AHP Newsgroup: Second Sound Horse Conference a Great Success
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2009
Contact Person: Teresa Bippen
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) is pleased to announce that the second Sound Horse Conference was a powerful and moving experience that brought together veterinarians, researchers, the USDA, and numerous individuals concerned about the continued cruelty to Tennessee Walking Horses.
The conference was held March 20 & 21 at the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville, FL. Presentations included Current Soring Practices which consisted of anonymous interviews with trainers and owners involved in soring; Technology of the Future, Detection and Enforcement; How Access to Information Can Cause Change; Future Plans of the USDA; Gaited Horse Biomechanics and Hoof Structure; The Important Role of the Media in Raising Awareness and much more. Conference highlights included a luncheon with sound horse trainers, a natural gaited horse breed exhibition, private Pat and Linda Parelli demonstration and keynote address by Dr. Robert Miller, world renowned author-veterinarian and Pat Parelli speaking of Humane Trends in the Horse Industry.
FOSH released its most recent analysis of soring violation statistics and several panelists shared their ideas on how attendees could fight soring. The HSUS debuted its recently completed video on soring and song writer and Grammy winner, Mary Ann Kennedy sang her song, “Tennessee” to the Conference. The song illustrates the importance of letting Tennessee Walking Horses live free of the cruelties imposed upon this breed for decades.
In addition to FOSH, major sponsors in 2009 included the Alliance to End Soring, American Horse Protection Association, Animal Welfare Institute, Farm Family Insurance, the Humane Society of the United States, the Leslie Desmond International School of Horsemanship, the Morgan Stanley Foundation, the National Walking Horse Association, Nolan Hoof Plates, Parelli Natural Horsemanship, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association, Tonka Records, Triple K Bar C Farm, the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and Vettec.
The date and location for the 2010 Conference is not yet determined. More information on the 2009 Sound Horse Conference is available at www.soundhorseconference.com with audio recordings and speakers’ screen presentations. Transcripts will soon be available.
FOSH is a national leader in the promotion of natural, sound gaited horses and in the fight against abuse and soring of Tennessee Walking Horses. For more information about FOSH, or to become a member, please visit www.fosh.info or call 800-651-7993.