The Sound Advocate Issue 2, 2023

The Advocate

Sound

A Champion for All Gaited Horses

Volume 6, Issue 2, 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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On the cover: Cheyanne Goode riding the Tennessee Walking Horse, Walkien Victory. In front of her is Jim Goode on the Appaloosa, OK Gypsy Girl and way out ahead is Ashlynn Goode and Mr Sam Browne. They are riding in Cadomin, Alberta on the Old Tower Trail. Photo credit: Donna Goode.

From the President...

nessee Walking Horses and more. We hope you swing by if you’re in the area which, by the way, is not very far from Pigeon Forge and Dollywood.

I’m excited that we have an article detailing current happenings and clinics with Carl Bledsoe. Carl graciously agreed to ride my mare in a Working Equitation clinic several years ago, which was when I was able to really get to know him and his kind methods of working with riders and horses. I hope you enjoy the article and get a chance to attend one of his clinics. You won’t be disappointed to work with Carl and meet his lovely wife, Tammy.

Hello FOSH Friends!

As you can see from the photo, yours truly has added to the family equine collection. Mother’s Day was a wonderful time for all the family to meet Little Foot! Little Foot is 18 years old and adores Eli, our rescue donkey. Eli barely tolerates Little Foot. However, we’re still at the early introduction stage so I’m hoping we make some progress.

I’m happy to report that there will be a FOSH supported horse show in Eastern Tennessee in early August, and there will be several Board members in attendance. The Southeast Summer Championship Open Gaited Horse Show will be August 19 and 20 at the Great Smoky Mountain Expo Center in White Pine, Tennessee. There will be classes for Rocky Mountain Horses, Paso Finos, Ten-

With summer the prime riding season for many of you, I hope your weather is cooperating. There are some worrisome drought areas across the United States which impacts the availability of hay and hay prices, your pasture, those dusty trails, and well and aquifer levels. Fingers crossed that it is not long lasting.

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

Happy Trails, Teresa

Teresa Bippen FOSH President Tbippen1957@yahoo.com

From the Editor...

please like our page on Facebook. They have made it extremely difficult to grow our presence organically. We could certainly use your help in liking and sharing some of our posts. That’s how we can grow.

Ella also has her first profile in this issue. She interviewed Julie Lamberton who had great success in 2022 in both Working Equitation and Gaited Dressage. You can get to know her on page 24.

Another first-time author for us is Kym Rouse Holzwart. She wrote a profile on Carl Bledsoe who started his career in the Bick Lick Tenneessee Walker industry. Realizing how bad that was for the horses, he left that industry and has rebuilt his business with a focus on flat-shod gaited (and any breed really) horses. He has become a wonderful advocate for which everything FOSH stands.

Hello FOSH Friends.

I’m excited to announce that we have an official summer intern! A lovely young lady named Ella Barnett, who hails from Wisconsin, just finished her sophomore year at Centenary University in New Jersey.

While she doesn’t have a lot of experience with gaited horses, she was excited to learn more. For the next few months, she is helping with our Facebook page and The Sound Advocate.

By the way, if you haven’t done so,

Not to be overlooked, the PAST act has once again been introduced to the House of Representatives. Read our “Advocacy Update” to find out how it’s going and how you can help make a difference.

Happy Riding! Stephanie

Stephanie J. Ruff Editor editor@fosh.info

By Jo Ellen Hayden

Here is an update on Federal rules, regulations, and legislation to end soring, current as of June 2023. In February 2023, we were waiting for results in two areas:

- USDA Rule: Would a lawsuit force USDA to issue the 2016 version of their anti-soring rule and put an end to sorin?. If you recall, the 2016 USDA rule had been through an exhaustive public comment period taking up much of 2015-2016 and had passed all the checks and balances required for new federal rules. It was swept aside in the first days of the Trump administration when, as is common, the new administration chose to suspend all new rules and regulations that had been issued in the 90 days prior to the inauguration.

- PAST Act: We were also waiting to see if the PAST Act would be

re-introduced into the US Congress.

Here are the details:

USDA Rule – The hot potato lawsuit that would have forced USDA to issue the anti-soring rule in its 2016 version was effectively killed a few weeks ago when USDA petitioned the court for permission simply to withdraw that rule completely, and the court granted that permission.

How can this happen, you ask? Well, in the first place, the court never wanted to issue an opinion on whether new administrations could legally pull back rules and regulations issued during the last days of the prior administration. This is a HUGE deal in Washington, and nobody wants to go anywhere near it. This has nothing to do with soring. It just happens that the anti-soring rule was the one that was in front of the court. It could have been a rule

What’s Next for the PAST Act?

about anything. But, unfortunately for the horses, it was the anti-soring rule. The USDA has solved the problem neatly and gotten the court off the hook by saying that they have been intending to issue an updated version of the rule anyhow, and so the 2016 version (and therefore the lawsuit) is off the table.

