The 2025 PAST Act
Despite a 98% compliance rate among Tennessee Walking Horse and Racking Horse breeds, the 2025 Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act exploits the issue of soring to justify sweeping federal overreach. This legislation essentially takes administrative regulations initially proposed under the Horse Protection Act New Rule and seeks to permanently embed them into federal law.
The PAST Act dramatically expands government oversight and invasive inspections, reaching far beyond Walking and Racking horses to affect horse shows, sales, exhibitions, and events across all breeds. Your equestrian traditions, property rights, and freedoms are on the line. Protect your rights and prevent permanent, unnecessary regulation. Sign the petition now and urge your legislators to STOP the PAST Act before it permanently alters the horse industry we know and love. Your action today can preserve our equestrian heritage for generations!
PAST Act - Learn More and Take Action
Key Points of the PAST Act (2025)
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Stricter Inspection Rules:
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Replaces current inspectors (who were previously appointed by event management and industry associations) with inspectors licensed, trained, and overseen directly by the USDA.
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Prioritizes veterinarians for these inspection roles and demands inspectors have no conflicts of interest.
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Enhanced Penalties:
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Increased fines and longer prison terms for individuals found guilty of violating soring regulations, including imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to $5,000 per violation.
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Horses found to be sore would be disqualified from exhibitions for extended periods: 180 days for the first offense, one year for the second, and three years for the third.
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Expanded Definition of "Participate":
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Includes not only riding or showing but also transporting horses to events, giving instructions to exhibitors, or even being knowingly present in restricted areas at events.
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Public Disclosure:
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Requires the USDA to publish and frequently update online records of Horse Protection Act violations.
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Impact on Horse Owners, Exhibitions, and Sales:
If this act is passed:
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Greater USDA Oversight and Reduced Industry Autonomy:Independent industry inspections would end; instead, mandatory federal inspections would significantly increase USDA presence and oversight at horse events.
Financial and Operational Impacts:
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Organizers of horse shows and auctions will face additional costs and administrative burdens due to the required use of federally licensed inspectors and the stringent oversight process.
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Violation records being publicized could negatively impact reputations, affecting sales and attendance at horse events.
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Constitutional and Rights Concerns:
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These measures infringe upon the rights of horse owners and exhibitors to their personal property and due process, as protected by the Constitution.
Expanded Inspections Beyond Targeted Breeds:
1. Broader Definition of "Participation":
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The bill expands the definition of "participate" to include transporting horses, instructing exhibitors, or even being knowingly present in designated restricted areas at horse events. This means individuals connected to any breed at shows or sales that include the covered breeds will be subject to heightened scrutiny and inspection.
2. Universal USDA Oversight at Multi-Breed Events:
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Many horse shows, exhibitions, or auctions involve multiple breeds simultaneously. If even a single Tennessee Walker, Racking Horse, or Spotted Saddle Horse is presented, the event falls under strict USDA oversight as mandated by the PAST Act.
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This heightened oversight means the USDA-appointed inspectors could conduct broader inspections affecting any horse present at events containing the protected breeds, regardless of breed affiliation or the absence of soring practices among other breeds.
3. Increased Federal Presence:
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The transition from industry-appointed inspectors to federally licensed inspectors under USDA authority creates a more intense regulatory environment. Inspectors’ primary focus would be soring practices; however, broader USDA enforcement at mixed-breed events means all breeds could become subject to closer scrutiny or indirect impacts, especially where inspectors observe other perceived welfare concerns.