No celebration for horses at this celebration

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It's that time of the year again when Shelbyville, Tenn., hosts its annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Let's hope 2008 marks the year when the horses are allowed to celebrate along with the humans by being treated and trained in a humane manner.It's a slim bet. The celebration is the mother of all Tennessee Walking Horse shows, where some 4,000 entries compete in what the organization's website describes as "the premier event for the Tennessee Walking Horse, during which the breed's World Grand Champion and some 20 World Champions are named."But here's how the New York Times described the "celebration" that took place in 2006: "A long-simmering dispute between federal regulators and the horses' trainers and owners climaxed late Saturday with the cancellation of the celebration's final showing to crown the world grand champion, for the first time in the event's 68-year history."The decision by organizers came after inspectors who check for signs of abuse disqualified most of the horses, leaving just three eligible for the championship. After the catastrophic shut-down of the 2006 event, organizers adopted a series of animal protection regulations to which entrants must adhere. This year's celebration could mark a turning point where those regulations are actually enforced. In 2007, according to the Humane Society's Keith Dane, they were not.In an e-mailed release, Dane wrote: "Even though soring is prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, some within the industry still abuse horses. Its continued practice is documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's issuance of 103 competitor violations during the 2007 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration."Soring involves intentionally causing pain to a horse's front legs and hoofs to enhance the horse's gait in the show ring.The celebration has since adopted a veritable tome of regulations it promises to enforce on trainers and owners who participate in the show. Included are pledges to allow outside veterinarians to examine the Walkers at the show. They promise to test hooves for evidence of abuse. What are the forms of torture that prompt theses reforms?The reason eye examinations are now permitted by the Celebration, according to the Humane Society, is that some owners use eye drops on the horses to temporarily blind them, so they lift their hooves even higher to try to feel their way around, since they cannot see their way around. The hoof inspections seek evidence that caustic chemicals have been painted on the horse's pasterns (ankles), such as diesel fuel, kerosene, or mustard oil. The pain is so intense the horse lifts its hoof to try to alleviate or get away from it.Then there is so-called pressure shoeing which can hide a foreign object (such as a screw or bolt) under a leather pad against the horse's front soles. Pressure shoeing can also mean cutting a horse's hoof wall and sole so short that it starts to bleed. In either case, each time the horse steps or puts weight on that hoof, it is extremely painful.The Humane Society's Keith Dane explained to me that at last year's celebration, many of the self-imposed regulations were not enforced. Dane said, for example, "We watched (inspectors) test only one front hoof (instead of both) when they got a backlog. What good does it do to test one hoof?"Dane said the celebration promoters last year promised the Humane Society it could bring federal inspectors to perform random inspections in the show barns. All Humane Society and federal representatives were allowed to do was to ride with a celebration security officer on a golf cart in between the barns. They had no chance to look inside or inspect the condition of the horses.Dane did say one change was made last year that, perhaps, served to lessen abuse of the horses. He said the Tennessee celebration improved security in the inspection area. Horses are brought into the inspection area prior to warming up and then go right into the show ring. Before security was put in place, horses could be inspected, then taken out of the inspection area and replaced with look-alikes who went straight into the warm-up area. That did not happen in 2007.I have talked to witnesses who say some of these horses are so deadened with pain, their eyes seem to glaze over. There must be some divine retribution in store for the humans who impose such horrible existences on these defenseless creatures. The good news is the Humane Society and other animal protection organizations are shining a light on practices that can only thrive in the twilight of secrecy. One day soon we can all hope sunlight will launch these practices into much-deserved oblivion. (Bonnie Erbe is a TV host and writes this column for Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail bonnieerbe(at)CompuServe.com.)