(Copyright, WHR, 2006)  The year long attempt by the National Horse Protection Society to amend the Horse Protection Act was unsuccessful. Majority Leader Bill Frist was unable to get the Minority Party to bring the amendment to the floor for a vote despite continuing efforts by proponents of the amendment.

       Tom Blankenship, who spearheaded the effort, was unavailable for comment having recently suffered a ruptured appendix.  Matt Jessie of Bryan Cave Strategies officially confirmed the news  on the fate of the amendment in a conference call this afternoon.

      The amendment was crafted by some of the country's leading veterinary experts and was designed to clarify the definition of the scar rule and a "sore" horse according to medically recognized principles.