot and its structure. Where practical, barefoot horses are both welcomed and encouraged.

Principle #6

Handlers and riders are expected to use training techniques and equipment that conform to the highest humane standards as recognized by the general equestrian community.

Principle #7

Exhibitors have a duty to conduct themselves in an orderly, responsible, and sportsmanlike manner.

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.

Gaited Clubs

FOSH Directory

Southern Comfort Gaited Horse Club

Southern Comfort promotes activities highlighting the smooth ride and versatility of all gaited breeds. Pursuits include trail riding, competitions, shows, exhibitions, clinics and many other equine activities. The club promotes horse safety and friendship for all that are interested in horses. Owning a horse is not a requirement. SCGHC is based in southwestern Idaho and is a flat shod exclusive club with members contributing and supporting various interests using sound, natural horses. www.gaitedhorseclub.com

Chesapeake Plantation Walking Horse Club

The Chesapeake Club is celebrating over 25 years of promoting the versatile, naturally gaited, horse. As a member of the Maryland Horse Council, we have been the voice of the gaited community and through demonstrations, clinics and guest speakers, a resource for other disciplines to learn about the gaited breeds in our region. Members enjoy monthly trail rides, newsletters, parades, clinics, social gatherings, and friendly help. We welcome all breeds, riding styles, and experience levels from beginners to professionals. Cpwhclub. wordpress.com or jacquiecowan@comcast.net

Breeders

Summerwind Marchadors and Future Foal Breeders

Plan for your next lifetime partner! Come breed with us! Offering frozen semen (12 stallions in 2020) or reservations for Future Foals “do Summerwind” The Marchador is Brazil’s national horse, harking from Iberia, but bred there for 200 years. Expect to be impressed! http:// futurefoal.net or call Lynn @ 602-999-3915

Missouri Morgans

Easy gaited in color. Rare gaited Morgans located in the Heart of America near beautiful Lake of the Ozarks; for photos, videos and available horses. Talk to Jim or Vali Suddarth at 417-286-4720 or gaitedmorgans@missourimorgans.com

“Soring” is the use of painful training techniques to create a flashy unnatural gait in horses. Tactics include applying caustic agents (diesel fuel, hand cleaner, etc.) to the front legs and then wrapping the legs overnight. The flesh is sore when the wraps come off, and ankle chains are used to bang on this area during training. Also used are injections of irritants above the hoof, tacks under the band holding a huge weighted (”stacked” or “padded”) shoe in place, trimming the hoof into the quick and/or green nailing.

These training methods all cause the horse to attempt to avoid the pain by picking up his front feet faster and higher, and shifting his weight back onto his hind legs, in a crouching stance. This grotesque gait is called the Big Lick.

WHO IS DOING THIS —ISN'T IT ILLEGAL?

Soring was made illegal in 1970 by the Horse Protection Act (HPA). But the stacked shoes and chains are not illegal. And soring itself still goes on penalties are nearly non -existent and enforcement is so lax that it persists in about 200 trainers impacting 10,000+ horses. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with enforcing the HPA. USDA has a few inspectors but n ot enough to cover every show, so inspectors are usually directly employed by show managers, creating a clear conflict of intere st. Dye and short-acting topical anesthetic creams are used to mask pain and scarring during inspections.

The overwhelming majority of sored horses are Tennessee Walking Horses, but two other breeds are also impacted, the Racking Horse and the Spotted Saddle Horse.

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

After years of education and lobbying by animal welfare groups, the bipartisan Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) legislation was passed in 2019 and again in 2022 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The PAST Act would finally eradicate soring by eliminating the use of large stacked shoes and ankle chains in the show ring, and by eliminating the industry ’s self-policing scheme, replacing it with licensed USDA inspectors. It would also increase penalties for those who break the law.

In the U.S. Senate, over half of Senators were co -sponsors of the PAST Act in each of those years. But the bill was never brought to the Senate floor for a vote.

WHAT IS DELAYING THE SENATE VOTE?

Shoes, stacks, bands and chains on a Big Lick Tennessee Walking Horse. This horse ’s hair has been dyed to try to hide the scars from soring chemicals . These shoes and chains are currently legal, but would be outlawed by the PAST Act.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R -KY), the most senior Republican in the US Senate, has accepted campaign contributions for many years from Big Lick trainers and owners, who complain that their ability to make money will be ruined if they are not allowed to train by soring. McConnell has said that he will never allow the bill to be brought in front of the Senate for a vote.

What should be a bipartisan animal welfare issue has been politicized, and the horses continue to suffer.

HOW WOULD THE PAST ACT PREVENT SORING?

The PAST Act would close loopholes in the Horse Protection Act. Because the U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed the industry to police itself, those who hurt horses face minimal repercussions, get deferred disqualifications if any at all, and are typically allowed to continue carrying out the abuses that got them disqualified in the first place. PAST would replace the self -policing system with third party, independent inspectors who are trained, licensed and assigned by the USDA. The bill would also ban the devices integral to soring (the stacks and chains) and would strengthen penalties for soring. USDA could, if it wished to do so, issue a Rule that would contain the same language as the PAST Act, but has not done so.

WHAT GROUPS ENDORSE THE PAST ACT?

Open lesions and scarring caused by soring - not often seen any more, at least by the time the horse gets to the show grounds. Scars that are evidence of these abuses are cause for disqualification at shows.

