Hi! Now that we have discovered the beauty and grace of the Tennessee Walking Horse, I’m afraid it’s time to speak about the dark side of the story of this breed; soring. Let me start from the beginning. In 1940’s and 1950’s, the popularity of the Tennessee Walking Horse to the American public skyrocketed thanks to this special, extended gait. In fact, the more extravagant the gait, the more charming the horse. Furthermore, it was found that horses which were not “adequately gifted” could improve their gait with some intensive training. Exaggerated gaits also began to fascinate show judges too. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “soring is the…