Horse Protection Act of 1970
Key claim: It is now a federal crime to show, sell, auction, or transport a horse that has been deliberately sored to exaggerate its gait, and USDA can inspect events and penalize violators.
Abstract
(S2543 · 91th Congress) Latest action (1970-12-09): Became Public Law No. 91-540
Why this matters
The Horse Protection Act is one of USDA’s narrow animal-welfare enforcement authorities outside the food system, targeting the practice of ‘soring’ — deliberately injuring a horse’s legs to produce an exaggerated show gait. It matters for agriculture policy because it establishes USDA/APHIS inspection jurisdiction over private industry shows and sales, a model later echoed in other USDA humane-treatment regimes; effects on farmers are concentrated in the gaited-horse show industry, with no direct impact on consumers or food prices.