Proposed rule · 2026-23086

Horse Protection

On May 8, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture published in the Federal Register a final rule that amended the regulations promulgated under the Horse Protection Act (the May 2024 Horse Protection final rule). APHIS is proposing to remove the provisions of the May 2024 Horse Protection final rule that have been vacated by court order and proposing to withdraw the remaining non-vacated provisions of the May 2024 Horse Protection final rule to ensure that the regulations afford due process and better align with the Act. APHIS is also proposing to amend the regulations by revising, among other things, the certification requirements for training and licensing of designated qualified persons (DQPs); enhancing DQP inspection procedures and the process for appealing APHIS inspections before any possible disqualification by management; and clarifying that if a horse is determined to be sore, it is disqualified from participating in the class in which the inspection took place and not the entire event.