Horse Show Looking For Violators

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is changing procedures at its annual competition that are used to detect signs that a trainer has applied painful chemicals to the horses’ legs in a banned practice known as soring.
The celebration’s board of directors on Monday announced the changes that will, for the first time, make the results of chemical tests public and result in trainers immediately losing their trophies and prize money if caught abusing horses.
In the past, chemical test results were delayed, but this year the show is expediting the results so they will be available during the event that begins Wednesday and runs through Sept. 1 in Shelbyville.
Soring is a banned practice that exaggerates the breed’s high-stepping gait in competitions.