Soring - the deliberate infliction of pain on horse legs to produce an exaggerated gait - is a welfare abuse that continues in certain performance horse disciplines despite legislation, illustrating broader welfare challenges in competitive equestrian sport.
Performance horse welfare encompasses a spectrum from the clearly abusive practice of soring to the subtler welfare compromises of intensive training regimes, restrictive tack, and competitive schedules. Soring causes acute and chronic pain to produce the exaggerated Big Lick gait that wins shows - there is no legitimate justification for this practice. Broader performance horse welfare issues include the welfare cost of intensive training for young horses whose musculoskeletal systems are not yet mature, the psychological impact of restrictive equipment, and the management of horses whose competitive careers end abruptly. Horse welfare in sport requires ongoing independent scrutiny.