RESEARCH - Anything Equine Blog by Rose Miller

I wanted to let everyone know about this great blog by my friend Rose Miller. Rose is a highly experienced TWH trainer and exhibitor. She has written two books, The Horse that Wouldn't Trot and Mules, Mules and More Mules, stories about her experiences with TWHs and with gaited mules.

Rose has this great blog she's been working on that has wonderful information from her experience as a sound TWH trainer called Anything Equine. I highly recommend reading this blog to learn more about TWHs and asking questions about the sound TWH, both as a pleasure horse and as a Performance horse. Also check out Rose's website to learn more about her and her books, www.rosemiller.net.

I hope everyone enjoys Rose's blog and books!

NEWS - USDA Suspends Russ Thompson and Jason Scott Hughes

Remember in 2006 how the Celebration show management canceled the WGC class? After the class, Russ Thompson of Russ Thompson Stables in California had everyone rush over to the Champions Arena and put on his own impromptu show with his horse and another horse. These actions of course caused problems, and Thompson and cohorts were ticketed for these actions.

The USDA has determined that both Thompson and Jason Scott Hughes are to be suspended for four months each and are not allowed to show any of their horses, either themselves or through another party, during this time.

Click here for the HPA Docket No. 08-0026 explaining the findings and conclusion by the USDA.

While suspension is great, honestly, this is not enough. It is yet another example of how we need to get better penalties for these problems. While this particular action wasn't as severe as soring a horse, Thompson has still contributed to the mockery that is the Walking Horse industry. When classes are canceled in other venues because of horse problems or various other issues that are outside of lack of entries, people don't just go running off and hold an impromptu class. I equate the actions to an audience riot at a soccer game in another country. The Walking Horse industry continues to dumb our breed down in the eyes of the rest of the equine world. I'm glad these men were punished for their actions, but I imagine I can't hope that they will change their ways.

NEWS - SHOW Suspends Peebles' Judge License

THANK YOU SHOW. I am so glad to hear this, and that it was the panel's unanimous decision.

From their website (click here for the webpage):

SHOW Suspends Peebles Judges´ License

News Release dated Jan 06, 2011

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - The SHOW HIO has suspended the judging license of Dick Peebles pending the final outcome of the criminal proceeding against Peebles. At conclusion of that proceeding a final decision with regard to the status of his license will be made by the SHOW Judging Panel. SHOW President Dr. Stephen L. Mullins issued the suspension on January 6, 2011 at the unanimous request of the SHOW judging panel.

NEWS - WHTA Director Arrested on Sex Charges

As if violating the HPA isn't bad enough...

J.W. "Dick" Peebles was arrested on Monday and charged with sexual abuse of minors. Click here for the full article. I copied and pasted the article in full below.

Peebles was elected to be on the slate of directors for WHTA in 2010, and he is currently on suspension until 2012 for a violation with WHTA. I talked about this in this post. Peebles was also elected Trainer of the Year at the Celebration in 2006 and is in the Celebration Hall of Fame.

Of course, in our court system, people are innocent until proven guilty. But the kind of sexual acts he's being accused of are sick, and I doubt very seriously that he'll be proven innocent. So, I'm going to voice my opinion here about what I believe has happened.

I think this is an absolute classic example of how animal abuse leads to people abuse. People who have no respect for one type of life usually don't have respect for other types. A man who kicks his dog is just as likely to kick his kid. We can look at various serial murderers and see that they "started" on animals (Jeffrey Dahmer being the most prominent). And while Peebles isn't a murderer, he most likely abused animals since he violated the HPA, so the abuse got extended to teenagers. This is yet another reason why violations to the HPA need to be taken seriously.

WHTA, TWHBEA, and others who support Peebles: I hope you take a long, hard look at what he's done here and how this will affect your industry. Start rethinking who you choose for your representatives, and start keeping abusers out of your positions of power.

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Trainer faces sex charges

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

By BRIAN MOSELY ~ bmosely@t-g.com

Shelbyville Times-Gazette

A member of the Celebration Hall of Fame was arrested and accused of sexual offenses involving teenage girls.

