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Erbe180.jpg
No Celebration For Horses At This Celebration
Bonnie Erbe 8/20/2008
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It's that time of the year again when Shelbyville, Tenn., hosts its annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Let's hope 2008 marks the year when the horses are allowed to celebrate along with the humans by being treated and trained in a humane manner.

It's a slim bet. The celebration is the mother of all Tennessee Walking Horse shows, where some 4,000 entries compete in what the organization's website describes as "the premier event for the Tennessee Walking Horse, during which the breed's World Grand Champion and some 20 World Champions are named."

But here's how the New York Times described the "celebration" that took place in 2006: "A long-simmering dispute between federal regulators and the horses' trainers and owners climaxed late Saturday with the cancellation of the celebration's final showing to crown the world grand champion, for the first time in the event's 68-year history."

The decision by organizers came after inspectors who check for signs of abuse disqualified most of the horses, leaving just three eligible for the championship. After the catastrophic
shut-down of the 2006 event, organizers adopted a series of animal protection regulations to which entrants must adhere. This year's celebration could mark a turning point where those regulations are actually enforced. In 2007, according to the Humane Society's Keith Dane, they were not.

In an e-mailed release, Dane wrote: "Even though soring is prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, some within the industry still abuse horses. Its continued practice is documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's issuance of 103 competitor violations during the 2007 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration."

Soring involves intentionally causing pain to a horse's front legs and hoofs to enhance the horse's gait in the show ring.

The celebration has since adopted a veritable tome of regulations it promises to enforce on trainers and owners who participate in the show. Included are pledges to allow outside veterinarians to examine the Walkers at the show. They promise to test hooves for evidence of abuse. What are the forms of torture that prompt theses reforms?

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Barbaro COLOR
By Bob Englehart - The Hartford Courant * Posted 1/29/2007 12:00:00 AM
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© Copyright 2007  Bob Englehart - All Rights Reserved.

Posted By: Cowgirl Up! Texas  on Thursday, August 21, 2008

These charlatans are not horse "trainers"; they certainly should not be owners or breeders in any sense of the word.  One hopes often that there is a special circle of Hell for those who abuse animals like this.  

I own a Missouri Fox Trotter that we adopted out of abuse/neglect.  In the summer of 2006, in the worst drought I've seen in 12 years in Texas, we found her.  She was 400 #'s underweight and on the verge of death.  The vet explicitly told me she would likely not live the week and not to get my heart broken. (too late, after I first saw her, the connection was there)  We gave her a strong name (she needed one) - Ka-china (Navajo for Spirit Dancer) in the hope it would foster her will to live.

One full year and MANY rehabilitation hours, slow feeding to get her metabolism working, no rushing to put weight on her - just good nutrition in her; much walking in circles to build back her muscle tone - she was finally declared fit.  

Today, Kachina is gorgeous - the full promise of her majestic beauty restored; faith and trust in her human stewards has been built.  We love her.  IF she becomes a yard ornament, she will have a home for life.

May God damn this practice of treating gaited horses like prisoners in concentraiton camps - and may He damn those who practice this to Hell.

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