Please SIGN this Petition to STOP “Big Lick” Animal Cruelty to beautiful Tennessee Walking Horses.

Asheville and Fletcher, North Carolina, are two progessive beautiful cities located in Western North Carolina.  Both are known for gentle tolerance, enlightenment and kindness.

Unfortunately,  these two cities are hosting the three day “Big Lick” North Carolina Championship Walking Horse Show, Oct. 6 – 8.    Sadly, the horse show will feature “Big Lick” Animal Cruelty to Tennessee Walking Horses.    

Tennessee Walking Horses are tortured from an early age to learn how to do the “Big Lick”.   It is a pain induced gait. The horses throw their legs high while wearing Chains and 6 – 8 pound stack shoes.   Caustic chemicals are applied to sensitive skin above the horses hooves, and then wrapped with plastic to “cook in” the chemicals which causes the skin to be blistered. 

 When the chains hit the skin,  the horses throw their front legs high while squatting down on their back legs – creating the cruel “Big Lick”.  “Big Lick” TWH are the only horses in America which wear Chains in the show ring.   

According to Tennessean and Noted Equine Vet Dr. John Haffner,   the "Big Lick" is a "business built on the suffering and pain of horses".   Dr. Haffner is a member of the Horse Science Faculty at MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University) in Murfreesboro, TN.

Even worse, the horse show will be held at the McGough Arena at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center owned by the State of North Carolina. 

Of 83 total horse classes  45 will feature the “Big Lick” gait.

In March 2015,   the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture banned “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horses from the 2015 NC State Fair.  This action came after a Change.Org Petition gained almost 20,000 signatures, and a public Protest was held at the 2014 NC State Fair.

At the 2015 North Carolina Championship Horse Show,   USDA Vet inspectors disqualified a shocking 35% of all the “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horses they inspected for allegedly being in violation of the Horse Protection Act (Animal Cruelty).

On July 25, 2016,  the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture took action and opened a Public Comment period to make the “Big Lick” illegal by removing the “Pads and Chains”, consequently abolishing the “Big Lick” Animal Cruelty.  So far over 81% of the “Public Comments” favor the Federal Regulation to the Horse Protection Act.  The Regulation can be made official after October 26, 2016.

It’s time for Americans,  and people all over the World,  to urge the General Manager of the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center;  North Carolina Chief Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture;  and the Mayor of Fletcher, North Carolina to ban the “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horse classes, and to urge the public  to Boycott “Big Lick” Animal Cruelty.

After you SIGN,  please SHARE the petition with your friends and family via email, Facebook, and Twitter!

Your PETITION Signatures and Comments will be delivered to the proper officials.

WE, The People,                                                                            

CCABLAC (Citizens Campaign Against "Big Lick" Animal Cruelty)