E-Vet Clinic - Horse Health Care

Safe Haven Equine Rescue Center is a rescue facility in East Texas that takes in neglected and abused horses.

Right now they are at capacity and still have other horses to help. They are in need of pasture land, feed donations, and fostering. If you would like to donate feed or pasture land or you can foster a horse please contact Richard Fincher the director of Safe Haven at 903-762-1432.

On August 15, the Walking Horse Trainers Association (WHTA) Board of Directors and Ethics Committee sent out a press release in regards to an investigation of trainer Dick Peebles for using pressure shoeing. Mr. Peebles did not admit guilt but did accept responsibility for the shoeing violation. He received a five-year suspension, which is the penalty for pressure shoeing under the USDA Horse Protection Act. This penalty does not have a lot of teeth as it is a penalty given by the WHTA and not a legal action under the Horse Protection Act. So although it will prevent him from showing, it will not prevent him from training horses and his clients can show them.

This is more evidence of the story I wrote a couple of weeks ago - www.horsekinetics.com/tennessee-walking-horse-shows-changed-for-the-better

So what exactly did Mr. Peebles do, or had his farrier do, that caused a 5 year suspension? It is called Pressure Shoeing which is a form of torture for a horse. Basically the goal is to put enough pressure on the horses sole to make them high step. In reality, they are causing the horse to be lame and forcing them to perform lame. If that were not bad enough many times they use chemical agents to make the heels sore or use nails to put pin point pressure on the sole. Anything to make them do a quick high step forward. Pretty disgusting for just a ribbon. Yes I realize there is more involved than just a ribbon, such as the recognition and the money that goes with winning all the time, but I still find it abhorring.

Thanks to Fran Jurga of the Jurga Report for bringing this story to my attention. She has an amazing blog - almost as good as this one…LOL Truthfully her blog is one that I read on a regular basis for the news that she finds before I do - Her blog www.equisearch.com/special/blog/horsehealth/ and the soring story - special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/2007/08/walking-horse-trainer-admits-to-illegal.html

Tennessee Walking Horse Shows last year had an increase in USDA inspections. In fact the inspections were so diligent and strict that there was no World Grand Champion from the 2006 National Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration - the reason? Only 3 horses passed inspection, so they cancelled the class!

Mary Reeves from the Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, TN did a story about this - Walking horse controversy makes this year’s show better

OK previously I have talked about some of the problems in the showing world and especially the racing world. Problems meaning the things we do to horses, which do not improve horse health, that either border on or actually are abuse in order to try to improve “performance” in the horse for their specific event. In Tennesse Walkers (TWH), the USDA inspectors are focusing on “soring”. Soring is a general term used to describe a wide variety of techniques used to make a TWH’s feet sore so that they pick them up higher and quicker, which exaggerates their normal gaits, thus improving their chances of being noticed by the judge. One of the most common techniques is to use shoes that put pressure on the sole of the horse, causing bruising. Imagine, you having to compete in running shoes that are crushing your little toe! Other things such as screws and needle or pin sticks are used as well, not exactly the best things for the horses health.

Well the inspections have done both good and bad for the TWH industry. For the bad? Some people are not attending the shows. Also it has been discovered that there are inconsistencies in the inspections from show to show. The good news? The horses that are at the shows are the ones that are not being sored - imagine that?? Also steps are being taken to make the inspections more uniform and consistent, and lastly, the horse shows and the industry itself is taking greater measures to be even more strict than the USDA and are trying to police themselves. This will be improve the quality of life for a show horse as well as improving their disposition and health.

In my opinion this is a good start to improving not just the TWH breed but all of horse showing. Other breeds and horse organizations are going to notice what has happened in the TWH world and improve themselves. The racing industry will be the most difficult to change as it involves the most money, but I believe it also can be improved.