Supporters of training techniques associated with Tennessee walking horse "big lick" showmanship now have a champion in U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Blackburn recently introduced House Resolution 4098, or the Horse Protection Amendments Act of 2014, to counter HR 1518, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act.

Anti-soring bills in both the U.S. Senate and House have attracted a large number of co-sponsors, which is a serious threat to the folks who thought it was safe to go back to letting the walking horse industry regulate itself.

Shelbyville, Tenn. farrier John Schmidt answers: How do shoeing regulations affect a farrier's ability to shoe a Tennessee Walking Horse?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) today called for a ban on the use of action devices and performance packages in the training and showing of Tennessee Walking Horses. These devices and packages are implicated in the practice of soring, which is the abusive act of intentionally inflicting pain to accentuate a horse's gait.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the release of its final rule requiring uniform mandatory minimum penalties for violations of the federal Horse Protection Act. USDA-certified horse industry organizations operate alongside the USDA to enforce the Horse Protection Act by conducting inspections at Tennessee Walking Horse competitions. The final rule also clarifies that the agency can decertify a horse industry organization for any failure to comply with the regulations.