Pepsi Drops Sponsorship of Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration

Multiple news organizations are reporting that Pepsi will no longer sponsor the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration following video footage of the animal abuse known as 'soring.'

Some Walking Horse trainers have been known to apply caustic chemicals to exaggerate the breed's signature gait. Walking Horse organizations have attempted to curtail the practice; however, it is commonly understood to continue despite special inspections at shows.

Within the past few years, government programs to enforce legislation passed to specifically outlaw soring has resulted in convictions against several trainers. One of those trainers, during a suspension from the show ring for engaging in the practice, was caught on video taken by an undercover investigator from the Humane Society of the US.

The video was aired on ABC's Nightline which resulted in Pepsi pulling its sponsorship

Tim Ghianni/Reuters reported:

Soring has been such a pervasive practice among Tennessee Walking Horse trainers that in 2009 the industry set up an organization and hired veterinarians to tour shows and inspect the horses.

Dr. Stephen Mullins, president of SHOW, the organization that inspects the horses, said he was disgusted by the video.

"For any animal to be abused like that ... I totally disagree with that," Mullins said.

Read more on the story on Yahoo News, ABC News, the Humane Society of the US, and watch the video on Barnmice Videos.

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