Through an Executive Order by President Trump, the horse industry has been granted a reprieve regarding the egregious, agenda based Horse Protection Act (HPA).
This Executive Order will stop the revised HPA for at least 60 days; it is already in the hands of attorneys to make this happen.
The real work begins now to make sure that the revised HPA never gets implemented. Western Justice will be engaging with the Trump administration to make sure all voices are heard.
The Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970 expanded its regulations on February 1, 2025, to include all horse breeds and types of events. The new regulations prohibit the use of substances or practices that cause pain, distress, or lameness on a horse’s limbs.
New requirements
- Event managers: Must notify the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at least 30 days before an event. This includes whether they are requesting an inspector.
- Competition management: Must notify APHIS of all equine events in the United States.
- Event updates: Must be provided to APHIS 15 days before an event.
- Event managers: Must notify the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at least 30 days before an event. This includes whether they are requesting an inspector.
- Violations: Must be reported to APHIS within five days of an event ending.
- Recordkeeping: Event managers must comply with new recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
What the HPA prohibits
- Soring, which is the practice of using substances, devices, or practices to make a horse’s gait more animated
- Transporting sored horses to or from events
- Using substances on a horse’s limbs, such as skin conditioners, fly spray, or other substances
