T is disgusting and despicable practice started being adopted as a fashionable style of “training” sometime in the late 1950s. T ere are many off ered reasons by those who practice, promote and champion this insanity, and none of them take the anguish away for the suff ering horses. Over the years, many people have tried to shine a light on the plight of Tennessee Walking Horses forced to endure the horrors of soring, but usually they were local bat les and those gallant humanitarians were too oſt en silenced.
nd no
THE VISION OF FOSH Cherie Beat y had a vision and would not be silenced.
She had a vision to eliminate the practice of soring by using a two-front approach that included publicly decrying the practice, and off ering a brand new venue for showing sound horses. She knew many owners of TWHs who were forced to show alongside sored horses because there simply were no alternatives. In 1988 Cherie put her plan in motion and founded Friends Of Sound Horses (FOSH). She immediately began to off er showing e he
About that time Eugene Davis published his now
famous book, “From T e Horse’s Mouth” and more people than ever came to know about the miseries infl icted on TWHs. When people asked Eugene at book signings and promotions what they could do to help, he would recommend FOSH. People now had a place to go to not only to help stop soring but also to show and enjoy sound, naturally gaited horses with like-minded friends. Cherie founded FOSH with the concept that “the horse comes fi rst.” For that reason FOSH was
opportunities for sound horses. Her fi rst national shows were held in Colorado.
Friends of Sound Horses, Inc.
founded as a non-voting membership, which means the board of directors makes the decisions, and the board of directors elects the new board members. No trainers can sit on the board of directors. Every decision made by the board is made with the best interest of the horse as the driving force— not ribbons, names, status or money. FOSH will only support fl at-shod or barefoot horses and will never endorse any event that allows any artifi cial means to modify the natural gait of the horse. In 2002, FOSH moved its national shows to St. Louis, Missouri to be able to off er sound horse shows and support in an area that was closer to the roots of the problem. At fi rst this proved to be a chal- lenge, but the new venue was well received by TWH owners who believed in the concept of the sound m a l o
horse. People from all over the country began to seek them out and support the cause.
FOSH has accomplished so much together with volunteers who devote their time, eff orts and hearts to safeguarding those horses who have no way of defending themselves. Everyone at Ft FOSH is a volunteer—there is no paid staff . Everyone is there for the sake of the horse.
he
BRINGING VIOLATORS TO LIGHT
Past president Lori Northrup spearheaded the creation of a website database listing all the soring violations—thousands of them.
continued next page
In 2002, FOSH moved its national shows to St. Louis, Missouri to be able to offer sound horse shows and support in an area that was closer to the roots of the problem. At first this proved to be a challenge, but the new venue was well received by TWH owners who believed in the concept of the sound horse. People from all over the country began to seek them out and support the cause.
WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US • June 2013 | 75
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Gracie Royle and her 24-year-old rescued TWH mare Jada enjoying the trails in Kansas. Gracie is a FOSH supporter and president of Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. Photo by Dawn Kerley
Sound Advocate is published bimonthly by FOSH.
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