So where is the new version of the USDA rule? It was submitted last September by USDA to the President’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - the first step of the tortuous process of internal and public review for any new rule or regulation. OMB generally gets their part of the process finished in three months, so it is unclear why they have not yet finished their review nine months later and counting. Have they perhaps asked USDA for some clarifications and gotten nothing back? Have they been asked to put this review on the back burner? No one outside of OMB and USDA, and perhaps some of the more powerful offices in congress, has any information. There is no way to even get the text of the proposed rule because it is still not released to the public. But it is clear that USDA has absolutely no intention of making horse protection a priority. They have effectively dragged their feet for seven years now, since 2016, and well before that depending on how far back you want to count.

gov/bill/118th-congress/housebill/3090/all-info was reintroduced in the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan set of 206 co-sponsors. They even have a lead sponsor from Tennessee. This bill passed in the House in the last two Congresses by a wide bipartisan margin, and if it attains close to 300 co-sponsors, it is likely to go up for a vote and be passed again. It would strengthen the Horse Protection Act of 1970, ban the use of pads and chains, eliminate the failed current system of industry self-policing and increase penalties for violators.

The PAST Act has not yet been reintroduced in the Senate. This will happen when enough co-sponsors have signed on to make an effective showing.

PAST Act – on May 5, 2023 the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 3090, https://www.congress.

While it may pass in the House of Representatives again, it has no more chance of passage in the US Senate than it ever had in earlier years because Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will not let it be brought up for a vote. 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 for enforcement over the last few years. 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 mid-to-late in the two-year session. But we are better off than in the last congress, when the bill was not introduced until the second year of the session.

As in prior years, the legislators from Tennessee and Kentucky have quietly introduced a “rival” bill https://www. congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/ house-bill/2648/all-info to counter the PAST Act. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, (R-TN) introduced the rival bill, which has only ever gotten a handful of sponsors, all from KY and TN. Nonetheless, it is a distraction to the many members of congress who know nothing about the issue, and it allows the KY and TN delegations to say that they are doing something about soring, just not exactly what PAST does. The DesJarlis bill has no chance of passage, which is a good thing since it would replace the current failed Health Information Organization (HIO) system with an even more biased governing body, which they also call “the HIO.” This new HIO would have appointees only from KY, TN, and the Walking Horse Industry and would be the sole source of inspectors to all horse shows, sales, and auctions.

What can you do?

o Write to your representative and ask them to co-sponsor the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 3090 (or thank them for already being a co-sponsor). You can check the official US congress website at https://www.congress.gov/ bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3090/

all-info for an up-to-date list of all co-sponsors thus far.

o Consider writing to Mr. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, asking him why any new Anti-Soring Horse Protection rule has not been issued for public comment. You can use the email link on the USDA website, https://ask.usda.gov/s/contactsupport to contact him. USDA will probably respond that the rule is at OMB, and they are waiting for that office to release it. But it is good to raise awareness at USDA that people are watching this.

o Continue to educate your friends in other states about this problem.

o 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.

Southern Comfort Gaited Horse Club - Control of Body Parts Clinic

By Heidi Young

Each year, the Southern Comfort Gaited Horse Club (www.gaitedhorseclub.com) hosts a variety of clinics and events for the good of the club members and horse community in the Boise, Idaho area.

We recently had Leo Van Sistine spend the day helping us. Leo is a natural horsemanship trainer in our area who has skills in cowboy dressage, working equitation and, most importantly, helping each horse understand his rider’s cues.

The morning session was for individuals newer to the lesson of controlling the horse’s body parts. Starting with groundwork, each team worked on how a lead line becomes the rein and how the hand or stick providing pressure becomes the leg, heel or spur.

Once each team understood how to ask progressively for a body part to move, they mounted and repeated the lessons. Leo stressed softness, feel, bend and balance so plenty of time was spent on the importance of being clear in our cues so we could get a shoulder to move versus a hip to move. We kept applying the idea of GUIDING the horses through a movement so they could stay in bal-

ance and be confident in their rider. The afternoon session was with another group of riders who had more experience. They also began with groundwork and, once saddled, started applying the specific skills under saddle.

The culmination of the day was riding up to a gate and opening it with the least amount of steps.

1. Approach at a 90 degree angle to the gate and to the outside of the actual latch.

2. Press the hip over to be parallel with the gate. The hand should be at the latch.

3. Open the gate, back up if necessary, and walk through at a 45-degree angle.

4. Rotate the horse’s hip away and

Leo Van Sistine, along with his wife Dana, operate 4C’s Horsemanship out of Ontario, Oregon.

move the shoulder over to the gate.

5. Close the gate.

This was a wonderful clinic. Thank you to FOSH for helping to support it.

Two groups participated in the clinic. They both started with groundwork (top photo). The first group (middle photo) had less experience, and the second group (bottom photo).

The Awesome CArl Bledsoe!

By Kym Rouse Holzwart

If you have not yet attended one of Carl (and Tammy) Bledsoe’s Gaited Horse/Natural Horsemanship Clinics, you are really missing out on something special. We hosted two of their clinics, in December 2022 and March 2023, at our Spotted Dance Ranch in Brooksville, Florida. The clinics were so amazing and well attended that we will be hosting a third clinic December 8-10, 2023.

Introduction to Gaited Horses

On a personal note, I switched from trotting horses to smooth, gliding Spotted Saddle Horses over 30 years ago. I bred my Appaloosa to the only Spotted Saddle Horse stallion that I could find in Florida in the early 1990s and have never looked back.

