SORING is a painful practice used to accentuate a horse's gait in Tennessee Walking Horse competition.
This is
accomplished by irritating the forelegs through the injection or
application of chemical or mechanical irritants.
As a sore horse
tries to escape the pain in his front feet and lower legs, he snatches
them up quickly, which gives the "desired effect" of tremendous lift in
the front, known as the "big lick."
