A week before president Barack Obama left office, a federal regulation to update the Horse Protection Act in the United States was announced. It only needed to be published in the Federal Registrar to become official.
On president Donald Trump’s first day in office, however, the White House announced that all unpublished rules would be withdrawn and returned for review.
Announced on January 13th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s final rule was created to protect horses from the cruel and inhumane practice known as soring and eliminate the unfair competitive advantage that sore horses have over horses that are not sore.
The practice of soring is intended to produce a high stepping gait through the use of action devices, caustic chemicals, and other practices that cause horses to suffer, or reasonably be expected to suffer physical pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness while walking or moving.
The delay doesn’t mean the rule will not pass review, but it is possible the new administration may decide not to approve it.
Read this article by USA Today for more information.
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