The spectacular Spotted Saddle Horse mare resulting from that cross was raised in Tennessee. Because all the gaited horse trainers in the area that I consulted used what I thought were cruel and horrible methods, she received a couple of months of training from an Arabian Horse trainer, and I finished her the best I could with my skills.

As my mares aged over time and were often not ridable due to various reasons, it was time for a new horse. After searching for about a year for

Photo left: Kym Rouse Hozwart has participated in the two clinics held so far at Spotted Dance Ranch in Brooksville with her young Spotted Saddle Horse mares. Both 4-year-old Spirit of Gravedigger and Kym came away from the March 2023 clinic with many new skills in their tool boxes. Photo credit Tracy Hipke Zettelmeier.

Photo left: Carl Bledsoe, with help from Tammy and his Tennessee Walking Horse gelding, Jazzy, is that rare person that is both an amazing natural horsemanship trainer and teacher. Photo credit Nichole Ward.

something special, I purchased a fancy, well-bred, untrained 2-yearold Spotted Saddle Horse mare from a breeder in North Georgia in 2010. Since then, I’ve been on a long journey to improve my gaited horse riding skills and the gait of my Spotted Saddle Horses (of course, now I have many).

Over the years, I grew frustrated when presented with “old school” gimmicks and harsh methods to train gaited horses. They are cruel and wrong in my opinion. I knew there had to be a better way, and my continued quest for knowledge and more humane and kinder techniques led me to natural horsemanship methods. There are a number of excellent natural horsemanship trainers out there, but not many specialize in gaited horses; even fewer are good teachers.

“grapevine.” When I found out at an endurance ride that they were holding their first clinic in Florida in March 2022 in Williston, I immediately cleared my schedule to attend. Unfortunately, I found out too late to participate with one of my horses, but I was able to audit the first day. After watching their morning session, I introduced myself and immediately invited them to our ranch for a clinic.

I was amazed at what great teachers

Carl and Tammy are and how all of the participants and their horses immediately improved after being provided with some guidance and easily understandable advice. I was equally amazed at the kind and humane methods used and how he took the time to help each horse/person team. Carl, with help and support from Tammy and Jazzy, his Tennessee Walking Horse gelding, is that rare person that is both an amazing natural horsemanship trainer and teacher. It has been a long and hard journey to get to where he is today. Carl’s past contributes greatly to his teaching and training philosophy and to the horseman he is now.

Carl Beldsoe’s Early Training

Meet the Bledsoes

I had heard about the Bledsoes through the local gaited horse

Carl Bledsoe was born into the world of “Big Lick” show horses. He is a third-generation horseman and second-generation trainer of Champion and World Champion Tennessee Walking Horses. As many of you know, the Big Lick is a forced, unnatural, high-stepping gait of Tennessee Walking Horses and other related gaited horse breeds. Since the

1950s, judges have rewarded owners and trainers of show horses performing this unnatural gait, caused by the cruel and inhumane practices associated with “soring.”

Unfortunately, even though these cruel abuses are illegal under the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970, they are still practiced, and Big Lick horses can still be seen in some show rings today. Hopefully, one day soon, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act will be passed by Congress with help from FOSH and others, and soring and the horrible Big Lick gait will be a thing of the past.

Carl became very successful and wealthy training and showing Big Lick Tennessee Walking Horses. He had a barn full of horses to train and show and many happy clients. However, he decided to choose the horse and walked away from the only world he knew almost 11 years ago. He realized that what he was doing was wrong and that he was part of the problem.

Carl quickly went from making thousands per month to almost nothing. Leaving the world of Big Lick show horses came at great personal cost. He became estranged from family, lost many friends, and even received death threats. Since then, Carl has become a fierce advocate to end the practice of soring and the Big Lick gait and has been doing everything possible to right the wrong. He now puts the horse first instead of focusing on money and blue ribbons.

With more than 40 years of experience, Carl understands horses. While he specializes in gaited horses, he and Tammy work with all breeds and disciplines. In fact, his methods are based in classical horse training and are applicable to all horses.

Their mission in life is to educate and speak out against the mistreatment and misconceptions of Tennessee Walking Horses and other gaited horse breeds, one person and one horse at a time. Carl has spent years re-educating himself in bio-mechanics of the horse, proper self-carriage and classical training. He is constantly learning from others to improve his training approach and clinic curriculum, and Carl enthusiastically passes on that knowledge.

Bledsoe Training Philosophy

Photo above: It has been a long and hard journey to get to where Carl is today: a successful gaited horse trainer using classical and natural horsemanship methods. Photo credit Kym Rouse Holzwart.

is not able to achieve the correct gait without being physically and mentally balanced and having a balanced rider to help facilitate self-carriage.

Carl believes in understanding and education founded on empathy and compassion for the horse and developing a strong relationship between horse and rider. He has become a student of the horse instead of being a bully. Rather than forcing the horse to change a behavior through subjugation, which is unfair and ineffective, he prefers to take the time to address the cause.

