“Big lickers” reined in, but tongue-tied horses remain at mercy of shavetails

Soring horses to induce the “big lick” is far from the only questionable training & show tactic

SHELBYVILLE, Tennessee––Keith Dane,  senior director of equine protection for the Humane Society of the United States,  was optimistic after the 86th annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville,  Tennessee concluded over the Labor Day weekend that an end is in sight to many of the common abuses of walking horses.

But tongue-tying,  a common alleged abuse of racehorses banned in equestrian disciplines by the Fédération Equestre Internationale since 2004 and banned by lawTop of Form in Germany since June 2018,  remains practically unaddressed in the U.S.,  despite rising opposition to it in England and Australia.

Shaving and docking

Shaving and docking the tails of Clydesdale show horses also continues,  though more abroad than in the U.S.,  a year after Anheuser-Busch,  under pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,   reportedly quit docking and shaving the tails of the iconic Budweiser wagon-pulling Clydesdales.

In short,  ritualized routine suspect treatment of horses remains common among the very people who purport to love horses the most,  nowhere more obviously than on the walking horse show circuit.

Blogged Keith Dane on September 3,  2024,  after the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration,  “This event that labels itself a ‘Tennessee tradition’ is nothing more than a celebration of cruelty,”  as the late Clant Seay (1946-2023) contended throughout the Citizens Committee Against Big Lick Animal Cruelty campaign that occupied most of the last 10 years of his life.

         (See “Greatest anti-soring advocate of all time” Clant Seay dies at 76.)

“Stacked,  chained horses straining”

“As in previous years,”  Dane wrote,  “we witnessed the ‘Big Lick’ stacked,  chained horses straining,  crouching on their hind ends,  some clearly lame,  with eyes bulging and ears pinned back throughout their competition,  which are all indications of discomfort and pain.  Horses in the pleasure classes,  those shod with normal horseshoes and performing the natural walking horse gait,  moved freely and displayed no such signs of distress;  showcasing such natural beauty is surely the way forward for future Celebrations.”

But Dane was hopeful about the new “USDA final rule under the Horse Protection Act announced by the agency in April and published in May.  If all goes according to plan,”  Dane wrote,  “starting in February 2025,  the rule will upgrade USDA regulations to prohibit the use on Tennessee walking and racking horses at horse shows of action devices,  including chains and stacks,”  meaning “heavy high-heeled horseshoes,”  Dane explained,  “both of which are integral to the process of soring.”

“These devices torment the horses”

“These devices torment the horses,”  Dane continued,  “causing the animals pain to force them to perform the high-stepping Big Lick gait.  The rule will also end the failed,  conflict-ridden system of industry self-policing that has allowed soring to persist.”

Lobbying against strict Horse Protection Act enforcement continues,  Dane said.

“Although many horses at the Celebration exhibited the gait that is commonly produced by soring,”  Dane recounted,  “we observed several Big Lick horses being disqualified,  and we also heard of many others.  In one championship class only one of the eight horses entered to compete made it into the show ring.  In the grand finale only four of the 10 entries did—but not Justified Honors,  the three-time World Grand Champion whose owner Jim Baum had hoped to make history by winning the prize for a fourth time.

“Overriding hope”

“Buoyed by the seemingly strong enforcement of the Horse Protection Act by USDA officials,”  Dane said,  “we left this spectacle with the overriding hope that this will be the last Celebration with abused walking horses on display.

“However,  relief for these horses is not certain,”  Dane warned.  ”The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association has filed a lawsuit asking a Texas judge to set aside the rule and bar the USDA from implementing it.

“To make matters worse, we’ve seen some congressional interference by a small handful of elected representatives doing the bidding of those who want to keep the Big Lick––and soring––alive.”

Specifically,  Dane cited a YouTube video of an exchange between Congressional Representative John Rose,  a Tennessee Republican,  and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack,  an Iowa Democrat,  coming at 2:34:35 into https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHw1lCTjV5k&t=13664s.

“Big lickers” try to slash funding

Continued Dane,  “The House of Representatives Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee proposed slashing FY25 funding for the USDA’s Horse Protection Act enforcement to $2.5 million,  down from $3.5 million in the current fiscal year,  and included report language––thankfully, non-binding––directing the agency to withdraw the rule.

“This is despite over 115,000 supportive public comments for the rule and overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress,”  Dane said,  illustrated also by “strong congressional support for the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3090/S. 4004),  which goes even further than the rule in advancing protections for horses and is cosponsored by a majority in both chambers, with 245 House and 52 Senate cosponsors currently.

“Fortunately,  the Senate’s version of the appropriations report contains no such language,”  Dane mentioned,  “and we are working with lawmakers to ensure it is not retained in the final legislation.”

“Tongue-tied” is not just a metaphor

Tongue-tying,  apparently done by about two-thirds of U.S. horse racing trainers,  and by more than 70% in the United Kingdom,  has so far attracted little attention from U.S. animal advocates,  and apparently none from regulators.

But what exactly is it?

According to the Royal SPCA of Australia,  which opposes the practice,  “A tongue tie is a large band,  leather,  rubber or lycra/neoprene,  that is tightly wrapped around a horse’s tongue and then tied around the lower jaw to keep the tongue in place during training or racing.

“The use of tongue ties is widespread in both thoroughbred and standardbred (harness) racing in Australia.”

Why is it done?

“Tongue ties are used with the aim of improving racing performance for two main reasons:  to prevent horses from getting their tongue over the bit during a race,  and to prevent choking,  or the airway being obstructed by soft tissue at the back of the mouth during high intensity exercise.”

