As the public comment period for the proposed amendments to the Horse Protection Act (HPA) came to an end Oct. 26, nearly 200 influential people banded together to urge action from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Ted Yoho and Kurt Schrader — the only veterinarians serving in Congress — submitted a letter calling on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to make changes to the proposed amendments to the HPA and finalize it before the Obama administration concludes.

“As lead sponsors and cosponsors of the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act, H.R. 3268, we are pleased that the proposal includes key elements consistent with the PAST Act to strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA),” according to the letter, “but also have some concerns about the rule’s impact on the wider horse industry where soring is not a problem.”

The 181 members of Congress who signed the letter are urging the USDA to ensure three reforms are included in the final rule applied to the HPA — the elimination of industry self-policing, ban incentives to sore Walking Horses and apply the changes to only Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses.

AAEP Foundation Earmarks $459,198 To Equine Organizations

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation will be handing out $459,198 to 27 equine organizations and special projects.

The Foundation Advisory Council selected recipients from a group of applications and ongoing projects seeking support, which were ratified by the AAEP board of directors.

Among the initiatives receiving…