USEF Rule Change Prohibits Performance Tennessee Walking Horses at Germantown
Monday, January 14, 2013
The 2013 Germantown Charity Horse Show will offer only pleasure Tennessee Walking Horse classes in June. Although the Germantown Charity board of directors was in favor of offering the performance classes, a recent United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rule will prohibit the performance classes from being offered. The Germantown Charity Horse Show relies on the multi-breed aspect of the show and can't afford to lose its USEF rating for those other divisions.
The USEF rule reads as follows:
GR839.4n
n. Soreing and/or the use of an action device on any limb of a Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking Horse, or Spotted Saddle Horse (each a breed not recognized by the Federation) in any class at a Federation Licensed Competition is prohibited. An action device is defined by the USDA as any boot, collar, chain, roller, or other device that encircles or is placed upon the lower extremity of the leg of a horse in such a manner that it can rotate around the leg or slide up and down the leg so as to cause friction or strike the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint or pastern of the horse. (Protective bell boots or heel boots are specifically excluded from this definition). The use of a weighted shoe, pad, wedge, in conjunction with a hoof band or other device or material (commonly referred to as a performance package) placed on, inserted in, or attached to any limb of a Tennessee Walking Horse, a Racking Horse, or Spotted Saddle Horse (each a breed not recognized by the Federation) constructed to artificially alter the gait of such a horse, and which are not protective or therapeutic in nature, in classes at a Federation Licensed Competition is prohibited. EC 12/17/12 Effective Immediately.
The 2013 Germantown Charity Horse Show will be held June 4-8, 2013 at the show grounds in Germantown, Tenn.
More Stories |
-
The TWHBEA International Board of Directors has elected the Executive Committee members who will serve the association in the coming year. All were elected to two-year terms except Amanda Wright and David Williams, who each have one year left in their Board terms and are ineligible to run again due to term limits.
Read More
-
The Walking Horse Report Office will be closed December 22-26 for Christmas. The Walking Horse Report staff will be checking their emails periodically throughout the week.
Read More
-
The Walking Horse Owners’ Association has released its holiday schedule. WHOA will be closed from December 19 through January 4. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, January 5.
Read More
-
The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association has announced its holiday schedule. TWHBEA will be closed from December 24 through January 1 and will reopen on January 2. Members are encouraged to plan ahead for any year-end paperwork or registry needs.
Read More
-
James McAshley “Mack” Dekle, age 83, of Shelbyville, passed from this life on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at his home.
Read More
-
Judith Wiser Martin, known to all as Judy, passed away peacefully at her home in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on November 14, 2025, at the age of 81. She was born in Shelbyville to the late Winston and Katherine Wiser and lived her entire life in the community she loved.
Read More
-
As the leaves turn and the year draws to a close, we’re reminded that this is more than a season of cooler air and shorter days—it’s a season of GRATITUDE. For those of us in the Walking Horse industry, this time of year offers a special opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the horses, the people, and the traditions that make our community so deeply meaningful.
Read More
-
As we move into colder weather and the Christmas season, the Bedford County schools focus on making sure that students and their families have what they need. Each year, the Christmas Angels program provides Christmas gifts and support to students and their families during the holidays.
Read More
-
On November 24, 2025, Linda Gayle Cagle of Lexington Tn passed away in Parsons, Tn.Born November 9th, 1939 to Charlie and Frances Reed , chose her early career as an elementary teacher .Her career as a teacher was at Paul G Caywood Elementary school, where she was a first grade and later a 3rd grade teacher until 1995.
Read More
-
The ETWHA board of directors and executive board would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to exhibitors, trainers, spectators, sponsors and anyone that participated at the ETWHA Fall Classic. The show hosted 539 horses.
Read More
|