J.W. "Dick" Peebles, 61, of Holt Avenue, Shelbyville, was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of sexual battery, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means and solicitation of a minor.

He was released on a blanket bond of $5,000 and is due in Bedford County General Sessions Court on Jan. 26.

Very few details about the case could be disclosed to the T-G, Capt. Becky Hord of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said, to protect the three female victims.

A complaint had been filed by one of the parents, Hord said, and the charges involved separate incidents that allegedly occurred at Peebles' farm. Peebles is a horse trainer.

Hord stated that one of the alleged incidents happened during the spring of 2010, in which the victim was "offended by it and refused to go back."

However, other incidents allegedly occurred in December, with Hord stating that one of the victims informed a parent, who then alerted authorities.

It was later learned that "the same kind of behavior was happening with all three girls, just at different times," Hord said.

ARTICLES and NEWS - SHOW Refuses To Implement USDA Penalties and SHOW Show Managers Meeting

I knew I had this information somewhere, but I couldn't find it until now. Sorry for not posting this sooner.

The first article talks about SHOW's refusal to implement the USDA's new penalty structure. The following article concerns the SHOW management meeting and what they're doing to make changes to their shows. I'm not sure, but I think both the articles are from The Walking Horse Report. I could be wrong though--if you know if my source is incorrect please let me know. My comments are after each article.

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SHOW Submits Rulebook To USDA

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – Pursuant to a request from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services’ (APHIS) Deputy Administrator Dr. Chester A. Gipson, SHOW has submitted its rulebook for approval by the USDA. Dr. Gipson made the request to all HIOs in letters dated August 12, 2010 and October 15, 2010 to submit their rule books and that approval or denial would be given by January 1, 2011. Dr. Gipson required that all rulebooks contain the mandatory penalties set forth by the USDA.

Earlier today, November 30, 2010, SHOW submitted its rulebook along with the DQP inspection process, hearing process and penalty matrix. SHOW did not adopt the USDA mandatory penalties but made known in its letter accompanying the rulebook that it felt its entire process, including its current penalties, are appropriate and “effectuates the purposes of the HPA.”

SHOW stated that it believed there were numerous legal and practical problems with the USDA requiring private organizations or associations to adopt “mandatory penalties” and hearing processes. SHOW also pointed out that under the HPA or Regulations the Secretary does not have the right or ability to delegate enforcement of the HPA penalties to an HIO or its DQPs. And in fact it specifically states in the law in Section 6 that “No penalty shall be assessed unless such person is given notice and opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary with respect to such violation.”

SHOW also referenced all of the changes it has incorporated in its 18 months of existence and believes those changes meet or exceed all of the identified issues in the recent Office of Inspector General Audit. Finally SHOW respectfully requested the USDA reconsider its “mandatory penalties” or face decertification and litigate strategy and allow SHOW with its fully compliant, entire process, to continue its strategy to “find and eliminate the sore horse” and to continue to “effectuate the purposes of the HPA” with its current process, including its HIO penalties, which have proven to be more than appropriate.

To read the complete letter to Dr. Chester A. Gipson from Dr. Stephen L. Mullins, President of SHOW click here.

Click here to view the 2011 SHOW Rulebook.

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FTTWH in: The letter from Dr. Mullins is extremely long and drawn out. I will go over it point by point in a future post. However, after reading it a few times, I guess this is how I see it. If SHOW were so determined to eliminate the sore horse, they are perfectly capable of doing it. They can choose to get rid of pads, chains, bands, stacks, and heavy shoes However, their rulebook has ADDED heavy Tungsten shoes to their allowed items in the show ring, AND they've added bands and chains to Trail Pleasure horses.* These are proven tools that help with the process of soring, so why not eliminate them? FOSH and NWHA have, and they have 100% sound shows on a regular basis.