Carl focuses on the horse achieving a level of understanding through clear communication and lots of consistency instead of a horse being fearful in our presence. He will instruct you to step back and take a look at yourself first if you don’t like what your horse is doing, and always ask what’s in it for the horse.

he begins mounted work with an independent seat, not relying on the reins for balance. The rider’s legs are the corridor that guides the horse from the hindquarters over the back until the rider is balanced and strengthened enough to make contact with the bit.

Horses need clarity to be balanced both physically and mentally, as well as a balanced rider to help facilitate self-carriage in order to achieve the correct gait. Carl’s philosophy takes patience, time, proper feel and the correct timing, but your horse will

He begins training/retraining a horse with lots of ground work to yield and respond to communication. Once correct and clear communication has been established from the ground,

correct

enabling

to

thank you for it in the end.

Clinic Schedule

Carl and Tammy have been conducting clinics and participating in expos, conferences, fairs and other horse-related events nationwide

Photo left: A horse

Photo credit Tammy Bledsoe.

Photo above: Groundwork is typically an important part of any clinic, and exercises build upon each other over the course of the clinic to work on skills enabling the horse to achieve the

gait and facilitate self-carriage and

the rider

be balanced. Photo credit Tracy Hipke Zettelmeier.

for the past ten years. When they are not on the road, they give lessons, hold clinics and rehab and train horses at their farm in Talking Rock, Georgia.

Carl and Tammy have had a busy 2023. Carl was the featured gaited clinician at the Horse World Expo in Pennsylvania in early March and at Equine Affaire in Ohio in April. He was recently selected to be the gaited clinician at the 25th anniversary of Equine Affaire, Inc. in Massachusetts in November. So far this year, they have traveled to Florida, Virginia, Ohio, and Iowa to hold clinics, and more are scheduled to be held in Upstate New York and Maryland in June, in North Carolina in October and in Florida in December.

Get in Touch

For clinic or expo information, contact Tammy at tlbledsoe2801@gmail. com or 770-403-4635. Follow them on their JUST GAIT Facebook page and check their website (https:// carlbledsoehorsemanship.com/) for scheduled events and additional information.

Photo above: Since the two clinics held at Spotted Dance Ranch in Brooksville, Florida, owned by John and Kym Rouse Holzwart (middle), have been so well received, Carl (far right) and Tammy Bledsoe (far left) will be returning to the ranch for a third clinic in December. Photo credit Kym Rouse Holzwart.

Photo above: Clinics often begin each morning with “classroom” instruction and demonstrations. Photo credit Kym Rouse Holzwart.

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: _______________

From Dianne Little, VP of IJA Program: Before an IJA Test is published, it is edited curs that is noticed after publication. Such is the case with IJA 2 Gait Dressage Test competitor, scribe or judge noticing an error in tabulation. It took Kathy Calabro from When I thanked Kathy, her response was “Well, I am a math teacher, but I never for catching and sharing. The corrected test is printed below. The IJA Manual for Gaited

Independent Judges Association

2022

IJA 2 Gait Dressage Test “A”

GUIDELINES:

1. The test is intended for horses and riders new to the sport of dressage.

2. Transitions to the intermediate gait to and from the halt and working walk may be preceded by a few steps of the walk.

3. Light and steady contact is required. Emphasis is placed on the quality and correctness of movements with less emphasis on exact execution of movements at the letters.

Note: the letter G, X and D are not marked in the actual arena, but are shown here to provide a visual reminder of their placement.

The IJA 2 Gait Dressage Tests are designed to measure the very basic preparation for progression in the discipline of dressage. The movements are intended to demonstrate correct performance of groups of elementary skills.

The collective marks do not address the quality or correctness of the intermediate saddle gait which may be executed differently from horse to horse. Marks for quality of gait include the walk as these gaits are common to all horses and therefore quantifiable.

ARENA: SMALL (20M X 40M)

TIME AVERAGE: 3:30

MAXIMUM POSSIBLE POINTS: 200

Name of Competition

Date of Competition

Name and Number of Horse

Name of Rider

Final Score Points Percent

Name of Judge

Signature of Judge

Gaited Dressage Test “A”

IJA 2 Gait DRESSAGE TEST “A” 2022

Exhibitor No: ___________

The purpose of the 2 Gait Introductory Level tests is to introduce the horse and rider to the basic principles of Dressage and to demonstrate that the horse moves freely forward with steady rhythm and willingness. The horse must willingly accept the bit.

SMALL (20M X 40M) Time Average: 3.30 MINS

1. A Between D & X

Enter Working Walk Halt & Salute Proceed at Working Walk

2. C Track left

3. Between H & E Develop Intermediate Gait

4. E Circle Left 20 M Diameter Straight Ahead

Depth & Roundness of Turn

POINTS: 200

Subtotal: _______________

Errors: ( __________)

Total Points: ____________

edited and proofed by many eyes. No matter how vigilant sometimes an oversight ocTest “A”. This test has been ridden and judged by over 400 riders without anyone, from Florida to notice the error that the maximum possible points was incorrect. would have noticed it if the total score had not been over 80%.” Thank you Kathy Gaited Dressage can be found on the FOSH website www.fosh.info.

