Introduction

FOSH Inspection Program:
Organizational and DQP Manual

March 1, 2003

1.0 Mission Statement

1.1 Friends of Sound Horses, Inc. [FOSH]

The organization is incorporated in the state of Delaware as a nonprofit, nonmember, public benefit humane and education organization. Its purpose is to provide information to the public about the humane care, treatment and training of gaited horses, with a special emphasis on the Tennessee Walking Horse, and to promote the exhibition of the flat shod walking horse at competitions designed to showcase the natural gaited pleasure walking horse.

1.2 Members of the FOSH Board and advisory boards serve as unpaid volunteers and assume their own personal expenses for such service. Some costs for official travel on behalf of the corporation may be reimbursable should the finances of the corporation allow for such reimbursements. Those who agree to work with FOSH do so for altruistic purposes and for the protection of horses and education of the general public.

1.3 FOSH already has an existing circuit of independent shows across the country, in addition to a judging program - Independent Judges Association [IJA]. FOSH will now establish and operate an inspection program - FOSH Inspection Program - staffed with trained and certified experts whose purpose shall be to ensure that the provisions of the Horse Protection Act [HPA or the Act] and its regulations are reliably and impartially fulfilled and who shall be known as Designated Qualified Persons [DQPs] when operating in the field. DQPs have no enforcement authority other than as is delegated by the USDA for inspections at shows, sales, and exhibitions where they have been assigned as part of a contract affiliation program entered into by a show, sale, or exhibition manager and FOSH.

1.4 FOSH sees its relationship with the USDA as one of partnership in ending the illegal practices of soring and pressure shoeing in the equine industry, as outlined in the Horse Protection Act [Act], while providing safeguards for compliant exhibitors by ensuring that horses that are unfit to enter the show ring are not placed in competition.

1.5 FOSH has been certified by the USDA to inspect horses and write citations for violations of the Act. The legal responsibility to enforce the Act rests solely with the USDA and is not a responsibility that can be delegated to any non-federal/ non-governmental agency or organization.

1.6 All reference to HPA or Act in this document and any supporting materials incorporates by reference the Horse Protection Act (Act) and the Horse Protection Regulations (Regulations). Any conflict that may exist between this document and the provisions of the Act and Regulations shall be resolved by relying on the terms contained in the latter as the more authoritative document.