The Sadistic Treatment of Tennessee Walking Horses

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I was at this show, and all eight of my horses were inspected and shown..I ride, I I don't sore..but as the years pass and the hope that the cruelty will stop, disappointment floods my heart at each show I attend... There are a choice few that are STILL getting by with the cruel soring and beatings that began this whole issue..I know for a fact that one small training barn lost at least 6 horses, it's been told it was as many as 11 within 4 months, from the mistreatment they received.. This guy still trains, shows, and acts like he's a king or something.. So yes I have lost faith in what I thought would end all this unnecessary cruelty..

meridith morgan of KY 1:11PM January 06, 2012

How can a "trainer" think they have a love of this incredible animal by torturing it? Common sense folks...heard of it? It's basic, torture is WRONG, causing pain, harm or perm. damage is WRONG. Read the White Paper written by vets that KNOW what soring and stacks cause. The mechanical look of movement is UGLY, TORTURE. I would much rather see a natural moving horse free of pain, happy calm eyes and a true performer capable of more than just hoping wildly across and arena with a fat billy bob riding him and spuring him on with red necks chearing at the heat of it. Sick Sick Sick. I am tired of explaining to people that I do not do that to my animals. You saying that someone will never win a ribbon again if you find out who they are! Who in the heck do you think YOU are! I don't care about ribbons, I care about the ride and know mine are honest! I know my horses move much better and are much happier than you torturous bastards that continue to abuse animals. Someday soon you will be stopped and I will CHEER! Then what will you do? Crawl back into your hillbilly cave and cry!

HORSE LOVER of MS 11:49PM February 05, 2011

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the best weight loss of 9:24AM March 28, 2010

THERE WERE OVER 400 HORSE PROTECTION ACT VIOLATIONS AT THE 2009 CELEBRATION. TYPICAL SORE HORSE ADVOCATE RESPONSE. MINIMIZE THE PROBLEM.

SUZI CLARK of OH 6:18PM January 04, 2010

This is addressed to the author of the first comment-- You honestly think only twenty or so people sore their TWH's. Maybe twenty in your area or your group of friends but do you honestly think the government would set aside money to pay inspectors for twenty bad apples? No. Either you are a teen or a clueless adult. Soring is a big problem in the industry. The number of soring violations has gone up in the last two years so it's not going away. People can blame overzealous inspectors, the sun, the moon, whatever they want but that doesn't change the fact that soring is a huge problem.
Maybe you grew up in an environment where these practices were used and therefore you are so accustomed to it that you fail to see the big picture and just how cruel soring is. I can understand that mentality. We do what we know and what we've heard all of our lives but there comes a time when we must think for ourselves and say enough is enough. Many people that used to sore or have horses in barns where soring occured have since changed their practices. Its pathetic what humans will do in order to boost their ego and win a ribbon that cost a couple bucks to make. They want the fame, to be a notoriously "good" trainer that will get your horse to be in the ribbons, all that crap. Many owners don't care what it takes to get a horse to move like that, they just want the glory of the win at the horses expense.
Cruel training methods are used in every industry involving animals. Check out western pleasure training methods used on Quarter Horses for example. Tying their heads up so they hang low, using bicyle chains for bits, using wire as a curb strap. Literally filleting the horses sides with spurs. Racing Thoroughbreds so young their knees aren't even closed yet! When they don't win they get hauled to the auction and are often bought by kill buyers where they are taken to a feedlot and fattened up for a couple days before setting off on a one way trip to the slaughterhouse.
TWH's are abused in a way that I just cannot comprehend. Its so over the top its unbelievable the crap humans do to win. I mean come on-chemicals, road foundering, horses moaning in pain, horses laying down all the time in their stalls and needing to be whipped to rise, horses never getting turned out because they have those stupid looking stacked shoes on and they might rip off a hoof is allowed out of their stalls. It's just sick sick sick sick sick.

JLJ of WA 11:52AM November 20, 2009

this is so dumb. I have grown up with TWH and the people i grew up with rode them all the time. trust me, only about 20 people or so sore there horses, and you people dont even know wat ur talking about.

Kathryn of MO 8:21PM September 21, 2009

Celebration Stake 2009
1st-Watch It Now - Post Show Scar Rule Violation/USDA federal case
2nd-Victoria's Secret - Post Show Scar Rule Violation/USDA federal case
3rd-The Coach - Post Show Scar Rule Violation/USDA federal case
Makes you wonder how they got to show in the first place,

Richard Nibbler of DE 1:50PM September 09, 2009

Just another example of government intrusion!! If you don't like soring..then don't do it. Change the industry by changing yourself..or entering in your "unsored" horses. Government shouldn't be burdened with righting every single wrong that exists. A horse is a horse and is an animal.
BTW I own and show TN Walkers and have never and will never sore. But I can't stand all this ruckus with "outsiders" or people who don't know what they are talking about jumping on a band wagon.
I have a great show record on my horses...and I beat sore horses regularly. Get on the horse and ride everyday as much as possible...train hard and you can beat sore horses.
All I hear is lazy people wanting to "squash" soring...so they can show their barely trained horses and have a chance. Train your horses...and show them and the industry will see the results. That is the best way to reform the practice!! And PLEASE tell the government to get out!! And if you aren't in the industry or don't own or show Tn Walkers...don't comment!!

TnWlkerGrl of VA 2:42PM August 31, 2009

http://www.tennessean.com/article/D4/20090823/SPORTS/90823001/0/NEWS01/Tennessee+Walking+Horse+abuse+triples+in+4+months#pluckcomments

Peter Puffer of LA 10:50AM August 25, 2009

As we all very well know our horses, even though we may think our horses are worth a over abundance, they arent.
i have been going to the TWH Celebration since i was 12, my grandaddy showed walkers, way back in the day, and even way back when they did bad things to there horses..
The makeing them pace till they dont know how to do anything else then slapping pads on them, the tail breaking the head sets,the soring.
My biggest beef here is i want to go o the Celebration, but i want to see flat shod horses take over without all the oring if my horse steps high, but look at all the natural moves of the walking horse stride comfermation, are they smooth.
In my mind i just really want to know why cant we geet back to where they should be!
Maybe we could get back to our horses bein ntural, and who knows my Tn walking horses might go up in value..
I dont know but i know i love my walking horses and that is the only horse i ever want to be riding.
I love the celebration and want to see it house the best walking horses not the sorest or the people who have the most money, politics is in every move of the celebration who know who, and do you have enough money to buy off this person and that person..maybe a judge maybe some one else..

A Tn Walker lover of TN 7:45PM August 24, 2009