The presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is arguably the most contentious and closely watched election cycles in recent history. And how the election’s outcome might influence equine-related policies and legislation is just as contested, according to some government and horse industry members.

Equine welfare advocate Jerry Finch, president and founder of the Habitat for Horses, in Hitchcock, Texas, believes this is partly because traditionally bi-partisan issues—such as wild horse management, domestic horse processing, and Horse Protection Act (HPA) enforcement—have divided many voters and their Congressional representatives along liberal and conservative lines.

“While we would hope that animal-related issues are bipartisan, voting records have proven it not so,” Finch said.

Legislation concerning the soring and the budget amendment that forbade USDA from conducting inspections at domestic horse processing plants have long enjoyed support on both sides of the congressional aisle. But, at least in the case of anti-soring legislation, that bi-partisan support failed to move that legislation forward, said Representative Walter Jones (R-NC), co-sponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act