PAST Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill aims to stop a practice called soring. Soring is when people intentionally hurt a horse's legs or hooves to make them walk with a high-stepping gait. It bans the use of chains, weighted shoes, and other devices that cause pain to Tennessee Walking Horses and similar breeds during shows or auctions.
• The law would change how horse shows are inspected. Instead of the industry checking itself, the Department of Agriculture would train and assign independent inspectors. This helps make sure that inspectors do not have any conflicts of interest and are actually looking out for the animals' safety.
• People who break these rules would face much tougher punishments. Fines would increase to $5,000 per violation, and people could face up to three years in prison. The bill also allows the government to permanently ban repeat offenders from participating in horse shows or auctions.
• If a horse is found to be sore, it will be banned from competing for a set amount of time. A first offense leads to a 180-day ban, while a third offense results in a three-year ban. This is meant to discourage owners from hurting their animals just to win a competition.

Impact Analysis

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