*I still don't understand the need to add bands and chains to a TP horse. Tell me, gentle reader, whenever you ride a horse on the trail, do you use chains to make it step higher or bands to keep the shoe on? I thought the TP division was to judge TRAIL horses, not just another division of the show horse.

And again, if SHOW were so determined to end soring, they WOULD implement the USDA's new penalty structure without calling their lawyers and rushing back to the HPA and picking it apart to find flaws in what the USDA has determined. They would agree and move on. They would want to work with the USDA rather than continue to deny and fight against them.

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SHOW Horse Show Managers Meeting

Friday, December 03, 2010

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - The SHOW horse show managers meeting was held this morning in the Williamson room at the Cool Springs Marriott with SHOW Secretary Rachel Reed in charge. Dee Cantrell, Dr. Steve Mullins and Jeffrey Howard also made presentations throughout discussions. Representatives from notable shows such as the Gallatin Lions Club, West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, International Grand Championships, Petersburg Lions Club, Upper Cumberland Regional Futurity and several others were in attendance. The majority of show managers face the same issues in today's economic times: class schedule issues, date concerns and lack of participation. All have the same goal; save the horse shows, charities and organizations that benefit from the work they do.

Reed welcomed everyone and passed the torch to Cantrell. Cantrell presented the idea of paying back a percentage of winnings to ribbon getters rather than a set amount. "This is just another option for us to grasp at more funding. During the 2010 show season, 10 shows in Alabama and 5 shows in Georgia were cancelled," stated Cantrell. The way the process would be handled is to simply attach vouchers rather than checks to the ribbons. The voucher could be cashed in at the entry office for cash or one lump sum check at the end of the show. Cantrell assisted several shows in Georgia and Alabama with this process and were successful each time in increasing profit. Also, for Riders' Cup classes add an additional $10 to the entry, but pay out the same percentage as other classes.

Pat Stout of the Upper Cumberland Region said, "This process really does work. We started this at our PWHAT shows two years ago." The general consensus of the room seemed to be positive of the "new way" and were intrigued to run their numbers from horse shows past.

Reed then took over the duties of the meeting by stating that DQP fees and the SHOW affiliation process would stay the same as last year. Also staying the same as during 2010, the USDA will require that shows with typical 150 plus entries will be required to have two DQPs.

Reed went over small changes made to the SHOW horse card. People applying for a card at the horse show will now not be able to mark " bill me" on the form rather than paying at the show. Also, if you fill out a form at the show you must add the date and name of the show. Forms to apply for a SHOW Horse Card are available on SHOW's website at www.showhio.com. Reed also reiterated to the show managers that it is a USDA requirement to have complete addresses for owners, trainers and riders listed on entry forms.

The topic then changed to USDA in terms of funding and how they affect horse shows. Tommy Hall stated, "The USDA has been allotted $400,000. It is my understanding those funds will be used toward unaffiliated horse shows." "The DQPs protect show management", commented Reed.

The discussion then arose to create a show managers counsel compiled of all show managers and organizations to meet on a regular basis to discuss the pros and cons of the shows and the necessary changes that could help other shows. This could also prove to be beneficial to managers that are not involved with the industry througout the year.

Jeffrey Howard then gave an update on the Riders' Cup program. In 2010, there were 92 shows offering Riders' Cup classes with 85 trainers participating aboard 3,657 entries. "Tomorrow night there will be approximately $55,000 handed out," stated Howard. This is still less than the first five years of the program. Howard reminded managers show affiliations do not affect whether or not a show can offer Riders' Cup classes. Howard also noted, "Trainers will support Riders' Cup classes. Joe Cotten is a good example. He put a lot of miles out there this fall and ended up fifth in points."

The meeting was then adjourned.

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FTTWH: Paybacks are a great incentive for people to show. I see them out here all the time and they work really well. Pretty smart for them to implement it to get their numbers up. Even just getting back your entry fee is enough incentive for people to show in this economy nowadays.

