INFORMATION ABOUT THE HORSE PROTECTION ACT

NEWS FLASH! HPA Final Rule Postponement On January 24, 2025, APHIS temporarily postponed our final rule to amend the HPA regulations for 60 days from February 1 to April 2, 2025. From USDA Page APHIS published the final rule (89 FR 39194-39251) amending the horse protection regulations to provide, among other provisions, that our agency will screen, train, and authorize qualified persons for appointment by the management of any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction to detect and diagnose soring at such events for the purposes of enforcing the HPA. With the exception of § 11.19, which went into effect on June 7, 2024, and authorized the training of horse protection inspectors, the remainder of the rule was scheduled to go into effect on February 1, 2025.  APHIS will issue guidance to stakeholders for the upcoming horse show season in light of the postponement of the new rule.  The HPA is a Federal law that prohibits sored horses from participating in shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions. The HPA also prohibits the transportation of sored horses to or from any of these events.

The USDA has announced updates to the Horse Protection Act relating to the soring of horses. The new updated regulations are scheduled to go into effect on February 1, 2025 and will affect all horse shows and most other horse events excluding speed events (racing) and rodeo events. Full information is below. USDA PAGE ON HORSE PROTECTION ACT USDA Strengthens Regulations to Protect Horses from Soring Abuse USDA Press ReleaseWASHINGTON, April 29, 2024 – In an effort to end horse soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing strengthened Horse Protection Act regulations. Soring is a cruel and inhumane practice where some owners and trainers chemically or physically irritate or burn horses to provide an accentuated gait that gives them an unfair advantage in walking horse competitions and fraudulent purchase prices at horse shows Full Article Revisions to Horse Protection Act Effective February 1, 2025 American Horse Council Press Release New requirements Effective February 1, 2025: Horse show and event managers will be required to: Provide notice to APHIS at least 30 days in advance of the event via mail or email.  Provide any event updates 15 days in advance of the event  Report any violations of the Horse Protection Act within five days post-event  Full Press Release NEWS ARTICLES Is the expanded Horse Protection Act overreach or necessary reform?  AG Daily  The Horse Protection Act has stirred concerns among horsemen, with updates slated to take effect next month, including expanding regulations to all breeds, horse events, and 4-H horse activities.   Full Article What the Revisions To The Horse Protection Act Will Mean For Horse Communities Western Justice Legislative Fund Press Release As the February 1, 2025, implementation date for the revised Horse Protection Act (HPA) looms over the horse industry, many people who are involved with horses find themselves wondering exactly how they will be affected. Simply put, the revised version of the HPA would make unnecessary, heavy-handed government overreach the norm, devastate all levels of horse show communities, and effectively cripple much of the equine industry in the United States. Full Article