October 3, 2016

Did you know that the "Big Lick" walk, prized in horse show competitions, can be the result of soring? Some owners and trainers like to show off their horses' high kick trots. However to make the movement more exaggerated, some trainers resort to soring. This process involves exposing the sensitive tissue around the horse's feet to pressure and having them stand on platform shoes (stacks) embedded with nails for extra weight. Some trainers also rub diesel or kerosene around the ankles, and then tie weights around them. As a result, the horse kicks its feet up high when it walks.