---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1821"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1821"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1821"
units:
  - "Chapter 44 — Protection of Horses"
---

# §1821. Definitions


As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires:

- (1) The term “management” means any [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) who organizes, exercises control over, or administers or who is responsible for organizing, directing, or administering.
- (2) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
- (3) The term “sore” when used to describe a horse means that—
  - (A) an irritating or blistering agent has been applied, internally or externally, by a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) to any limb of a horse,
  - (B) any burn, cut, or laceration has been inflicted by a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) on any limb of a horse,
  - (C) any tack, nail, screw, or chemical agent has been injected by a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) into or used by a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) on any limb of a horse, or
  - (D) any other substance or [device](/usc/15/55.md?p=d) has been used by a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) on any limb of a horse or a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) has engaged in a practice involving a horse,

  and, as a result of such application, infliction, injection, use, or practice, such horse suffers, or can reasonably be expected to suffer, physical pain or distress, inflammation, or lameness when walking, trotting, or otherwise moving, except that such term does not include such an application, infliction, injection, use, or practice in connection with the therapeutic treatment of a horse by or under the supervision of a [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the [State](#4) in which such treatment was given.

- (4) The term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–540, § 2, Dec. 9, 1970, 84 Stat. 1404; Pub. L. 94–360, § 3, July 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 915.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–360 added pars. (1) and (2), redesignated subsec. (a), defining “sore” as meaning that certain substances or devices had been applied to any limb of a horse prior to Dec. 9, 1970, resulting in, or reasonably likely to result in, such horse suffering physical pain or distress when walking or trotting, as par. (3) and, as so redesignated, struck out requirement that such substance or device had to have been applied prior to Dec. 9, 1970 in order for a horse to be considered “sored” for purposes of this chapter, and substituted par. (4) defining “State” for subsec. (b) defining “commerce” as between a point in any State or possession of the United States and any point outside thereof, or between points within the same State or possession of the United States but through any place outside thereof, or within the District of Columbia, or from any foreign country to any point within the United States.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–360, § 1(a), July 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 915, provided that: “This Act [amending this section and sections 1822 to 1825, 1827, 1830, and 1831 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 1831 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Horse Protection Act Amendments of 1976’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 91–540, § 1, Dec. 9, 1970, 84 Stat. 1404, as amended by Pub. L. 94–360, § 2, July 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 915, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Horse Protection Act’.”

### Executive Documents

### Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.