Every major veterinary, equine, animal welfare and law enforcement organization in the U.S. has endorsed this bill. (American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Horse Council, ASPCA, American Quarter Horse Association, United States Equestrian Federation, National Sheriffs Association, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and over 100 more). Noted horse men Pat Parelli and Monty Roberts are on record supporting PAST. Several Tennessee Walking Horse groups have endorsed the bill, inclu ding the National Walking Horse Association and multiple state Walking Horse groups. The PAST Act is the right answer.

ARE ALL TENNESSEE WALKING HORSES SUBJECTED TO THIS AWFUL TORTURE?

Absolutely not. There are many owners and trainers that never use soring to enhance the performance of their horses. Known as “flat shod” horses, these animals have natural movement and are enjoyed by tens of thousands of riders across the country. In fact, the vast majority of Walking Horses are flat shod. It is only a small minority of trainers who resort to soring and stacked shoes they sometimes call them “padded” shoes to try to make them sound more like a therapeutic shoe than a torture device. The entire Tennessee Walking Horse community is given a bad name by the actions of a few bad actors.

IS IT REALLY AS BAD AS PEOPLE SAY IT IS? GIVE ME OFFICIAL NUMBERS!

In an official statement reported in the Walking Horse Report published May 21, 2018, USDA said that “the vast majority of Horse Industry Organizations (HIOs) that inspect padded horses did not detect any HPA noncompliance when USDA was not present at a show.” USDA went on to say: “It is highly unlikely that exhibitors only present noncompliant horses for inspection when USDA is present at a horse show….USDA remain(s) very concerned about HIOs , especially those inspecting padded horses, whose rate of noncompliance is zero when USDA is not present …” USDA sent its inspectors to the 2022 Walking Horse Celebration, the largest Walking Horse show in the country. The after-show report showed that over one-third of “padded” horses were scratched before inspection, while only 14% of flat shod horses were scratched. It is a long-standing practice of the Big Lick trainers that, if USDA is on the show grounds, they simply leave their horses on the trailer and don ’t even present them for inspection. At the Celebration, even with such a large number of horses not brought before the inspectors, the USDA inspectors found 57% of the horses they DID inspect to be “noncompliant.” Is soring still going on? YES - SORING IS STILL GOING ON.

About Friends Of Sound Horses (FOSH)

FOSH is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that welcomes owners of all gaited horses. We support the gaited horse in all equine disciplines, including dressage, distance competitions, English and Western pleasure, and many other styles of riding. FOSH offers judges training and licensing and sponsors numerous shows. FOSH is a national leader in promoting, supporting and protecting gaited horses. To that end, FOSH is known for its work to end soring of Tennessee Walking Horses through its activism, outreach, and education programs. Learn more at https:/fosh.info/

OUR FOREVER FRIENDS

FOSH Lifetime Members

Jo Anne Behling, Wauwatosa, WI

Esther L. Bell, TN

Pamela Brand, Carlisle, PA

Sarah Bushong-Weeks, Denver. CO

Julie Church, Pagosa Springs, CO

Mary & William Church, Pagosa Springs, CO

Luella DeBono, Eden Prairie, MN

Beverly Foster, St. Augustine, FL

Nancy Gillespie, Pullman, WA

Cristine Holt, Dubuque, IA

Jane Howlett, Pocatello, ID

Marjorie Lacy & Walking Horse News, Edson, Alberta

Sue De Laurentis, Dripping Springs, TX

Bobbie Jo Lieberman

Dianne Little, Calgary, Alberta

Debbie Locke, Mack, CO

Ann Loveless, Ashtabula, OH

Patricia Mayer, East Aurora, NY

Maggie MacAllister, Staunton, VA

Janelle T. McCoy, Prague, OK

Frank Neal, Nashville, TN

Lori Northrup, Ellicottville, NY

Anne Northrup, Ellicottville, NY

Shellie Pacovsky, Bainville, MT

Denise Parsons

Anita Rau, Catlett, VA

Debbie Rash, Chino, CA

Southern Comfort Gaited Horse Club, ID

Bucky & Nancy Sparks, Cortez, CO

Marcy Wadington, Canon City, CO

Leslie Weiler, Pagosa Springs, CO

Laura Wyant, Chesire, OR

An Anonymous Donor

Yankee Walkers of New England

Please consider adding FOSH to your list of worthy causes in making a taxfree charitable deduction or help us to promote legislation, education, and training that protects and helps gaited horses, simply by renewing your own membership or giving a gift membership to a kindred spirit.

We know you have many choices when it comes to giving. Thank you for considering FOSH.

FOSH Membership Application and Order Form

All annual memberships include a digital, bi-monthly issue of the Sound Advocate & educational packets. Mail to: FOSH 6614 Clayton Rd. #105, St. Louis, MO 63117

Type of Membership (check one)

Annual: Single ___$30 Annual Family ___$50 Annual Youth <18 ___$20 Lifetime__$600

Organization Membership (for your gaited horse club or association) ___ $50

Please print neatly.

Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________State: ____________ Zip: ______________

Phone: _______________________________________________________________________

E-mail: ______________________________________________________________________

Breed (s)_____________________________________________________________________

Additional donations ___ $20 ___ $30 ___ $40 ___ $50 ___ Other $__________

Total Enclosed: $____________________

How did you hear about FOSH? ___________________________________________________