In an effort to end horse soring at Tennessee walking horse shows, the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will publish a final rule limiting inspection authority over horses to APHIS inspectors and independent non-APHIS-employed horse protection inspectors screened, trained, and authorized by APHIS.

Walking horses are known for their naturally high-stepping gait, but historically some owners and trainers have used chemicals or physical irritations to exaggerate the gait in a practice known as soring.

“For far too long, some within the Tennessee walking horse industry have sored and abused their horses, despite the industry’s inspection process and our own enforcement efforts,” said Agriculture Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt.

“This abuse must stop. Eliminating this cruel practice will help protect horses competing in these shows and level the playing field for the industry. The independent inspection process should strengthen the competition at these shows and benefit the many owners and trainers who do right by their animals.”

Moffitt said the rule will be published in the coming weeks and will be effective Feb. 1, 2025.