FILE PhotoNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee walking horse group that has opposed new federal rules to stop the practice known as soring said they have received notice of decertification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The SHOW Horse Industry Organization said in news release that they received the notice from the USDA on Monday. The organization did not meet the deadline to adopt the tougher inspection rules.
Soring is the practice of causing injuries to a horse's legs or hooves to exaggerate the breed's high-stepping gait at horse shows, usually done to improve the chances of winning.
The organization said they will still have inspectors at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration later this month in Shelbyville. The group said they are challenging the rule because it is not enforced consistently across the industry.
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