What minimum offense level is assigned for lounging or riding a horse in a manner that causes undue discomfort or distress?

• A. Level 0
• B. Level 1
• C. Level 2
• D. Level 3

Answer: (D)

Causing the horse undue discomfort or distress is treated as a serious form of mistreatment in the rules. The offense levels are set to match how harmful or abusive the action is, and actions that directly inflict distress on the horse sit at the highest level of the scale. So, the minimum offense level for this behavior is Level 3. This reflects that lounging or riding in a way that causes distress constitutes clear cruelty or extreme disregard for the animal’s welfare, which the rulebook elevates to the top tier. Levels below wouldn’t adequately capture the severity of causing distress, which is why they aren’t appropriate here.