1976

In reliance on the Ames Study, and in recognition that soring had continued almost unabated since enactment of the HPA, in 1970, Congress amended the Act to lower the “intent” standard, and to provide funds to purchase thermography machines. Use of the new technology was very successful for two years in the late 70’s. Then, inexplicably, the USDA stopped using the machines, to the dismay of the advocates of humane training techniques, those cited for HPA violations without the “objective” evidence the machines provided, and the judicial system.

In 1982, a USDA- financed study at Auburn University reiterated the validity of thermographic detection of soring.  As a result a federal judge urged the USDA to implement means to use this technology to stop the abuse of the walking horse. American Horse Protection Ass’n, Inc. v. Lyng,  681 F.Supp. 949,  D.D.C.,1988.

 It is apparent that the agency needs to institute rulemaking proceedings for the additional purpose of gaining data on subjects that it concededly lacks.  The agency needs to delve into the rumors and allegations of stewardship (conditioning horses not to react to pain) and the use of substances to mask pain and conceal its physical signs. Perhaps the agency should receive comments, as well, on the possible use of thermography to detect soreness at horse shows.”

 Stacks 23 years later and the 'padding' is still going on...read

Technology Studied for horse Soring Protection...read

In  1993, Congress again attempted to help the USDA enforce the HPA, by providing funds to purchase thermography machines for use in detecting soring. The machines were, in fact, purchased, but never used to enforce the HPA.  The USDA explained that the company that provided the machines went out of business and the USDA could not, therefore, keep the machines “calibrated.”  USDA veterinarians and the opponents of TWH abuse alike feared that the walking horse industry had successfully interfered with enforcement efforts because the thermovision machines not only proved the presence of chemical soring, but that horses were being mechanically sored by use of stacks and chains.

In 2001, the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine conducted a privately funded study that again validated the use of thermography to detect chemical soring. It follows a similar study financed by the International Eventing Association on chemical abuse of horses. (Equine Veterinary Education, April 2000, Use of infrared thermography to detect performance-enhancing techniques in horses, L. vanHoogmoed, J.R. Snyder, A.K. Allen and J.D. Waldsmith)

In 2001 the USDA also agreed to fund a grant to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to transfer technology from the space program to the USDA to detect the presence of certain chemicals used in the soring process. The USDA subsequently withdrew the grant, citing lack of funds. In the interim, a California biotech company produced a test kit.  It is sitting unused on the JPL biologist’s desk.

2002

Violation of the HPA is flagrant. Pictures, taken by a French photographer on August 2002, at the Walking Horse National Celebration Horse Show show soring being committed on the grounds of the show.