A coalition of 114 representatives and 48 senators recently urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to finalize a Horse Protection Act (HPA) rule that would significantly curb the pernicious practice of “soring,” which involves the deliberate infliction of pain on a horse’s hooves and legs to create an exaggerated high-stepping gait for certain competitions. The rule was nearly finalized in 2017 during Secretary Vilsack’s prior tenure at the USDA, but was subsequently withdrawn by the Trump administration. It would mirror many of the goals of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, which passed the House of Representatives during the last Congress but was not taken up by the Senate. AWI continues to meet with USDA staff to urge adoption of this long-overdue rule to protect horses.