Rules and Regulations

Most of us know that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been randomly inspecting gaited horse shows to prevent the abusive practice of “soring.” Starting February 1, 2025, USDA will expand its inspections and start randomly inspecting competition facilities for all breeds in all disciplines. The random inspections will apply to any show facility, including schooling show facilities, whether the competition is sanctioned by a national governing body or not. Read this press release from the American Horse Council for more information. “The American Horse Council (AHC) is releasing this advisory to inform members of important changes to the Horse Protection Act (HPA). AHC asks that all members share this advisory with their competition organizers. The HPA has always applied to all equine breeds and disciplines to protect against abusive practices and promote humane care. Past enforcement of the HPA has focused on elimination of soring within the gaited ...