This one ranks as unbelievable. Marsha Blackburn, a congresswoman from Tennessee, is speaking out against legislation that would strengthen the ban horse soring.

The practice involves using corrosive chemicals on the legs of some show horses, in a cruel effort to make them step high for shows. They are known as gaited show horses and are used in competitions. And as we see with greyhound racing and horse racing and other similar industries, where there is this level of competition, there are people who will do anything to win.

But Blackburn thinks it’s too much regulation. A piece on Huffington Post published earlier today quotes her in a hearing as saying:

“This legislation brings excessive regulatory burdens on the walking horse industry and could potentially eliminate the entire industry and thus the entire breed.”

So she believes we should not ban severe acts of cruelty because it could hurt the business where the cruelty takes place. And although she doesn’t seem to possess the self-awareness to understand what she is actually saying – she is actually saying the cruelty should be allowed, so that the industry can thrive.

It is far from being an “excessive regulatory burden” to ban cruelty. Blackburn’s lack of knowledge concerning the severity of this practice and concerning the suffering the horses endure in training is troubling. And her lack of logical thought here is staggering.

And the Huffington Post piece also notes trainers “use heavy weights or painful chains on the horses’ hooves.”

I applaud Kentucky Rep. Ed Whitfield for introducing the bill to protect horses. But for her efforts, Marsha Blackburn is more than deserving of a Wacky Mentality Award.

 

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