The Tennessee Walkers. These horses are known for their unbelievably large stride and flashy moves. There’s a reason their gait seems so unnatural, though, because it is, absolutely unnatural. These horses are put through training that is without a doubt abuse. While this horse breed undoubtedly has a naturally larger gait than most others, they are tortured by their “trainers” so that their gait will continue to get higher and longer.
Tennessee walking horses are kept in stalls most of the time. This is horrible for horses, which enjoy and truly need to be turned out every day if possible. When they are being trained and showed, tall and heavy shoes are put on their hooves in order to weigh down their legs. Their legs are covered with painful chemicals in order to cause them pain. This is completely intentional on the part of the trainers. Every time the horses touch the ground with their front hooves, it is agonizing. This prevents the horses from touching the ground nearly as often and therefore extends their gait. This tactic is called soring.
In addition to the chemicals and the heavy shoes, the horses are often wrapped with painful chains around their ankles. This adds to the pain as well as the weight. This is all in order to entertain those who come to the shows and to earn an award at a show.
Why, then, is nothing being done to stop this horrific act? The fact is, many are trying. The Tennessee walker trainers do everything they can to mask the pain their horses are in with even more illegal chemicals, and without the correct legislation passed, nothing can be done to stop them. The trainers have gone so far as to spray paint over the lesions and redness they have caused on their own horses’ legs to make it look as if their horse is totally fine.
The Tennessee walking horses are being horribly abused. The trainers have made a decision that is not theirs to make by harming these horses in ways that may affect them for the rest of their lives. The horrific acts committed by the trainers need to be stopped, and immediately.
What can be done, though, when the trainers are willing to go to such great lengths to hide their atrocities? When they are willing to hide the physical scars with paint and mask the horses’ pain with more illegal chemicals, what is there to be done?
As I mentioned previously, the necessary legislation must be passed in order to stop this cruelty. The PAST Act, supported by the Humane Society of the United States, needs support. At the bottom of this article is a link, which will take you to information about this act as well as a place to sign.
The Horse Protection Act was not capable of ending soring, but the PAST Act (Prevent All Soring Tactics) is directly aimed at this. I urge you to take a look ...
