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More soring indictments in the gaited horse world

4K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Joe4d 
#1 · (Edited)
These trainers are about as prone to not learn their lessons as certain NASCAR crew chiefs I could name, unfortunately.

Tennessee Walking Horse trainer Jackie L. McConnell, of Collierville, Tenn., and three others are accused of violating the Horse Protection Act (HPA) by soring horses under a 52-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Feb. 29. The indictment comes just two days after gaited horse trainer Barney Davis and two others were sentenced in their high-profile 2011 HPA violation case.

Sharry Dedman-Beard, public information officer for the U.S State's Attorney's Office, Eastern Tennessee District, said the indictment alleges that from 2006 through September 2011 McConnell along with Jeff Dockery and John Mays, both of Collierville, Tenn., and Joseph R. Abernathy, of Olive Branch, Miss., conspired to violate the HPA by applying prohibited substances such as mustard oil, to the pastern area of Tennessee Walking Horses to achieve an exaggerated high-stepping, or so-called "big lick" gait. The indictment also describes the methods allegedly used to sore the horses, train the animals not to react to pain in their feet by causing pain elsewhere, and to otherwise mask evidence of soring.

McConnell, Dockery, Mays, and Abernathy were not available for comment on the indictment.

"McConnell, Dockery, and Mays would attempt to mask soring efforts by 'stewarding' the horses in order to reduce the level of reactions to inspections. Stewarding involves the practice of applying blunt force to a horse's head or nose when it displays an obvious reaction to pain," the indictment alleges.

The three would allegedly use black ink markers to cover soring-related scars and allegedly apply the local anesthetic Lidocaine to horses' front pasterns to prevent them from reacting to foot palpations during inspections at exhibitions, the indictment said.
The Horse | TWH Trainer, Three Others Indicted on HPA Violations

As noted in the story, this comes on the heels of a trio of trainers being sentenced in another high-profile soring prosecution: The Horse | Trio Sentenced in Horse Soring Case

Soring is abuse. It needs to stop.
 
#3 ·
It is the judges who should carry the blame. It takes only one prestigious judge to allow something then they others follow suit. The walker was bred to be a driving horse that was comfortable to ride for many hours. Big Lick has nothing to do with this. It's all about idiot judges and any judge who will judge Big Lick is an idiot. There is no need for it. That is how to get rid of it - ban the judging of it then the pressure won't be on the competitors to win at all costs.
 
#5 ·
I own padded horses. I don't believe for a moment that pads are abusive in and of themselves but what Jackie and others like him are doing is atrocious. No horse should be forced to suffer like that for any reason. Maybe if somebody would do that stuff to them they'd finally learn their lesson.
 
#12 ·
They need to clean house. I'm tired of seeing people with HPA violations get award after award. Though presently we're having an issue with the swab tests being done (false positives, it has been determined that trace amounts of something as simple as aftershave on the inspector's hands is capable of triggering a positive response in the test) so it's going to be really hard to determine who is actually in the wrong until they refine the swab test or decide to ditch it all together for something more reliable. Personally, I like thermography because heat and inflammation can't be hidden.
 
#13 ·
Any form of showing that relies on a horse wearing huge elevated platforms on its hooves should be banned. The natural action of the horse is the most beautiful thing and altering it to such an extent as they do with these poor animals is an abomination. If anyone thinks its no uncomfortable then they should try running around a track in trainers and then in stilleto heels or platform soles and see the difference.
 
#14 ·
Agreed. YOU (who think that this is ethical) should be try walking around in platform heels with chains around your ankle for 8 hrs/day/for a month. You wouldn't wish this on any animal if you did.
TWH's were bred for comfort and don't need the exaggerated movements to carry you that way.
 
#15 ·
The judge who gave the 3 the slap on the wrist, needs to receive thousands of letters in protest to how he sentenced these men. Don't you people vote your judges in? If so you can also not re-elect him. Get a letter writing campaign going. Just a few sentences 1. you protest his decision in the sentencing of xxxx (the names of the 3) and 2. you will not vote for him when his term is up. In order to gain an inch, politically, you have to move mountains.
 
#16 ·
GOOD NEWS - McConnell got a life time ban from Celebration. Anything to do with McConnell will be removed, even from Hall of Fame. Any horse in training with him will be banned. McConnell can't even step foot on the grounds during Celebration. I feel confident that losing a major sponsor had a lot to do with the director's decision but the main thing is, at least they had to quit turning a blind eye.
 
#18 ·
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