As to the comment about the USDA and DQPs: as far as I understand, the DQPs are NOT there to protect show management--they're there to protect the horse and uphold the HPA. If a DQP is protecting the show management then we can certainly assume he/she is allowing sore horses through so the show can go on. I'm sure no DQP who would be protecting show management would want to make the show look bad by ticketing a horse. WOW.

More news will be posted as it develops. Stay tuned!

ARTICLE - TWH Organization Resists USDA Mandate

This article was posted on The Horse.com, which if you haven't perused, has great information on health issues, current events, and lots of general information that anyone can find useful. I'm glad they've picked up this story so it will get out to more readers.

The following is the text from the article. Click here for the article online. My thoughts below.

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Tennessee Walking Horse Organization Resists USDA Mandate

by: Pat Raia
December 02 2010, Article # 17327

PRIDE, a Kentucky-based Tennessee Walking Horse Industry Organization (HIO), has declined to include new USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Horse Protection Act (HPA) enforcement regulations in its 2011 horse show rule book on the grounds that the mandate infringes on private entities' legal rights.

The HPA forbids soring, the deliberate injury to a horse's legs to achieve an exaggerated "big lick" gait. APHIS is tasked with enforcing the law. The act also authorizes the agency to certify licensed HIOs that meet HPA enforcement criteria.

The 2011 protocol sets minimum uniform penalties for scar rule, soring, use of foreign substances on horses, and failure to pass equipment and shoeing inspections. Earlier this year, APHIS informed HIO managers in writing that they must include a mandatory minimum penalty protocol in their 2011 horse show rule books, and they must submit their 2011 rule books for the agency's review by Dec. 1.

Last month, PRIDE informed the agency in writing that it is refusing to comply with the penalty protocol mandate.

"It's not that we're being defiant or that we don't want what's best for the horses," said Sam Hamilton, the director of PRIDE, "It's that an HIO is private entity, and I don't believe the USDA has the legal authority to mandate penalties to a private entity."

APHIS spokesman David Sacks confirmed that the agency received PRIDE's letter and that the agency would penalize HIOs that fail to adopt the mandatory protocol.

"HIO rule books are being reviewed currently," Sacks said. "It was explained to the HIOs that if the penalties do not meet USDA standards, they will be in violation of the HPA and its regulations, and they will face decertification."

The agency will follow up with each HIO by Jan. 1, 2011, Sacks said.

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Okay, seriously Sam? I mean do you REALLY believe that "the USDA doesn't have legal authority to mandate penalties"? They govern the HPA--it's their JOB to enforce the HPA by any means necessary. You are really a moron if you think that. And frankly, they NEED to be doing their job now because you HIOs can't seem to do it.

So I guess we'll find out what happens on or before January 1. Until then...

NEWS - TWHBEA and WHTA Appoint HPA Violators to Their Boards...AGAIN

Will wonders never cease?

I've included the date of the person's violation(s) per the HPA online database. If it doesn't have a specification, then it's usually just a two week suspension. You can go on the database to learn more if you need to.

Here are my favorite bits of this merry Who's Who of Those Who Sore Horses.

First: every single person elected in WHTA has at least one violation, and most of them have multiple violations.

Second: Check out Dick Peebles, one of the board members of WHTA. He's got a CURRENT SUSPENSION FOR FIVE YEARS WITH WHTA! Amazing!

Third: And if that won't convince you that WHTA encourages soring horses, we can also see that Winky Groover was pushed out of the WHTA board. I bet you dollars to donuts it's because of his speech at the SHC. To me, this means WHTA is not serious about change if they are voting out the guy who is ready to make a change.

Fourth: In TWHBEA, Linda Montgomery was appointed Equine Welfare VP, and of course, she has a violation. An eight month violation, no less.

Fifth: The elected International VP in TWHBEA, Stephen Brown, also has violations. You know, the Europeans are on to the TWH industry, you idiots. If you had picked someone who doesn't have any violations you might have a better chance overseas.

Both articles are from The Walking Horse Report.

