USDA Horse Protection Act Regulations Effective February 1, 2025
Show Management must disqualify any individuals that are in violation to the USDA Regulations below. Show Management is required to file regulatory reports 30 days before the start of the show, 15 days prior and then 5 days post show. All ESC Sanctioned shows are provided assistance with reporting and data management requirements.
Pay special attention to toe and heel ratios defined in items 10-13. Any horse with foundered, small heels, low heels or high heels and whose heel is NOT 1 inch shorter than the toe should file an ESC Medical Report.
(a) General prohibitions for all horses. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no action device, method, practice, or substance shall be used with respect to any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction if such use causes or can reasonably be expected to cause such horse to be sore or is otherwise used to mask previous and/or ongoing soring.
(b) Prohibited devices, equipment, and practices. The use of the following action devices, equipment, or practices on any horse, at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction is prohibited:
(1) More than one action device permitted under this section on any limb of a horse.
(2) All beads, bangles, rollers, and similar devices, with the exception of rollers made of lignum vitae (hardwood), aluminum, or stainless steel, with individual rollers of uniform size, weight and configuration, provided each such device may not weigh more than 6 ounces, including the weight of the fastener.
(3) Chains weighing more than 6 ounces each, including the weight of the fastener.
(4) Chains with links that are not of uniform size, weight, and configuration; and chains that have twisted links or double links.
(5) Chains that have drop links on any horse that is being ridden, worked on a lead, or otherwise worked out or moved about.
(6) Chains or lignum vitae, stainless steel, or aluminum rollers which are not smooth and free of protrusions, projections, rust, corrosion, or rough or sharp edges.
(7) Boots, collars, or any other devices, with protrusions or swellings, or rigid, rough, or sharp edges, seams or any other abrasive or abusive surface that may contact a horse’s leg.
(8) Boots, collars, or any other devices that weigh more than 6 ounces, except for soft rubber or soft leather bell boots and/or quarter boots that are used as protective devices.
(9) Pads or other devices on horses up to 2 years old that elevate or change the angle of such horses’ hooves in excess of 1 inch at the heel.
(10) Any weight on horses up to 2 years old, except a keg or similar conventional horseshoe that weighs 16 ounces or less, and any horseshoe on horses up to 2 years old that weighs more than 16 ounces.
(11) Artificial extension of the toe length, whether accomplished with pads, acrylics, or any other material or combinations thereof, that exceeds 50 percent of the natural hoof length, as measured from the coronet band, at the center of the front pastern along the front of the hoof wall, to the distal portion of the hoof wall at the tip of the toe. The artificial extension shall be measured from the distal portion of the hoof wall at the tip of the toe at a 90-degree angle to the proximal (foot/hoof) surface of the shoe.
(12) Toe length that does not exceed the height of the heel by 1 inch or more. The length of the toe shall be measured from the coronet band, at the center of the front pastern along the front of the hoof wall to the ground. The heel shall be measured from the coronet band, at the most lateral portion of the pastern, at a 90-degree angle to the ground, not including normal caulks at the rear of a horseshoe that do not exceed 3-4 inch in length. That portion of caulk at the rear of a horseshoe in excess of 3-4 of an inch shall be added to the height of the heel in determining the heel/toe ratio.
(13) Pads that are not made of leather, plastic, or a similar pliant material.
(14) Any object or material inserted between the pad and the hoof other than acceptable hoof packing, which includes pine tar, oakum, live rubber, sponge rubber, silicone, commercial hoof packing, or other substances used to maintain adequate frog pressure or sole consistency. Acrylic and other hardening substances are prohibited as hoof packing.
(15) Single or double rocker-bars on the bottom surface of horseshoes which extend more than 1 1-2 inches back from the point of the toe, or which would cause, or could reasonably be expected to cause, an unsteadiness of stance in the horse with resulting muscle and tendon strain due to the horse’s weight and balance being focused upon a small fulcrum point.
(16) Metal hoof bands, such as used to anchor or strengthen pads and shoes, placed less than 1-2 inch below the coronet band.
(17) Metal hoof bands that can be easily and quickly loosened or tightened by hand, by means such as, but not limited to, a wing-nut or similar fastener.
(18) Any action device or any other device that strikes the coronet band of the foot of the horse except for soft rubber or soft leather bell boots that are used as protective devices.
(19) Shoeing a horse, trimming a horse’s hoof, or paring the frog or sole in a manner that will cause such horse to suffer, or can reasonably be expected to cause such horse to suffer pain or distress, inflammation, or lameness when walking, trotting, or otherwise moving. Bruising of the hoof or any other method of pressure shoeing is also prohibited.