Horizon Structures Presents Series: Keeping

Hatching a plan to deter the dastardly pesky biting bugs and flying insects from wreaking havoc at the horse farm is a good idea to ease the distress insect life can cause to horse and human.

Aside from mosquito-borne disease concerns such as Zika, Eastern and Western Encephalitis and the West Nile virus, the daily torrent of everything from tiny biting midges to giant pale horse flies that invade the horse farm can make life miserable for man and beast.

Here are a few ideas to help assuage the problem:

The Manure and Moisture Magnet

The dining delights for many insects include a handy supply of manure and moisture that the horse readily provides. While mucking stalls a few times a day may suffice in cooler winter months, in the summer it’s a good idea to pick up the pace and remove manure from both stalls and pastures as frequently as possible.

Of course, removing the manure from one spot to place it nearby in another makes no sense at all. Muck buckets should be kept outside, emptied, and rinsed clean and stored upside down when not in use. Any

equipment or tools used for the task of manure removal should be parked and stored away from the horse population. Manure management in a closed container may be an option if a disposal service is utilized, or a manure compost pile may be the destination for the manure supply. All manure storage should be kept a significant distance from the horse’s living and exercise quarters.

Standing Water Worries

Ridged upturned buckets, empty water troughs, poor drainage around the farm and puddles of standing water in the driveway all provide the perfect breeding and feeding ground for insect life when rainfall descends on the farm.

Explore your horse property for areas of issue and make repairs as necessary to keep gateways and driveway surfaces level, preferably with a gravel or compacted stone

Keeping Bugs At Bay At Your Horse Farm

By Nikki Alvin-Smith

dust versus dirt cover as this will help deter both flies as well as reduce weed cover.

Review your storage practices for all unused equipment to remove them from areas where rainfall can provide a temporary resource for food and water for bug life.

Treat Your Horse

Equine feed through solutions to fly control are often touted in both the holistic marketplace and pharmaceutical industry. Some work, but frankly some don’t and some you may not be comfortable using for various reasons. Perhaps due to their expense or concerns regarding their level of safety for use both for the horse’s health and risks that may be present in the horse’s manure to family pets.

Application of fly sprays to your horse’s coat, topical preparations to deter ticks and other bugs, and use of certain equine shampoos and coat protectors such as those containing citronella, eucalyptus, aloe vera, mint etc. may minimize the attraction of your horse to the biting insect population.

Standing wraps or leg protection, fly sheets, fly masks and other horse clothing can also help keep your

horse comfortable in addition to provision of an impressive level of protection from sun damage and health issues caused by ultra-violet light.

Cool and Dark

As well as providing a clean manure free environment for the horse also consider the benefits of offering a cool and dark area for shelter in summer swelter. Insects generally prefer the sunlight and become more active in the heat than in cooler, darker environs.

Barns can be well protected from flying insects with installation of window and entry door screens. The use of mechanical ventilation means such as commercial grade stall fans can be used to keep the airflow moving and will cool the horse off with evaporation of moisture from the skin and help deter flying insects.

The common practice of stabling horses during daylight hours and the establishment of turn out routines at night where equines enjoy pasture time or free exercise after dusk and then bringing the horses back in again before dawn will minimize the horses’ exposure to flying insect life.

Barns designed with exterior Dutch door and overhang options offer the

horse the ultimate luxury of freedom to choose its preferred location.

If horses are to be kept outside 24/7, the use of a multi-sided run-in shelter can be a boon as it can easily be divided on each side to house different herds separately. Another popular option is to site it centrally in a pasture where access can be decided by the horses on their preferred side based on direction of the wind/breeze and sun, and the time of day.

Multiple run-in sheds in one pasture placed in different locations will offer sanctuary for horses throughout the day with the additional benefit that their distant placement negates the opportunity for bullying of equine herd members by those horses higher in the pecking order to block more vulnerable horses from obtaining shelter.

Is Spray The Way?

Aerial spraying of pastures and exterior spaces with chemical deterrents to insect life may be available in some areas where mosquito-borne diseases are of great concern.

Interior barn spray systems are also available that automatically discharge their insect repellants at regular intervals that can be preset for optimal timeframes. These may include allowance to avoid horse feed times to mitigate feed contamination with repellant products or limit exposure to human patrons of the space during periods of heavy use.

Water resources within the barn should be protected from sprays if possible either by use of automatic waters with covers or regular refills of water buckets throughout the day and careful placement of spray system nozzles away from such areas.

Whatever products you choose to utilize ensure that it is safe for ingestion by horses and for use in and around horses, humans, and family pets.

Natural biological control of flies may also be achieved by using fly predators that will lay their eggs inside fly pupae to help prevent the

flies from emerging.

Other natural predators include chickens, pea hens and other browsing poultry that love to snack on flies and their methionine rich larvae, a dietary essential nutrient for poultry. A flock of poultry can help defray populations of spiders, ticks and grasshoppers and many other insects when given the right to roam the property.

Long Grass Legacy

Unfortunately, insect populations will explode where areas of long grass are left standing. While desirable for horse pastures from the nutritional balance point of view, long grass, weed cover and certain plantings in garden areas will attract insects including those of the biting and stinging varieties.

