Horse Protection Act Modifications Postponed Until April 2, 2025

By Jessica Hein, PHJ News:

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced January 24 that new Horse Protection Act regulations have been temporarily postponed 60 days, from February 1, 2025, to April 2, 2025.

APHIS published the final rule (89 FR 39194-39251) amending the horse protection regulations to provide, among other provisions, that the 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.

An APHIS statement says the agency 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.

APHA recognizes our members’ concerns regarding the Horse Protection Act modifications. We are in full support of humane treatment practices that keep our equine athletes safe and healthy, but we are concerned with the lack of transparency provided in these modifications, especially as they relate to stock horse breeds that have no history of intentional soring. APHA is working with the American Horse Council, state-level Department of Agriculture leaders and other industry organizations to push back on implementation of these new regulations due to its vague and overreaching language. We encourage our members to continue seeking reputable sources like APHA and the APHIS website for the latest developments concerning the Horse Protection Act.

Horse Protection Act website: aphis.usda.gov/hpa.