Wheelon Suspended Amid Soring Charges

The license of a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer accused of soring horses has been suspended.
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The license of a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer accused of soring horses at his Maryville, Tenn., farm has been suspended by Sound Horses, Honest Judging, Objective Inspections, Winning Fairly (SHOW), the horse industry organization that manages the flagship event for the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.

Soring is the deliberate injury to a horses feet and legs to achieve an exaggerated high-stepping gait. On the federal level the Horse Protection Act (HPA) forbids soring, and the practice is also unlawful under Tennessee state animal cruelty statutes.

On April 25, personnel from the Blount County Blount County Society for the Prevention to Cruelty to Animals, Horse Haven of Tennessee, and Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) removed 19 horses from the Wheelon Stables in Maryville on grounds that the horses had been sored. The allegedly sored horses were placed in a safe location for rehabilitation. Blount County law enforcement personnel subsequently arrested trainer Larry Wheelon and charged him with one count of felony aggravated animal cruelty. Wheelon is free on bond.

Wheelon said by telephone that he had no comment on the case, but that his lawyer might comment in the future

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Written by:

Pat Raia is a veteran journalist who enjoys covering equine welfare, industry, and news. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, Sonny.

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