Mowing and pasture management are both important parts of horse farm maintenance, and locations for long grass areas such as hayfields should be planned away from turnout paddocks and horse barns wherever possible.

Look Up!

Spring is the perfect time to peruse the loftier heights of the buildings on the horse farm and remove any old wasp or hornet nests before residents return.

Bird and bat populations can help control flying stinging/biting and annoying insect life but the risk from diseases they can carry often out-

weigh the benefits of their presence in the horse environment.

Commercial products such as sticky papers coated with fly attractants hung from the barn rafters, bug zapping devices installed on trees, or placement of insect attractant containers in the yard may help diminish existing bug populations. Though the other train of thought on this topic is that they attract more insects than they deter.

A Multi-Pronged Approach Works Best

As with most things in life a multipronged approach works best when it comes to bug control.

Good barn design including ‘beat the heat’ strategies, great farm layouts and site management and top-notch horse care all combine to make your horse’s world (and yours), a better, healthier place.

GE ING TO KNOW... WAL LOOSA

From the Walkaloosa Horse Association, https://walkaloosaregistry.com/

Although the Walkaloosa Registry is fairly new, the Walkaloosa horse has been around for centuries.

Appaloosa breeders claim to have the oldest recognizable breed known to man, a claim which is backed by drawings of spotted horses in the pre-historic ice caves of France. Paso Fino breeders consider theirs to be the oldest breed in the Western Hemisphere; the ancestors of the

Paso Fino came to the New World with Columbus on his second voyage from Spain. The Paso Fino horses were the preferred mounts of the Conquistadors; Paso Fino literally translated is “smooth gait,” and some of those horses also carried the spotted coat patterns of what is known as the Appaloosa today.

As horses made their way north, the Nez Perce Indians eventually claimed them and wisely preserved their color and smooth gait through selective breeding. They were very proud of

their spotted horses and well pleased with how these versatile horses could move their households quickly without undue jarring of belongings or riders.

These horses eventually became the horse of the rancher, who appreciated the unique gait, calling it the Indian Shuffle. Cowboys were said to be willing to pay up to $50.00 more for a “Shuffler” because the easy gait saved wear and tear on the cowboy and his gear, as it had for the Spaniards and the Indians before him.

With the large percentage of Quarter Horse, Arabian, and Thoroughbred in today’s Appaloosas, many breeders today have never even heard of a “Shuffler.” The Walkaloosa Horse Association was founded in 1983 to preserve the history and pedigrees of these fantastic pleasure, work and performance horses.

The disposition of the Walkaloosa is typically gentle, kind and willing. They are suitable for amateurs. They are outstanding pleasure and trail mounts. They are typically used for field trials, pleasure riding, range work, cattle work and the show ring.

To be eligible for Walkaloosa Registration, a horse must meet the following criteria:

1. It must be the progeny of a registered Walkaloosa stallion and a registered Walkaloosa mare, OR, be a horse of verifiable Appaloosa and gaited horse blood.

2. Be a horse showing Appaloosa coloring. Patterns include, but are not limited to, Leopard, Blanketed, Roan and Snowflake.

3. Demonstrate the ability to perform an intermediate gait other than the trot (such as rack, foxtrot, running walk, singlefoot, pace, etc.). The gait must be certified by a veterinarian or professional trainer on the application form, or a video of the horse gaiting can be sent for evaluation.

Horses that do not show Appaloosa color characteristics in pictures taken from at least ten (10) feet or that do not gait are eligible for “ID” registration (identification breeding purposes) papers only.

Julie Lamberton, from Waymart, Pennsylvania, had a great competition year in 2022. success. Her longtime partner is Seabreeze Savajé Vaquero, aka Cowboy, an 18-yearold Paso Fino gelding. She took some time to talk with us about her horse and her riding accomplishments.

Sound Advocate: Could you tell us about your riding background?

Julie Lamberton: I started taking lessons at nine years old. My parents made me pay for them, so after a couple years I ended up having to stop. In college, I studied Equine Pre-Vet at Otterbein University. While there, I was on the Western riding team, and I also started taking dressage lessons. While in college, I worked at a horse rescue place and ended up adopting a thoroughbred. I started getting into low level dressage with this horse.

SA: How did you get involved with gaited horses?

JL: I got into gaited horses a few years

after college. I found this barn, RONO Ranch, where I still currently work, ride and train horses. They are primarily a Paso Fino facility, but all breeds are welcome, and we teach an all-round style of riding. It was here that I fell in love with the Paso Fino breed.

SA: What were your accomplishments in 2022?

JL: Last year I was the Eastern Zone Champion for Working Equitation at

Julie Lamberton

Riding High

Level 2 in the Open Division. I have also been a member of the North American Western Dressage (NAWD) for the past seven years. This last year (2022) Cowboy and I saw real success at their shows for Western dressage. (They were TRAX Gaited Champion and TRAX Open Versatility Reserve Champion.)

SA: Of all the equestrian disciplines available to you, what made you choose to participate in Western

dressage and Working Equitation? Was there something special about them that appealed to you?