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Cantrell Elected President of WHTA
Friday, December 03, 2010

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - The Walking Horse Trainers' Association held its general membership meeting today in Franklin, Tenn. at the Marriott Cool Springs. The major orders of business included a presentation from Frank Eichler, attorney for SHOW HIO, regarding SHOW's responses to the OIG Audit, Mandatory Penalties and HSUS Petition.

As happens each year, the December meeting is when the elections are held for the upcoming year. Bill Cantrell [2007 for Bill & Peggy, 2003] was elected President over incumbent Winky Groover [at least he admitted to his violations] and Wayne Dean [2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001]. The following members were elected to serve three-year terms on the board of directors, Billy Gray [6 mos in 1988, 6 mos in 1993, 5 years starting 1994, 2002, 2005, twice in 2006 + 3 years starting in 2006, 2007], Larry Wheelon [2 years starting 1991, 1 year starting 1999, 3 times in 2001, 9 months in 2002, 9 months in 2003, 3 times in 2005 plus 6 months in 2005], Link Webb [7 months in 2002 - caught by the USDA, twice in 2005] and Brock Tillman [2004, 2005, current suspension 9/2009 - 9/2099]. Wayne Dean will serve out the two years remaining on Cantrell's term on the board.

Chad Williams [2002, 2004, twice in 2006], 1st Vice-President, and David Landrum [2 years in 1997, 1998, 2002, current suspension 6/2010 - 1/2099], 2nd Vice-President ran unopposed and were thus elected to serve just as they did in these roles in 2010.

Other members on the slate of directors included Jeff Green [8 months in 1998, 2002, 2003, twice in 2007, 2010], Dick Peebles [8 months in 1991, 2007, current suspension with WHTA 8/2007 - 8/2012], Frankie Roark [1 month in 2008], Brandon Stout [2004, 2005, 2 months in 2006, 2007, 2010], Laurie Toone [under family name Toone ticketed twice in 1998 for a one year suspension each], Vickie Self [8 months in 2004], Dude Crowder [3 years in 1991, twice in 2003, 8 months in 2006], Brad Beard [2007, 2009], Brad Davis [twice in 2005, 2008] and Joe Fleming [5 years in 1992, 2006].

A complete story on the meeting will be posted and in the print edition of the Walking Horse Report.

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TWHBEA Elects 2011 Executive Committee; Irby Elected President

Saturday, December 04, 2010

By Jeffrey Howard

LEWISBURG, Tenn. - The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA) held its annual International Board of Directors meeting on December 4, 2010. Each year during the December meeting TWHBEA elects its upcoming year's executive committee.

The nominating committee, chaired by Brenda Carlon presented the following slate to the international board:

President: Kasey Kesselring [under family name Kesselring ticketed twice in 1998 for a one year suspension each]

Senior Vice President: Margo Urad [2007 with Stan Urad]

Administrative/Fiscal/Audit: Rob Cornelius [under family name Cornelius ticketed twice in 1998 for a one year suspension each]

Breeders Vice President: Kathy Zeis [2005]

Enforcement Vice President: Marty Irby [8 months in 2001]

Equine Welfare Vice President: Dr. Jim Baum [2005]

Horse Show Vice President: Tracy Boyd

Marketing Vice President: Joyce Moyer

Owners/Exhibitors/International VP: Stephen Brown [2005, 2008]

Performance Show Horse Vice President: Tom Kakassy [twice in 2009]

Pleasure Horse Vice President: Rick Wies

Training Division Vice President: Wayne Dean [2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007]

Member at Large/By Laws Vice President: Lloyd Hall Black, Jr.

Member at Large/Youth: Deborah Locke

Secretary: Sharon Brandon

Marty Irby declined the nomination for Vice President Enforcement thus leaving the spot open until nominations from the floor were received. Mike Hicks was nominated for the position and ran unopposed.

Nominations from the floor came in three positions, President, Equine Welfare and At-Large Youth. Irby was nominated for President, Dr. Linda Montgomery [8 months in 2001] for Equine Welfare and Leslie Topham and Lisa Bowman Anderson for Youth.