This coincides closely with definitions published by horse racing organizations.

In the U.S.,  Keith Dane told ANIMALS 24-7,  “The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority does not have a position on tongue ties.  There is conflicting opinion and evidence on both their negative impact on welfare and positive health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that improper or excessive use of tongue ties can lead to unnecessary pain and suffering.”

“Pain,  anxiety,  and distress”

In Australia,  again according to the Royal SPCA of Australia,  “Problems associated with tongue tie use include horses showing signs of pain,  anxiety,  and distress,  difficulty swallowing,  cuts and lacerations to the tongue,  bruising and swelling.

“The restriction of blood flow by the tongue tie use can cause the tongue to turn blue and can result in permanent tissue damage.

“Racing rules introduced in 2020 require that a tongue tie must not be applied more than 30 minutes prior to the race time and that tongue-ties must be removed as soon as practicable post-race.  It is unclear as to the rigor to which these rules are enforced by stewards.

Jumps racing

“The racing rules do not specify a requirement for veterinary assessment of tongue health after their use.

“The use of tongue ties is higher in jumps races (45%) than in flat races (32%),”  asserts the Royal SPCA of Australia.

Jumps racing is not included in U.S. horse racing events staged for parimutuel betting,  but is common in the United Kingdom as well as Australia.

Nosebands

Nosebands are a separate but related issue raised by 2021 study published in the scientific journal Animals,  “The Reported Use of Tongue-Ties and Nosebands in Thoroughbred and Standardbred Horse Racing—A Pilot Study,”  by Australian veterinarians Dominic Weller,  Samantha Franklin,  and colleagues.

Wrote Weller,  Franklin,  et al,   “Nosebands are available in many different designs but are generally an addition to the bridle that fits around the bridge of the nose,  encircling the mandible and maxilla.  They are widely used across a range of equestrian disciplines and, in some cases,  may be restrictive enough to prevent the horse from opening its mouth.

“In non-racing contexts,  nosebands are used for a variety of reasons,  notably to improve rider/driver safety,  by reducing evasion of the bit and making the horse easier to steer and decelerate in response to rein tension,  at least in the short-term.”

About 38% of trainers use nosebands,  at least in Australia,  Weller,  Franklin,  et al found.  As Weller,  Franklin,  et al were only trying to assess frequency and reasons for use of nosebands,  they offered no judgement as to whether they are humane.

Clydesdale tail-shaving

Elena Edwards of Animal Concern Scotland raised Clydesdale tail-shaving on August 31,  2024,  after a year-long investigation,  she wrote,  “following a call from a concerned horse owner last September.”

Tail-shaving is a different practice from tail-docking,  which means tail amputation.

Tail-shaving was apparently not commonly done for cosmetic reasons until quite recently,  and historically had pejorative connotations.

Specifically, the term “shavetail” used to describe a newly commissioned military officer reputedly dates back to the cavalry practice,  centuries ago,  of shaving the tails of the mounts of new commanders as a signal against following them in ill-advised charges.

Cosmetic tail-shaving

Draft horses’ tails were historically amputated at times to avoid entanglement with reins and harnesses,  but this practice was widely considered a confession of incompetence on the part of drivers.

Currently,  however,  cosmetic tail-shaving appears to have come into vogue.

“Last October we sent a letter to the Clydesdale Horse Society,”  Edwards recounted,  “and received a reply that they do not accept that shaving a horse’s tail is in any way a welfare issue,  and as they have received no complaints from their equine vets they will continue to allow the practice.

“No benefit to the welfare of the animals”

“We have since been in touch with the British Horse Society,  World Horse Welfare,  British Equine Veterinary Association,  National Equine Welfare Council, and the Royal SPCA,  whose equine specialist offered this as their stance on the matter:

“The practice of fully shaving off the tails of Clydesdale horses deprives them of their natural fly swat,  and also interferes with communication through body language,  which is incredibly important in equines.

“As there are other means of ensuring that the tails of working horses do not become entangled or snagged in harness,  such as plaiting of the tail,  there is no benefit to the welfare of the animals which outweighs the negative impacts of the practice.  Therefore it should end.”

“Tail-shaving was prevalent”

The British Equine Veterinary Association agreed that tail-shaving “purely for cosmetic purposes is not justified.”

Continued Edwards,  “I also contacted the Shire Horse Society.  With no response,  I went to see the Shires being shown for myself at a country show,  where I regret to report that it was clear that tail-shaving was prevalent.”

Anheuser-Busch in September 2023 responded to a PETA demand that it stop docking the tails of the Budweiser beer wagon Clydesdales with a statement that “The practice of equine tail docking was discontinued earlier this year.”

Docking or shaving?

CNN reporter Ramishah Maruf described the dispute as pertaining,  as of September 2023,  to “when the tail hair is cut short,  which can result in parts of the tailbone being shaved off.”

An American Veterinary Medical Association spokesperson told Maruf that tail-docking “has become ‘cosmetically fashionable’ in some breeds for competitions or shows,”  hinted that “Veterinarians should not perform surgeries that are not medically necessary,”  although the AVMA does not ban such procedures,  and mentioned that, “At least ten states have banned the docking of horses’ tails.”

Said Keith Dane,  “I haven’t seen the shaving of tails on Clydesdales or other draft horses in the U.S.,  or heard of the practice here.  But for some of the same reasons we oppose tail docking,”  specifically “loss of function in swatting insects and communication,  we would also oppose the shaving of horses’ tails.”

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