JL: I started doing Western dressage because of how welcoming the discipline is. There is a section of the rulebook that says gaited horses can participate. Working Equitation is also a passion of mine because its foundation is in dressage. There is so much involved in Working Equitation that they don’t care how your horse’s feet move as long as you get the job done. The Working Equitation community is also super welcoming. It’s just a fun discipline to be a part of.

SA: Do you employ a professional instructor, or do you do most of the work yourself?

JL: I have done almost all the work with Cowboy myself. I started him from a green broke horse. I do take lessons with a dressage instructor that comes to our barn and works with Cowboy and his gait.

SA: Are people surprised to discover that you are riding a gaited horse in Western dressage or Working Equitation? If they are, why do you think they are surprised?

JL: People are surprised

that I ride a gaited horse in Western dressage. I have gone to many shows where judges were taken aback and didn’t know how to judge my horse because they lack the necessary training. On the local level however, dressage shows have been very welcoming to us.

SA: What misconceptions about gaited horses would you like to dispel?

JL: I would like to dispel that gaited horses cannot do dressage. While classic dressage is based on a horse’s big, bouncy, swingy gait, there is so much more to it that gaited horses should be judged on.

SA: What is your focus point in your training?

JL: I believe that the training scale is the same between both gaited and non-gaited horses. To be successful in either, you must focus on the rhythm and relaxation. With Cowboy, I focus a lot on stretching and maintaining rhythm in the gait.

SA: Would you say dressage work has improved your horse?

JL: Yes. Dressage has made him more balanced, relaxed and allowed us to do so many things together.

SA: Do you think being a part of showing organizations is beneficial?

JL: I do. It is important to be a part of these organizations because it brings awareness to how special gaited horses are. By getting more people involved, different gaited horses get shown off, and we can change the narrative that these

horses can’t do things.

SA: Is there was one thing that people would be surprised to know about you and/or about your horse?

JL: Cowboy actually suffered an injury a while back. He broke a bone in his hock. After plenty of rehab however, he is back and in action. We are currently working back up to the level we were at before the injury.

SA: What advice would you give people just starting out in Western dressage or Working Equitation?

JL: Stick with it. You’re not going to be perfect but keep going and do everything you can to educate yourself.

SA: What are your goals for 2023?

JL: I want to keep showing with NAWD and keep performing our musical freestyle. I also want to qualify for the Eastern Zone Championships in Working Equitation this year. Most importantly, I just want to keep improving and grow into the level that we have just moved into.

When asked if she had anything else she’d like to say, Julie replied that she “would really love to see more people get out and do things with their gaited horses. They are a versatile breed and deserve to be a part of the spotlight.”

Photo right and previous page: Julie Lamberton and her Paso Fino gelding Seabreeze Savajé have a great partnership. Photo courtesy of Julie Lamberton.

Shop at smile.amazon.com and enter Friends of Sound Horses as your charity. You get the same products, prices and service as shopping on Amazon, but Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to FOSH. There are no fees and no extra cost to you.

What to Expect During

DULUTH, Ga. (March 27, 2023) —

Whether a horse “feels off” under saddle or has a noticeable limp, a lameness exam helps to pinpoint the source of the problem and sets the foundation for a treatment plan. Consulting with a veterinarian right away, even in minor cases, decreases lost riding time and increases the chance of recovery.

Start the process with a phone call to your veterinarian’s office. In most cases, your veterinarian will want to examine your horse at their earliest opportunity, which depending on their schedule may be days away. If so, follow their advice for what to do in the meantime regarding giving any anti-inflammatory medications, if the horse can be turned out, or have any exercise. If the horse is unable to bear weight on the leg or seems painful in both front feet as seen with laminitis, those are worthy of an emergency call.

Finding the pain

Identifying the source of the lameness is like a scavenger hunt—it is not necessarily in the part of the body suspected. For example, a right front leg lameness may be suspected when the limp seems worse when circling to the right, but a left front leg issue might be the culprit.

Another example: a rider with a

horse that is unable to bring his limb forward in a normal stride believes it is shoulder lameness. However, shoulder issues are rare in adult horses unless it is secondary to trauma. That means the pain could be further down the leg or even in the neck.

That is why it is so important to allow your veterinarian to perform a complete exam, even in horses that have had previous issues localized to one area. The lameness exam informs a veterinarian’s diagnosis and treatment plan. Here’s what to expect when the veterinarian arrives.

Visual and physical observations

Veterinarians begin every exam by visually observing the horse and by palpating or feeling each part of the horse’s body. In this step, veterinarians look for heat or inflammation, flinching at the touch, or a decreased range in motion.

Putting their hands on the horse helps them focus on areas that may be the source of the pain.

During a Lameness Exam

Next, they will ask to see the horse move at a walk and trot in a straight line and a circle on hard and soft ground. Watching the horse move this way allows veterinarians to grade the severity and help localize the region of pain to one or more limbs.

“Identifying the specific causes of lameness can be challenging,” says Sarah Reuss, VMD, Boehringer Ingelheim Technical Manager. “Horses can’t tell us where they hurt and often the way they move doesn’t always reveal the exact source of lameness. That’s where additional testing can be beneficial.”