Each candidate in the contested races was afforded three minutes to address the directors. All other positions were accepted by acclamation. In a tight race Irby beat Kesselring 34 to 30. Dr. Linda Montgomery beat Dr. Jim Baum 53 to 11 and Bowman Anderson beat Topham 36 to 26 with Locke receiving 2 votes.

The 2011 Executive Committee immediately took office and will conduct the 2011 TWHBEA business.

NEWS - HIO PRIDE Refuses to Include New Penalties In Their 2011 Rulebook

I got this off of The Scoop, a TWH publication. It's run by the same folks who run the Walking Horse Chat and the Walking Horse World websites. My comments after the post.

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November 29, 2010

PRIDE-HIO : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mt Vernon, KY – November 29, 2010. On November, 2010 PRIDE filed a preliminary response to the OIG Audit and the USDA Response with the USDA. At that time PRIDE informed the USDA that it would be filing a detailed response to the petition in the future. Along with the preliminary response PRIDE filed a letter informing the USDA that it would not implement the mandated penalty structure for the 2011 show season. PRIDE submitted its 2011 Rulebook as a part of the packet to the USDA. The response was filed with Dr Chester Gipson of the USDA. A copy of the 2011 PRIDE Rulebook has been enclosed with this press release. PRIDE will continue enforce the original intent of the HPA as written. PRIDE will also continue to work diligently to ensure that all aspects of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry flourish in the future. PRIDE encourages all industry organizations to work together to enforce the HPA uniformly across our great industry. PRIDE also welcome all organizations to work together to ensure that everyone who wishes to show compliant horses continue to have that freedom.

PRIDE is a Horse Industry Organization (HIO) located in Mt Vernon KY. PRIDE welcomes show managers to contact Sam Hamilton at 859-393-4979 or at sam.momentum@yahoo.com to affiliate their show for the 2011 show season. PRIDE is also taking applications for anyone interested in becoming a licensed judge or DQP for 2011. Anyone interested in getting more information about PRIDE can contact Sam Hamilton at 859-393-4979 or sam.momentum@yahoo.com.

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Do you guys remember the Disney animated movie Aladdin? There's a scene where Jasmine says she won't marry Jafar, and Iago, the parrot, says "Why am I not surprised?" I SO feel like Iago right now.

Well, at least we know that PRIDE is not willing to make progress and that we can certainly steer clear of them. AND let's send in those letters to the USDA--tell them to SHUT PRIDE DOWN! We need to see them fight back and be serious about saving the horse and enforcing the HPA! And feel free to email or call PRIDE so you can voice your displeasure. I think it's important for them to know that we understand they are admitting guilt by not including the new penalty structure and we hope they seriously consider changing their minds and actually following the enforcement as it is being worked on. Cooperation is the key here--if groups like PRIDE want the USDA off their backs, then they better start making serious changes.

ARTICLES and THOUGHTS - My Thoughts on the 2010 Sound Horse Conference

So let’s talk.

I heard a lot about the SHC and what happened. Click here for the link to the 2010 page on the SHC website. In my opinion, I think there were some serious ground breaking things going on, and I got some great feedback from my friends who went and friends back east who know the sore horse industry side of it and their reactions.

First, I imagine many of you heard about Winky Groover, son of Wink Groover and president of the Walking Horse Trainers Association. (Yes, WHTA has members and officers with violations and has had violations at their affiliated shows.) Winky stood up and gave a speech about how he’s gone sound after years and years of soring horses. He admitted that he has HPA violations and said he’s ready to stop. Click here for the article that has his speech. I was told that he was crying while he made this speech, so I do believe he was serious—I don’t think this guy can act that well.

This is a big deal because the Groover family were well known sore horse supporters and their whole family has sored their horses. For someone like him to go sound is an amazing feat. I think it’s important for us to realize that what he has done has put his job and his livelihood on the line, so we must respect this choice. I believe forgiveness is important--when someone has a change of heart, we should welcome them to the sound horse world with open arms.

