Horse Soring - LTE

Letter to the Editor
Printed in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Sunday, August 28, 2016


http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/letters/story/2016/aug/28/horse-soring/383095/

Earlier this month, I drove to Murfreesboro to speak at the USDA's public forum on new proposals for rules against horse soring. Some of the comments made by the horse trainers were shocking. I couldn't believe grownups were making them. They deny soring exists, and/or claim it is not abuse. Horse soring is alive and well.

Tennessee is currently a haven for abusers who hide their training practices and pretend it is all in the name of benign entertainment. Horse soring, both chemically and with chains and pads, should be banned, as should the "Big Lick" style of competition.

We have a chance to create a new, less-tortured future for our namesake horse, the Tennessee Walking Horse. The horses' natural gait is beautiful and should not be altered. Claims that banning the Big Lick would mean an end to horse shows, or to gaited horse breeding, are not true. Let's move into a more humane future for these gentle and sensitive horses.

The USDA is accepting public comments at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/horse-protection-amendments.

Mary Marr

This Humane Life: The First Post

After participating in many years of activism, rescue, transport, adoption events, tracking, trapping, and learning more all the time about myself and what I want to do in life, I've decided I should be writing some of this stuff down. It would be great to look back when I'm old and gray and think about all the wonderful, like-minded people I've met because of rescue. As well as the ever-growing list of pets who I've somehow helped along their way during my life. Each one I've met I've had the urge to keep, ha!, but I also knew that I was hopefully helping them find their path to a happy life, either with me or someone else who needed them. Thank goodness for a hubby and family who help me keep my numbers in check! 

One of the main benefits I'm also hoping to see is that maybe some other person who is new to rescue will read something here and it will help them see it is easy to get involved, find your niche, and you just learn so much about yourself in the process. So, thank you for reading my little stories here and let me know you are out there by commenting any time. 

Cato and Baby Gus, circa 1993.
Hawthorne Street in Midtown.
Memphis, TN
#midtownismemphis