Read more here at www.soundhorseconference.com

This is the first national conference to focus on ending soring of Tennessee Walking horses, being held April 11 and 12, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio. 

Soring is a cruel and illegal practice done to create a winning gait for the show ring. The purpose of the conference is to bring together a wide complement of experts, research and resources to address alternatives and solutions so that gaited horses do not have to face this abuse in the future. 

The conference will focus on challenges to compliance with the federal law, methods being used for soring, technology available which could help inspectors, proposed equine research that would help the cause, and how cultural and societal changes could be effective. 

Photos and video footage will highlight the comparisons between the performance horse’s gaits and the movement of flat-shod and barefoot Tennessee Walking Horses, including a moving video compilation highlighting sound Tennessee Walking horses performing in a variety of disciplines.

Some of the confirmed speakers and panelists include Dr. Tracy Turner, DVM, MS, Dipl.ACVS; Dan Child, American Farriers Association; Dr. Rachel Cezar, DVM, USDA Horse Protection Coordinator; J. Michael Tuck, USDA Senior Program Analyst; Donna Benefield, The Horse Protection Commission; Dr. Haussler, DVM, Colorado State University; John Burke, Biographs LLC.; Keith Dane, The Humane Society of the United States; Dr. Martha Day, National Walking Horse Association Director of DQPs and Adjunct Professor of Agriculture, Austin Peay State University; Bob Blackwell, Vice President of DQPs FOSH; and Callista Puchmeyer, Benesch Friendlander, Copelan and Aronoff. 

The conference is being sponsored by the Association of American Equine Practitioners, the American Horse Protection Association, Friends of Sound Horses, The Humane Society of the United States, The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Science, and The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association. Continuing education credits for veterinarians and veterinarian technicians will be awarded to conference attendees. More information is available by calling 800-651-7993 .

Most of the forms here require Adobe Acrobat Reader to be Installed. 



The latest version is required to view these documents.

REGISTRATION:

Click here for the REGISTRATION FORM in PDF format.

LOCATION:

Presented at the 
Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

OUTLINE:

* Program is subject to change - February 1, 2008 version

Friday, April 11, 2008

8:00 am - 9:15 

Conference Opening:  Welcome and “State of the Union” of the Sound Horse Initiatives 

Analyzing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to the sound horse movement to date, using full audience participation.

9:15 am – 10:30

 Challenges to Compliance Enforcement of the Horse Protection Act

The USDA will introduce the issues of soring, the Horse Protection Act and the Scar Rule.  Various perspectives will be presented on the most significant challenges today to compliance with this Federal Act.

10:30 am – 10:45 

Break During each break materials and products will be available from sponsors.

11:00 am– 12:00  Pressure Shoeing

A new protocol for positive detection of this method of soring is needed. Pressure shoeing is widely described as a cruel and unacceptable practice, commonly used today per insider reports, and yet seldom ticketed.  Farriers, veterinarians, inspectors and other experts will address pressure shoeing.

12:00 pm – 1:00   

Lunch break with “Celebrating Sound: Best of the Best”

Enjoy watching and learning from some of the best sound trainers, clinicians, and horse-owners as they train, gait, show, ride and dance with their sound, gaited horses in this multi-media presentation.

Friday, April 11, 2008

1:00 pm – 2:30  

 Technology   for Enforcement

Review the technologies available for enforcing the Horse Protection Act, including algometry, gas chromography, thermography, digital radiography, drug testing, and equine pain measurement. Which should be the priorities for effective enforcement? How can we encourage organizations and inspectors to use the technology at their disposal?

2:30 pm – 2:45    Break

2:45 pm – 4:00  Affecting Cultural Change

What strategies will work to change society’s thinking in geographic areas where soring is prevalent?  How can we inform and change the minds of youth so they don’t grow up thinking soring is culturally OK?  Learn from experts in other fields of societal cultural change and exchange ideas on what would be effective to end soring. 

4:00 pm    Conference Adjournment for the Day

8:00 pm  Optional:  Fantasia Performance at Equine Affaire

Our conference attendees have a chance to sit together and enjoy special equestrian acts choreographed to music.  The evening will highlight the brilliance, grace and athleticism of all equines-from smaller horse breeds through draft breeds-and the special connections they share with their human handlers.   Fantasia is usually “sold-out,” so this is a special opportunity!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

8:00 am – 8:15   

Welcome Back & Highlights to Date    A high-energy summary of some of the good things that have happened so far.

8:15 am – 9:15   

How Information & Communication Could Help

Information is power for change.  What are the barriers that prevent a perfect flow of information to interested horse owners about suspension histories of violators of the Horse Protection Act?  What information is available through Freedom of Information requests via the USDA and other channels?  How would communication improvements help bring an end to soring? 

9:15 am – 10:15 

Prevent Soring Within Your Breed

There are observations of soring in a variety of breeds other than Tennessee Walking Horses, including Racking Horses, Foxtrotters, Mountain Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses.   Learn practical advice on how to recognize this, how to structure organizations and take steps to protect your breed before this abuse becomes prevalent.

10:15 am – 10:30    Break

10:30 am – 12:00    Proposed Research Needed

What scientific research, properly structured, would be most significant to end soring?  How can we work together to obtain the resources to carry out this top priority research?  Leading veterinarian research scientists frame the research possibilities.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

12:00 pm – 1:00   

Lunch Break with “Celebrating Sound:   Best of the Best”

Continue watching and learning from some of the best sound trainers, clinicians, and horse-owners as they train, gait, show, ride and dance with their sound, gaited horses in this multi-media presentation.

1:00 pm – 1:30     The USDA’s Future Plans

Understand the USDA’s plans for the future in maximizing their resources and technology to continue improving enforcement of the Horse Protection Act.

1:30 pm - 2:00   Brainstorming:  Ideas to End Soring

The entire conference audience will participate in this lively creative process to capture a wide variety of ideas on what would be most effective to end soring in the future.  This will be moderated using brainstorming, a process for developing creative solutions to problems.

2:00 pm – 2:15    Break

2:15 pm – 3:45  Conclusions:  How to Make a Difference

Soring has been federally illegal since 1970, and yet there are still hundreds of annual suspensions for violation, and many times more offenses that escape ticketing.  What strategies and approaches would be most effective to end soring?  This capstone session will summarize and prioritize all the prior discussions, and set action plans for the future.

3:45 pm – 4:00 Recommendations for the Sound Horse Conference Next Year:  2009

4:00pm   Adjournment