30 MONTH OLD "BABY HORSE" "I'M MERLE HAGGARD", TWHBEA #21502000

Here is a Video of a Tennessee Walking Horse "BABY HORSE" named “I'M MERLE HAGGARD”, TWHBEA Registration No. 21502000. This video was put into the public domain on January 17, 2018, when it was published on the Wesley Williams Facebook Page. “I'M MERLE HAGGARD” was born on October 3, 2015. According to Mr. Wesley Williams, “I'M MERLE HAGGARD” was started under saddle in 2017 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This Change.Org Petition - "Eliminate ALL Two Year Old Tennessee Walking Horse Classes ("Big Lick")" - was published on March 9, 2017. https://www.change.org/p/bill-cantrel... It now has almost 25,000 signatures in 30 days. Every time a person signs, a letter is sent to: Mr. Bill Cantrell, President of the Walking Horse Trainers Association; Ms. Janet Donlin, CEO of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA); Mr. Robert M. Beech, VP-Equine Welfare, TWHBEA Breed Registry; Ms. Julie Broadway, CEO, American Horse Council; Mr. Jeffrey Howard, Director – TN Walking Horse National Celebration. LETTER: Eliminate ALL Two Year Old Tennessee Walking Horse Classes (“Big Lick”) “Putting a 23 month old filly in the Show Ring wearing approximately EIGHT POUND SHOES and CHAINS is barbaric, and an atrocity. The "Big Lick" gait should never be accepted or sanctioned by civilized society in 2018. “The ‘Big Lick’ is a pain induced gait,” says Equine Vet Dr. John Haffner, Horse Science Professor at MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University). "It is a business based on the suffering and pain of Horses”. “Soring” is the illegal and cruel practice of using chemical and mechanical methods to create pain in a gaited show horses front feet to exaggerate their animated step. The Tennessee Walking Horse is the ONLY equine breed in the World which shows TWO YEAR OLDS wearing approximately EIGHT POUND SHOES with CHAINS hitting the sensitive skin above the horse's front hooves. The "Baby" Horses are put into "TRAINING" often as early as 14-15 months old. They are "STARTED" with a "SMALL" foot/package which is built up to the larger size platform shoes. They are then often "SORED" to see if they can "WALK" through the pain, and Step High to be a Tennessee Walking Show Horse. This is the prized (and abominable) "Big Lick" Gait. This Video - "Here's What 'Soring' Does To Horses" - has been viewed over 15 Million Times.   / .  . The systemic institutionalized Animal Cruelty is a stain upon the noble Tennessee Walking Horse Breed, and the great State of Tennessee.”