Commissioner Miller Praises Pause in Federal Equine Overreach (1/29/2026)

The following statement may be attributed to Commissioner Miller:

“As someone who has spent a lifetime around horses and as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, I welcome USDA-APHIS’s decision to postpone implementation of the Horse Protection Act amendments. Folks who work with horses understand that animal welfare and common sense must go hand in hand.

The Horse Protection Act was created to stop abusive practices, and I’ve been clear for years that cruelty has no place in the equine world. But the rules pushed by USDA under the Biden administration went too far. They piled on new requirements without listening to experienced horsemen, state agriculture leaders, or rural communities.  It threatened to burden responsible owners, trainers, and event organizers with unnecessary expenses and red tape during active show seasons.

USDA’s decision to postpone implementation is an acknowledgment that overregulation has real consequences, and I’m glad to see them take the time to get things right. Good animal welfare policy should target actual abuse, not punish responsible owners or regulate the life out of the equine industry. 

You don’t protect horses by punishing the people who love them, you protect horses by focusing on bad actors.

I’ll continue to fight for a balanced approach that protects horses, respects common sense, and pushes back against federal overreach. Texas horsemen know how to care for their animals, and they deserve a system that reflects reality, not bureaucratic box-checking.”