Soring is a cruel practice involving the use of harmful chemicals and devices to inflict pain on Tennessee Walking Horses’ feet and legs, forcing them to perform an exaggerated high-stepping gait known as the “Big Lick.” Despite longstanding efforts to end soring and enforce the Horse Protection Act, the USDA has repeatedly failed to implement effective regulatory reforms, recently suspending critical rules designed to detect and prevent soring at horse shows. This rollback has shifted enforcement responsibility back to the industry, which profits from soring, resulting in horses suffering visibly at shows despite passing inspections.

In response, Humane World and allied plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against the USDA, challenging the agency’s withdrawal of essential protections like the “scar rule” and “no showback rule.” The suit highlights firsthand accounts of horses abused behind closed doors and the failure of industry-led inspections to protect these animals. Advocates demand that the USDA uphold its legal mandate to protect horses from soring rather than enabling an industry that perpetuates this inhumane practice.