(20) Lead or other weights attached to the outside of the hoof wall, the outside surface of the horseshoe, or any portion of the pad except the bottom surface within the horseshoe. Pads may not be hollowed out for the purpose of inserting or affixing weights, and weights may not extend below the bearing surface of the shoe. Hollow shoes or artificial extensions filled with mercury or similar substances are prohibited.
(21) The use of whips, cigarette smoke, or other stewarding actions or paraphernalia to distract a horse or to otherwise impede the inspection process during an examination, including but not limited to, holding the reins less than 18 inches from the bit shank is prohibited.
(c) Specific prohibitions for Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses. (1) All action devices are prohibited on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction.
(2) All artificial extension of the toe length is prohibited on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction, unless such horse has been prescribed and is receiving therapeutic treatment using artificial extension of the toe length as approved in writing by a licensed veterinarian.
(3) All pads and wedges are prohibited on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction, unless such horse has been prescribed and is receiving therapeutic treatment using pads or wedges as approved in writing by a licensed veterinarian.
(4) All substances are prohibited on the extremities above the hoof of any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse entered for the purpose of being shown or exhibited, sold, auctioned, or offered for sale in or on the grounds of any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction, unless such horse has been prescribed and is receiving therapeutic treatment using substances as approved in writing by a licensed veterinarian.
(d) Competition restrictions—2-Year-old horses. Horse show or horse exhibition workouts or performances of 2-year-old Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses and working exhibitions of 2-year-old Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses (horses eligible to be shown or exhibited in 2-year-old classes) at horse sales or horse auctions that exceed a total of 10 minutes continuous workout or performance without a minimum 5-minute rest period between the first such 10-minute period and the second such 10-minute period, and, more than two such 10-minute periods per performance, class, or workout are prohibited.
(e) Information requirements—horse related. Failing to provide information or providing any false or misleading information required by the Act or regulations or requested by APHIS representatives or HPIs appointed by management, by any person that enters, owns, trains, shows, exhibits, transports or sells or has custody of, or direction or control over any horse shown, exhibited, sold, or auctioned or entered for the purpose of being shown, exhibited, sold, or auctioned at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction is prohibited and may result in disqualification under § 11.13. Such information shall include, but is not limited to: Information concerning the name, any applicable registration name and number, markings, sex, age, and legal ownership of the horse; the name and address of the horse’s training and/or stabling facilities; the name and address of the owner, trainer, rider, custodian, any other exhibitor, or other legal entity bearing responsibility for the horse; the class in which the horse is entered or shown; the exhibitor identification number; and, any other information reasonably related to the identification, ownership, control, direction, or supervision of any such horse.
Dermatologic conditions indicative of soring.
If an HPI or APHIS representative, upon inspection, finds that any limb of a horse displays one or more dermatologic conditions that they determine are indicative of soring as that term is defined in 15 U.S.C. 1821, the horse shall be presumed to be sore and subject to all prohibitions set forth in 15 U.S.C. 1824. Examples of dermatologic conditions that will be evaluated in determining whether a horse is sore shall include, but are not limited to, irritation, moisture, edema, swelling, redness, epidermal thickening, and loss of hair (patchy or diffuse).
Inspection and detention of horses.
(a) For the purpose of effective enforcement of the Act, each horse owner, exhibitor, trainer, or other person having custody of, or responsibility for, any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction, shall allow any APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management to inspect such horse at all reasonable times and places the APHIS representative or HPI may designate. Such inspections may be required of any horse which is stabled, loaded on a trailer, being prepared for show, exhibition, or sale or auction, being exercised or otherwise on the grounds of, or present at, any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or horse auction, whether or not such horse has or has not been shown, exhibited, or sold or auctioned, or has or has not been entered for the purpose of being shown or exhibited or offered for sale or auction at any such horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or horse auction. APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management will not generally or routinely delay or interrupt actual individual classes or performances at horse shows, horse exhibitions, or horse sales or auctions for the purpose of examining horses, but they may do so in extraordinary situations, such as but not limited to, lack of proper facilities for inspection, refusal of management to cooperate with inspection efforts, reason to believe that failure to immediately perform inspection may result in the loss, removal, or masking of any evidence of a violation of the Act or the regulations, or a request by management that such inspections be performed by an APHIS representative.
(b) When any APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management notifies the owner, exhibitor, trainer, or other person having custody of or responsibility for a horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or horse auction that APHIS desires to inspect such horse, it shall not be moved from the horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or horse auction until such inspection has been completed and the horse has been released by an APHIS representative.
