Soring

Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses

    Tennessee Walking horses are very well known for their unique gait and willing nature. They are considered one of the lighter breeds in the equine family. These horses were originally bred to work in fields but to have a smooth gait when ridden. Although they are used in all disciplines of riding, Tennessee Walking horses are most commonly found in saddle seat events.

However, many of these animals are subjected to a deleterious form of abuse called soring in order to achieve an exaggerated gait known as “the Big Lick.”

“For years, trainers have been pushing horses well past genetics to get that eye-catching step…” says Blake Farmer from npr.org. “One banned practice is called ‘soring.’ Trainers make tiny cuts on a horse's ankles and splash diesel fuel or mustard oil on them. The pain is believed to make the horse step even higher.”

Despite the laws, rules, and regulations against it, soring remains remarkably common in the show circuit. In 2014, the Annual Tennessee Walker Celebration began using blood tests and x rays to screen the horses for pain killers (used to mask the pain) or ill-fitted shoes (another practice that purposely fits the horse with shoes so tight that they step higher out of pain as a result).

Not only does soring purposely inflict pain on the horses, but it can also induce serious illnesses, like colic, that are fatal to these animals. The chemicals applied to the horse’s legs are also known to be toxic to the horse’s liver, blood, and central nervous system. Many can also even cause organ damage with repeated exposure.

The most common concoction of chemicals used in soring is mustard oil and DMSO (a popular medicine used in soring that is known, ironically, for it’s healing powers). Also called dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO is often used in equine veterinary care. The most popular benefit of DMSO is it’s ability to aid other treatments as well. However, when used incorrectly and combined with mustard oil, in this case, it can hurt the horses severely.

"DMSO is a relatively safe product when properly applied, but it can be harmful if misused," says David McCarroll, DVM, DACVIM, of Interstate Equine Services in Goldsby, Oklahoma. "The best thing to do is use it under the direction of your veterinarian."

The practice of soring in gaited horse breeds is again, in consideration of its advantages, highly controversial, but remains consistent in its negative health effects. Despite the laws and rules against it, soring continues to appear in the equestrian community, especially in gaited horse breeds.