President-elect Trump's stance on executive orders could change the course of the Tennessee Walking Horse -- a large, but controversial industry in the mid-state -- according to top Tennessee Walking Horse industry leaders.
Friday, the USDA announced it will enforce a new rule change starting in 2018, meant to cut down on an illegal practice called soring that is sometimes used to give Tennessee Walking Horses their distinctive exaggerated gait in competitions.
The use of chemicals that cause soring has already been outlawed, but the rule change will now also ban things like chains and hoof pads -- items Tennessee Walking Horse industry leaders say don't hurt horses.
"If the effort is to eliminate soring, this won't do it, because there's nothing wrong with this equipment," said Mike Inman, the CEO of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, the industry's marquee annual event that takes place in Bedford County.
The Humane Society of the United States applauded Friday's decision.
"I put this abuse in the same category as dog fighting or cockfighting," said Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society. "We applaud Secretary [of Agriculture Tom] Vilsack and the Administration for addressing these issues before President Obama departs the Oval Office."
But Walking Horse industry leaders say the fight against the new rule isn't over, arguing the USDA ruling will hurt charities that benefit from Walking Horse shows.
"Almost all of them are put on by a Rotary or Lions Club or cancer organization," Inman said.
Inman said he is counting on President-elect Trump to review and overturn the USDA rule, a regulation that --similar to an executive order -- was imposed without consulting congress.
Trump has publicly blasted such executive orders, proclaiming in his "Contract With The American Voter" he formulated on the campaign trail that he would "cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama" on his first day in office.
"The new administration has been very vocal about being disappointed with bureaucrats bypassing congress and the legislature and putting in regulations, which is what this is," Inman said.
Inman says he and other industry groups plan to sue the USDA in court if the rule change isn't stopped.