(c) For the purpose of inspection, testing, or taking of evidence, APHIS representatives may detain for a period not to exceed 24 hours any horse, at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or horse auction, which is sore or which an APHIS representative has probable cause to believe is sore. Such detained horse may be marked for identification and any such identifying markings shall not be removed by any person other than an APHIS representative.
(d) Detained horses shall be kept under the supervision of an APHIS representative or secured under an official USDA seal or seals in a horse stall, horse trailer, or other facility to which access shall be limited. It shall be the policy of APHIS to have at least one representative present in the immediate detention area when a horse is being held in detention. The official USDA seal or seals may not be broken or removed by any person other than an APHIS representative, unless:
(1) The life or well-being of the detained horse is immediately endangered by fire, flood, windstorm, or other dire circumstances that are beyond human control.
(2) The detained horse is in need of such immediate veterinary attention that its life may be in peril before an APHIS representative can be located.
(3) The horse has been detained for a maximum 24-hour detention period, and an APHIS representative is not available to release the horse.
(e) The owner, exhibitor, trainer, or other person having custody of or responsibility for any horse detained by APHIS for further inspection, testing, or the taking of evidence shall be allowed to feed, water, and provide other normal custodial and maintenance care, such as walking, grooming, etc., for such detained horse, provided that:
(1) Such feeding, watering, and other normal custodial and maintenance care of the detained horse is rendered under the direct supervision of an APHIS representative.
(2) Any non-emergency veterinary care of the detained horse requiring the use, application, or injection of any drugs or other medication for therapeutic or other purposes is rendered by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in the presence of an APHIS representative and, the identity and dosage of the drug or other medication used, applied, or injected and its purpose is furnished in writing to the APHIS representative prior to such use, application, or injection by the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine attending a horse. The use, application, or injection of such drug or other medication must be approved by the APHIS representative.
(f) It shall be the policy of an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management to inform the owner, trainer, exhibitor, or other person having immediate custody of or responsibility for any horse allegedly found to be in violation of the Act or the regulations of such alleged violation or violations before the horse is released as determined by an APHIS representative.
(g) The owner, trainer, exhibitor, or other person having immediate custody of or responsibility for any horse or horses that an APHIS representative determines shall be detained for inspection, testing, or taking of evidence pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section shall be informed after such determination is made and shall allow said horse to be immediately put under the supervisory custody of APHIS or secured under official USDA seal as provided in paragraph (d) of this section until the completion of such inspection, testing, or gathering of evidence, or until the 24-hour detention period expires.
(h) The owner, trainer, exhibitor, or other person having custody of or responsibility for any horse allegedly found to be in violation of the Act or regulations, and who has been informed of such alleged violation by an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management as stated in paragraph (f) of this section, may request re-inspection and testing of said horse within a 24-hour period, and an APHIS representative will grant the request provided that:
(1) Such request is made to an APHIS representative immediately after the horse has been inspected by an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management and before such horse has been removed from the inspection facilities;
(2) An APHIS representative determines that sufficient cause for re-inspection and testing exists; and
(3) The horse is maintained under APHIS supervisory custody as prescribed in paragraph (d) of this section until such re-inspection and testing has been completed.
(i) The owner, exhibitor, trainer, or other person having custody of, or responsibility for, any horse being inspected shall render such assistance, as the APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management may request, for the purposes of such inspection.
Access to premises and records.
(a) Management. (1) The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction shall, without fee, charge, assessment, or other compensation, provide APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management with unlimited access to the grandstands, sale ring, barns, stables, grounds, offices, and all other areas of any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction, including any adjacent areas under their direction, control, or supervision for the purpose of inspecting any horses, or any records required to be kept by regulation or otherwise maintained.
(2) The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction shall, without fee, charge, assessment, or other compensation, provide APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management with an adequate, safe, and accessible area for the visual inspection and observation of horses.
(b) Exhibitors. (1) Each horse owner, trainer, exhibitor, or other person having custody of or responsibility for any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction shall, without fee, charge, assessment, or other compensation, admit any APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management to all areas of barns, compounds, horse vans, horse trailers, stables, stalls, paddocks, or other show, exhibition, or sale or auction grounds or related areas at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction, for the purpose of inspecting any such horse, at any and all times.
(2) Each owner, trainer, exhibitor, or other person having custody of or responsibility for, any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction shall promptly present his or her horse for inspection upon notification, orally or in writing, by any APHIS representatives or HPIs appointed by the management that said horse has been selected for inspection for the purpose of determining whether such horse is in compliance with the Act and regulations. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0056)
Inspection space and facility requirements.
