USDA Opens Public Comment on New Horse Soring Inspection Rules
The U.S. Department of Agriculture opened public comment Nov. 13 on a proposal that would change how inspectors look for horse soring at shows, exhibitions, sales and auctions. Soring involves deliberately causing pain to a horse’s legs or feet to exaggerate its gait. The federal Horse Protection Act remains in force, and the proposed inspection changes are not final.
The proposal would keep the existing system in which horse industry organizations train and license third-party inspectors. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service would tighten requirements for their training, evaluation, monitoring and conduct. The proposal would also strengthen protections against interference with inspections and prohibit substances used to conceal signs of soring, such as topical numbing agents.
When federal veterinarians conduct an inspection, two would have to examine the horse independently and agree on a finding of noncompliance before notifying the person responsible for the horse. That person could immediately appeal to a neutral official at the event. The agency also proposes removing the existing scar rule, which uses specified skin changes as evidence of soring and which a federal court has barred the agency from enforcing.
The proposal follows a court decision that struck down major parts of a 2024 rule, including restrictions on certain equipment and substances for Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses. USDA now proposes withdrawing the remaining provisions of that rule. Those provisions included a shift from industry-licensed inspectors to inspectors trained and authorized by the federal agency.
Why This Matters for Animals
Inspectors are the first line of protection for horses brought to covered events. A ban on substances used to hide signs of pain could help them detect soring. Keeping industry organizations in charge of licensing third-party inspectors makes the proposed federal oversight requirements especially consequential. The two-veterinarian requirement would also change what federal inspectors must do before a finding can be issued at an event.
USDA will accept public comments through Dec. 14, 2026, under docket APHIS-2026-0067. The Federal Register notice explains how to read the proposal and submit comments.
The accompanying AI-generated illustration depicts a fictional horse in an imagined pasture.
Source: Federal Register — November 13 Horse Protection proposed rule
