H.R. 1675 — Protecting Horses from Soring Act of 2025

This section revises the definitions section of the Horse Protection Act by (1) changing the applicability of the definitions from "this chapter" to "this Act"; (2) inserting a definition of "Horse Industry Organization" as the organization established under section 4(c)(1)(A) (i.e., a private entity certified by USDA to oversee horse shows and conduct inspections); and (3) inserting a definition of "objective inspection" as an inspection conducted by a veterinarian or veterinary technician using a science-based protocol that includes, at a minimum, swabbing and blood testing, has been tested for reliability and reproducibility, has undergone peer review, and has been accepted in the veterinary or scientific community, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (4) redesignating the existing definitions of "management," "Secretary," "sore," and "State" as paragraphs (2), (4), (5), and (6), respectively. (As background, the Horse Protection Act prohibits transporting, showing, or selling sore horses—i.e., those subjected to painful practices or substances to induce gait alterations, typically at events involving gaited horse breeds such as Tennessee Walking Horses—and authorizes USDA inspections to enforce the prohibition.)

This section adds a new congressional finding to the Horse Protection Act stating that the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture has determined that the program through which the Secretary inspects horses is not adequate to ensure compliance with the Act. (It redesignates existing paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively.)

This section revises the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1823) to strengthen enforcement against soring (i.e., injuring horses to alter gait) at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions. Specifically, it (1) requires management to disqualify sore horses from shows or exhibitions for at least 30 days (first determination) or 90 days (subsequent determinations) if identified through objective inspection or notification by a licensed inspector or the Secretary of Agriculture; (2) retitles and clarifies subsection (b) as a prohibition on the sale, auction, or exhibition for sale of sore horses; (3) replaces the prior inspector appointment process with a new Horse Industry Organization, to be established by the Secretary within 180 days and governed by a board of up to 9 members (two appointed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture, two by the Kentucky Commissioner, two from the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, and up to three others), which must license conflict-free inspectors (prohibiting ties to the walking horse industry), appoint inspectors, develop objective testing with veterinary experts, and affiliate with event managements; (4) directs the Secretary to certify the organization for inspector training and licensing under 9 C.F.R. §11.7 (or successor) and revoke certifications of all other horse industry organizations within 90 days; and (5) exempts the organization from the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The section also makes conforming changes to recordkeeping, inspection authority, and prohibited acts under 15 U.S.C. 1824. (Thus, it replaces the prior self-regulated, conflict-prone system with a centralized, government-certified entity to ensure impartial, science-based inspections.)