(a) The management of every horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction shall provide, without fee, charge, assessment, or other compensation, sufficient space and facilities for APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management to carry out their duties under the Act and regulations when requested to do so by APHIS representatives or HPIs appointed by management, whether or not management has received prior notification or otherwise knows that such show, exhibition, sale, or auction may be inspected by APHIS. With respect to such space and facilities, it shall be the responsibility of management to provide at least the following:
(1) Sufficient, well-lit space in a convenient location to the horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction arena, acceptable to APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management, in which horses may be inspected.
(2) Protection from the elements of nature, such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, windstorm, etc.
(3) A means to control crowds or onlookers in order that APHIS representatives and HPIs appointed by management may carry out their duties safely and without interference.
(4) An accessible, reliable, and convenient 110-volt electrical power source available at the show, exhibition, sale, or auction site.
(5) Appropriate areas adjacent to the inspection area for designated horses to wait before and after inspection, and an area to be used for detention of horses.
(b) Other than the persons noted below, only a management representative, HPIs appointed by management, and APHIS representatives are allowed in the warm-up and inspection areas. Each horse in the inspection area may only be accompanied by the person having immediate custody of or responsibility for the horse. Inspected horses shall be held in a designated area under the observation by a management representative and shall not be permitted to leave the designated area before showing. Each horse in the designated warm-up area may be accompanied by no more than three individuals, including the person having immediate custody of or responsibility for the horse, the trainer, and the rider. No other persons are allowed in the warm-up or inspection areas without prior approval from an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management.
[Reserved]
Responsibilities and liabilities of management.
(a) Horse shows, horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse auctions at which the management does not utilize an APHIS representative or HPI. The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction which does not utilize an APHIS representative or appoint an HPI shall be responsible for identifying all horses that are sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations, and shall disqualify or prohibit any horses which are sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations from participating or competing in any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction. Horses entered for sale or auction at a horse sale or horse auction must be inspected and, as appropriate, identified as sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations prior to the sale or auction and, as required by the Act, prohibited from entering the sale or auction ring. Sore horses or horses otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations that have been entered in a horse show or horse exhibition for the purpose of show or exhibition must be identified and disqualified prior to the show or exhibition. Any horses found to be sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations during actual participation in the show or exhibition, must be removed from further participation immediately ( e.g., prior to the horse placing in the class or the completion of the exhibition). All horses that placed first in each class or event at any horse show or horse exhibition shall be inspected after being shown or exhibited to determine if such horses are sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations.
(b) Horse shows, horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse auctions at which the management utilizes an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management.
(1) The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction that utilizes an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management shall not take any action which will interfere with or influence the APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management in carrying out their duties.
(2) The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction that utilizes an HPI to inspect horses shall appoint at least 2 HPIs when more than 100 horses are entered.
(3) The management of any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction that utilizes APHIS representatives or HPIs to inspect horses shall have at least one farrier physically present if more than 100 horses are entered in the event. If 100 or fewer horses are entered in the horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction, the management shall, at minimum, have a farrier be on call within the local area. Management must ensure that the farrier appear promptly at the horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction if requested by an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management.
(4) After an APHIS representative or HPI appointed by management has completed inspection, management must prevent tampering with any part of a horse’s limbs or hooves in such a way that could cause a horse to be sore.
(5) If management is dissatisfied with the performance of a particular HPI, management should promptly notify, in writing, the Administrator as to why management believes the performance of the HPI was inadequate or otherwise unsatisfactory.
(6) Management that utilizes an APHIS representative or HPI shall immediately disqualify or prohibit from showing, exhibition, sale, offering for sale, or auction of any horse identified by the APHIS representative or HPI to be sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations and any horse otherwise known by management to be sore or otherwise in violation of the Act or regulations. Should management fail to disqualify or prohibit from being shown, exhibited, sold or auctioned any such horse, the management is responsible for any liabilities arising from the showing, exhibition, sale, or auction of said horses.
(c) Other responsibilities of management at horse shows, horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse auctions.
(1) Ensure that no devices or substances prohibited under § 11.6 are present in the warm-up area.
(2) Review the orders of the Secretary disqualifying persons from showing or exhibiting any horse, or judging or managing any horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction and disallow the participation of any such person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction, for the duration of the period of disqualification.
(3) Verify the identity of all horses entered in the horse show, horse exhibition, horse sale, or horse auction. Acceptable methods of identification are as follows:
(i) A description sufficient to identify the horse, including, but not limited to, name, age, breed, color, gender, distinctive markings, and unique and permanent forms of identification when present ( e.g., brands, tattoos, cowlicks, or blemishes); or
(ii) Electronic identification that complies with ISO standards; or
(iii) An equine passport issued by a State government and accepted in the government of the State in which the horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction will occur. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control numbers 0579-0056 and 0579-0490)