I however want to address a few things in his speech that I think he might be a bit off on. Now, I truly believe he believes this information, that he is not spouting crap to get the rest of us to sympathize or anything like that. But I do want to point out that there are still issues here that we need to be aware of. Below is a quote from Mr. Groover’s speech in italics, followed by my assessment.

I thought the AAEP nailed it in their assessment of the industry. Perhaps the most profound statement was, “effective change in the current culture of the industry must come from within, it is incumbent upon industry participants themselves, owners, trainers, and all support personnel to take full responsibility for developing a program which succeeds in eliminating the recognized abuses that are at the core of the problem”. I believe this program is in place and we have already seen sweeping, effective change come about in the industry. We have more to do but we have come a long way in a short amount of time.

Yes, Mr. Groover is correct--the core of this problem is the culture. However, the change is VERY slow. Let’s look at Mr. Groover himself: he and his family have obviously continued to sore horses even when the HPA was in place. His change didn’t come until 40 years AFTER the HPA was in place. We can no longer wait for changes of hearts to come. What we need is a sweeping change that shuts down sore horse HIOs and jail time for the felons who continue to violate the HPA rather than a slap on the wrist...which the USDA is capable of doing. (More on that later.) Changes of heart take years upon years to come about. It won’t happen anytime soon enough for the horse.

An HIO was activated in April of 2009 with the mission and desire to implement inspections employing AAEP recommendations. This HIO called SHOW, is headed by an AAEP vet and they took actions to resolve conflicts with DQP’s, organize clinics both for owners and trainers and also with USDA involvement and direction. SHOW has also implemented an inspection process that is tough and fair whether the USDA attends the shows or not. A fund raising entity, FAST (Foundation for the Advancement and Support of the TWH Show horse) was also developed to fund the education and projects in accordance with the AAEP recommendations that “funding must come within the industry”.

I don't buy this at all. SHOW has hired HPA violators to be on their board, on the BODs, as DQPs and as judges. If they were serious about ending this, they would do so by keeping these people out of the limelight. Also, we are still seeing people leaving in droves when the USDA shows up at a SHOW-affiliated show, which of course is proof of guilt. And of course, we still have the proof that over 200 horses were found sore at the 2010 Celebration, which was sanctioned with SHOW. How is this progress? It isn’t. Having a sound HIO would that allows the BL horses at their shows would be progress.

To wit, I have heard from the BL industry that this was all a hoax to get the USDA off the BL industry’s back. In fact, here’s the exact quote I got from my friend back east who has some connections.

I just got off the phone with my BL friends. They are the same trainers I mentioned before that said the Wink G. stuff was just a gimmick. I asked again to see what they thought was the real deal. What I just heard was that this was a whole big scheme to get NWHA and SHOW to join forces in the face of dwindling show attendance and lower numbers across the boards. We talked at length of how this is NEVER EVER going to happen, but at long last, this is the word from her trainer buddies in TN, and they are some of the bigger kids that are often associated with pressure shoeing, at least around here.

But, from the folks I talked with about the conference itself, they truly believe that Groover was not making this up. I think that most likely, the BL community is acting like this because they know that for someone like him to stand up and quit soring is going to be a big hit on their industry.

Now we’re seeing a different kind of change. Perhaps more people are sound, but now I’ve learned that in this past year, over 450 “outlaw” or “wildcat” shows have popped up. These are shows that aren’t affiliated with any HIO, so they don’t have to have DQPs and do whatever they want. Here’s more information from a source back east.

We show on what is now called an "outlaw" show circuit and very probably almost every walking horse that is not a light shod horse is sored and perhaps 1/3 of the light shod horses are sore in one way or another. Some of the trainers don's give a damn and they wrap in plastic with buckets of greasy stinking stuff right out in the aisles for the whole world to see. It makes everyone with a walking horse look bad. I refuse to stall by the other TWH folks and camp at the very end of the fairgrounds away from everyone! I attend because they are all breed shows and I have trotting horses too. They also cost a lot less then sanctioned shows. I can take 2 horses and show all weekend for about $400. That includes stalls, camping fees and all entry fees. It is a load of fun and it is only the TWH folks that are frowned upon! I have showed this circuit since I started showing and I can take my TWH and my ASB [and my Paint] and show them both all weekend and have a blast. You just have to be prepared to get beat by '"tungsten and blue soap."