Diagnostic tests

To confirm what a veterinarian sees in a visual exam, they systemically move through a series of diagnostic tests to pinpoint the source of the issue. These tests include:

pressure is applied. Veterinarians are looking to see if the lameness increases and how it compares with movement in the other limbs.

Diagnostic nerve block: A nerve block is used to pinpoint the location of pain. The veterinarian injects a short-acting numbing medication either into a joint or around the nerves and then watches the horse move again. When the horse’s movement improves, it signals the source of pain to be in that joint or in the area that those nerves reach. If no difference is made, the pain originates higher up the leg, and the nerve block may be repeated higher up the leg until the precise location can be confirmed.

Imaging: Radiographs (x-ray), ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computed tomography), and nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan) are all tools that can be utilized for additional diagnostics depending on the situation. Looking “inside” the horse can help collect additional valuable information for treating the lameness.

Rider observations

Flexion test: The veterinarian “flexes” or puts stress on a specific joint or region of the body and watches how the horse moves after the

Horse owners know their horses best and can often feel the slightest change in gait or performance. Be

Continued on page 41.

Murdoch Minute

No. 06: Balancing Your Head

Reprinted with permission. www.murdochmethod.com

Do you have trouble looking where you are going? Does your neck get tense when your ride or become stiff afterward? Do you have difficulty sitting the trot? The solution may be all in your head. Here’s a quick tip for finding a comfortable head position.

Next time your ride pay attention to your head, that 10 – 15 lb. bowling ball at the top of your neck. That’s right, your head weighs as much as a bowling ball and you are carrying this weight around all the time. If your head is poorly balanced your neck and back muscles have to work hard to keep from dropping the ball.

To state the obvious, your head contains most of your sensory organs, eyes, ears, nose and mouth. You might be able to feel all over your body, but you can’t take in food through your toes. Your head also contains your brain. A major function of the brain is to receive input regarding your balance, then make appropriate adjustments so you can stand, walk, run and ride.

For most of us this balancing act goes on behind the scenes without ever noticing it. Our nervous system

By Wendy Murdoch

constantly monitors where we are in space and makes sure we don’t succumb to gravity. Carrying a 10 lb. bowling ball approximately 5 – 6’ above the ground isn’t easy. It certainly requires a lot of internal attention to keep it there.

The horse’s head also contains most of his senses, eyes, ears, mouth and nose in addition the brain. His head weighs about 4% of his overall body weight. In a 1000 lb. horse that is 40 lbs. The horse’s head hangs out from the neck, which makes balancing it a lot harder than balancing your head.

To sense of how much effort is re quired, grab a gallon of milk. Hold it horizontally away from your body at arm’s length. I guarantee you aren’t going to keep it very long! Fortunately, the horse is designed to carry the weight of his head in this position.

In both horses and humans protecting the head is so important that the nervous system will spend a lot of time making sure it doesn’t hit the ground. Poor head carriage requires more attention than good head carriage and distracts the nervous system from doing other things like focusing on the next jump. In addition, habitually carrying the head forward or back (the equivalent of high or overly tucked in

the horse) requires a lot of muscular effort and inhibits other movements such as turning the head.

Good head alignment means that you use a minimum amount of muscular effort to hold up your head, allowing the skeleton to do most of the work. When your head is well-aligned front to back, you can lengthen through your spine all the way through the

top of your head, thereby countering the downward force of gravity. If your head is pulled back or jutted forward the force gravity will press down making you heavier on the horse’s back.

To find a good position for your head gently turn your head side to side as you move it forward and back. Find the place where your head turns most freely. Stop turning and notice that you will breathe easier when your head is balanced. See if you can lengthen your neck so that the head moves slightly upward. To lengthen your neck, think of pricking your ears as if you were a horse.

Use this Murdoch Minute as a body position ‘self-check’ to balance your head. When your head is well balanced you can support it with less tension, easily look for your turns and move more freely with your horse’s motion. Whenever you feel stuck simply take a second to repeat the process of balancing your head to free your whole body.

Photo 2. The rider has jutted her jaw forward. Her head is no longer over her shoulders. The neck muscles have to work to prevent the head from falling. In this position the rider will be unable to absorb the horse’s motion.

Photo 1. The rider’s head is pulled back as if to touch the collar of her shirt with the back of her head. Notice the tension in the neck. This forced position will cause the rider to stiffen her back and hips and she will have difficulty looking where she is going.

Photo 3. Good head position. The head is balanced over the spine. The neck is relaxed. The rider can lengthen up through her neck to balance her head.

Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. Scholarship Request Form

Please print or type information below

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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:

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

For FOSH use only… Amount provided: _____________ Date sent: ____________

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

What to Expected During a Lameness Exam continued.

proactive and share this information with the veterinarian to help determine next steps. Have whoever rides the horse present for the veterinary exam, and in some cases be prepared to ride the horse for your veterinarian. In today’s day and age, collecting cell phone videos of your horse can be very helpful if the lameness is very intermittent or only under certain conditions.

Addressing a subtle issue as soon as it is noticed can help prevent the lameness from progressing. Thanks to advancements in veterinary medicine and technology, some of the most serious lameness issues can now be addressed, helping horses continue living healthy and productive lives.

For more information about joint health, visit the Boehringer Ingelheim website.

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

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