(1) (a) The term “walking horse” as used in this section shall be construed to include only that breed of horses known as walking horses.
(b) The term “handler” as used in this section shall be construed to mean that person or persons who are in charge of grooming, preparing and readying said horse for competition.
(2) No walking horse shall be permitted to compete or exhibit in any exhibition or fair either for profit or pleasure, if said horse's front legs or hoofs show evidence of burns, drugs, lacerations, any sharp pointed instrument, or any pain inflicting device.
(3) It shall be the duty of the assigned ringmaster in charge of any such exhibition or competition to properly inspect the front legs and hoofs of each entry in each class or event. Said inspection shall be for the purpose of determining whether there is any evidence of burns, drugs, lacerations, any sharp pointed instrument, or any pain inflicting device appearing on said animal.
(4) If any such evidence appears to the satisfaction of the ringmaster, he shall immediately bar said horse from competition, and notify the sheriff of said county of said violation. The handler of said horse shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisoned for ten (10) days or both. For the second and each subsequent offense he shall be imprisoned for thirty (30) days.
(5) Any ringmaster who fails to perform these duties, and permits the commission of any of the offenses stated in subsection (2), shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense allowed.
(6) This section shall in no wise repeal any laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky on the subject of cruelty to animals and shall be construed by the courts as supplementary thereto.
Credits
HISTORY: 1956 c 245, § 1 to 6, eff. 5-18-56