I think this is something we’re going to see a lot of now. Most shows are going to just not affiliate with any HIO, period. Now technically, the USDA can show up at these shows and shut them down and fine the show management. Question is...will they do it?

My friend Gary Lane presented at the SHC. Gary and I are friends, I won’t lie. But one reason why we’re friends is we have the exact same views on this industry--that the way it will end is if the USDA steps up and gets serious about enforcing the law. This is a view I had long before I met Gary. Gary and I agree that if they just shut down one HIO for continued violations, then the other HIOs will start to figure things out. Or if they shut down HIOs all together and do inspections themselves, then things will change.

Gary put together a presentation that I will be including in this blog soon. Right now it’s not being posted on the SHC website. I don’t know if they haven’t received it yet or what, but honestly, I do know that several people who run the SHC think that people like myself and Gary need to stop bothering the USDA about this. They think people will have a change of heart like Groover did and the culture will break down. Well, they’ve had 40+ years to have a change of heart...it’s high time that change be enforced.

Gary pointed out some very, very important information. The APHIS HPA inspection process has been reviewed a multitude of times over the past decades. I don’t have the exact dates on me right now (I will get those), but if I remember right, there were two reviews done in the 1980s, one in 1996, the one by the AAEP, and the most recent one by the OIG. Here’s the deal: ALL of these reviews have said that allowing the industry to police itself is a conflict of interest. To put it plainly, it is literally the fox guarding the hen house. Whether or not horses are sored, the fact that the industry hires people within the community who have violations as judges and DQPs is not going to solve the problem. These people will allow sore horses through because it’s in their best interest to do so. The USDA APHIS has been given the suggestion multiple times to shut this down, and they’re not doing it.

Because the USDA enforces the HPA, this does mean that they have jurisdiction to enforce it with any means necessary. But here’s the problem: they have threatened to shut down HIOs in the past (e.g., SHOW) and have not done it. They will not decertify HIOs, judges, or DQPs who have violations. The penalties are way too lax--a slap on the hand and a small fine is not going to get these people to stop what they’re doing.

The bottom line is this: If we make the consequences of soring equal those of other types of felons (because violating the HPA is a felony--ask any lawyer if you don’t believe me), then it WILL begin to end. Or soring will become very rare, which will make it easy to spot, and if judges and DQPs would do their jobs then those horses can be eliminated before they get into the show ring. Gary stated in his presentation that when he was a police officer, he didn’t give people a blue ribbon for speeding when he pulled them over. In that same vein, imagine having the same penalties for violating the HPA if you were dealing with a felon who has committed grand theft auto or homicide. With that perspective, are those penalties acceptable? And here’s the kicker: the tools and capabilities are in place to make these changes. THE USDA JUST NEEDS TO STEP UP AND DO IT! That’s all we need!

Well I kinda got away from the SHC itself with that. Overall I heard it was nice and had tons of great information. But the conference itself is a hard thing for me to understand. Don't get me wrong--it's a great way to gather information and get it out there for the public. The one thing that does not sit well with me is that the SHC preaches to the choir--they are merely presenting in front of people who already want to see soring to end. Rose Miller said in her review of the SHC: “One of the speakers said...that [this information] should have been presented in front of thousands instead of the group present. I totally agree, and with that in mind, please feel free to share these thoughts with your friends.” They are right. This needs to be presented through mandatory meetings by the USDA with HIOs, get this information out at equine affaires and horse expos, things like that. The pressure needs to continue on both the USDA and the HIOs to get them to stop this nonsense. So please, spread the word, tell people about the SHC, and let’s be active in helping to end this horrible practice and stop these felons once and for all.

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