magazine april 2012

Our April Buckle Bunny

Michelle Rose a rose by any

other name

Herd, But Not

Seen

Seraphim12 Foundation Redefining the Horse & Human Bond

My Wild Horse Education

www.rosenthalestatewines.com

www.mcafedechaya.com

Photo courtesy of Bristol MacDonald www.bristolmacdonaldequinephotography.com

FEATURES

8 Herd roun’ the waterin’ trough…

Calamity Cate Crismani

10 Herd, but not seen...Elissa Kline

20 Seraphim12 Foundation;

Redefining the Horse & Human Bond...PMG

24 Don’t Be Duped!...Katia Louise

28 My Wild Horse Education...Laura Leigh

32 Our April Buckle Bunny, Michelle Rose

42 Melody Perez, Blazing Her Own Trail

44 Buckin’ the Buckboard...Buckaroo John Brand

50 When I am an Old Horsewoman...Patty Barnhart

52 Good Reads...Carol Upton

53 New Age Disappointment...Jeff Hildebrandt

56 tCmag’s Mercantile Madness

\\

Publisher Equine Angle Marketing & Publicity California, USA

Editor in Chief ~ Director “Calamity” Cate Crismani

Contributing “Wriders” Jeff Hildebrandt * Patty Barnhart

Cate Crismani * Buckaroo John Brand * Melody Perez Elissa Kline * Laura Leigh * Phelps Media Group

Buckle Bunny Cover/Pictorial Photographer Bristol MacDonald

Contributing Photographers Christopher Ameruoso * Terry Fitch * Laura Leigh

Katia Louise * Elissa Kline * Melody Perez

Advertising Posse Rich Richardson 760.696.6304

“Calamity” Cate Crismani 818.642.4764

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trueCOWBOYmagazine, trueCOWBOYradio, Buckle Bunny, Buckle Bunny Corset(s), Vivo Los Mustangs are trademarked and owned by Equine Angle/Cate Crismani.

All rights reserved. No portion of tCmag may be reproduced without written consent. tCmag has the right to final edit of total magazine content inclusive of articles,

ads and photographs. We reserve the right to refuse or accept any advertisement and content. Gracias & besos, tCm.

Come to the ISPMB Fundraiser, April 14, 2012, in Estes Park,

Colorado! See our flyer on page 30 for all the details! Come

join us and be part of something that truly matters….

preserving our Heritage Wild Mustangs!

Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your ttttaaaaxxxx----ddddeeeedddduuuuccccttttiiiibbbblllleeee ddddoooonnnnaaaattttiiiioooonnnn aaaatttt wwwwwwwwwwww....iiiissssppppmmmmbbbb....oooorrrrgggg

herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate

Boy, am I getting the devil from pro-slaughter folks fueled on by the animosity directly aimed at me now by Representative Sue Wallis. Amazing! I am the current bane of her existence, along with trueCOWBOYmagazine. Ms. Wallis simply fails to see the hypocrisy in both her words and her actions choosing to venomously, and freely, express her feelings towards me in re-tort to an après-commentary I made regard-ing the radio show “Sound off with Sasha”

Promoted as a debate with anti-slaughter advocates, RT Fitch, Madeleine Pickens and Wayne Pacelle, Ms. Wallis was clearly over-whelmed and literally fled the interview and thusly, the issue. Which is exactly what happened. My compatriots are telling me that I am in good company in my current role of “Bette Noir” to Ms. Wallis and her misguided campaign of horse slaughter for human consumption. You simply, in all ethical ideals, on every level and spiritual beliefs, slaughter any animal, any living creature, simply because they can no longer bring you fiduciary returns and no longer have any commercial value to you. WTF? That’s the point...the

cold blooded killing of horses… slippery slope...if you ask me. Read the full article at www.truecowboymagazine.com “Fleeing the Interview and the Issue of Horse Slaughter” link on website. Thank you to all the good folks fighting the good fight everyday, not just for our horses, who are the target, but for all animals and against the very humans they thought they could trust...their breeders, trainers and owners! Besos Calamity

www.buckarooleather.com

Despite my lifelong love of horses, I never set out to be an Equine Photographer, smiles Elissa Kline. “I was managing a ranch in Idaho, taking care of my family and animals, and shooting fine art photos in my ‘spare time’ . My work consisted of abstracts of the natural world around me: about an intimacy with the land and animals, a familiarity of place and mostly about the beauty we all pass by, and maybe, take for granted. I received some attention and had a few exhibits…Then the course of my life, and my work, changed when a friend witnessed a round up. She was deeply upset by what she saw and asked me to help her tell the story of the wild horses of Idaho. What started out as an assignment to deliver ten images for a magazine article, became my passion, borderline obsession, and changed the nature of my photos to a more documentary style.”

When I found the wild ones, I was awestruck by their beauty, strength and self-sufficiency. Their connection to the land, and to each other, was obvious. That first day I made a promise to a gray stallion and to all the horses I’d not yet met. I vowed to tell as many people as I could about them in hopes of helping them stay on the land. I wanted to show people the intimacy of their family bands, the beauty of their landscape and the inten-sity of their gaze. That promise would take me places I’d never imagined.

In 2006, I had my first solo exhibit, called “Herd, But Not Seen”. My wild “ghost herd” installation consisted of life size photos printed on cotton voile, creating the illusion of a semi-transparent herd. The sheer fabric supports my belief that if we don’t act now and try to help, the wild ones will disappear. Other solo & group exhibits in five western states gave me the opportunity to keep talking about these horses to anyone who would look and listen. The more I learned about the political aspects of the horse’s plight, the harder it was to turn away. I didn’t intend to become an advocate, or activist, but the trail is blazed and I am traveling on it. Visit Elissa Kline at www.elissakline.com

HERD, BUT NOT SEEN

...Elissa Kline

Copyright ©2007-2012 Elissa Kline. All rights reserved.

Do you see us...

...we have always been here

g

The Seraphim12 Foundation is writing a new history for horses around the world as the team fights imposing legislation and raises aware-ness through actions and education. Seraphim12 represents the essence of the bond that exists between horse and human, a bond that should never be broken. Conceptualized by lifelong equestrians, Manda Kalimian and Pam-ela Polk head-up the Seraphim12 Foundation, reconstructing the bridge that interconnects horses with humans. In a world where horses are mostly seen for financial value and useful-ness, people have forgotten the power and sensitivity horses provide, acting as a mirror to reflect back to us, who we are and who we can be. It was three and a half years ago when Kalimian realized that slaughterhouses were still in existence, an e-mail from a rescue organization changed her world—she knew that she needed to do something. Childhood friends Kalimian and Polk took the drive out to the rescue fa-cility, and it was a trip that changed their lives. Although Polk has been a board member of her family’s rescue facility in Maryland for years, the story that unfolded at this rescue facility made it apparent that she was go-ing to begin to follow a similar course to raise awareness and provide edu-cation for people. “The woman at the rescue had absolutely no money,” Kalimian explained further. “She was literally selling the clothes off of her back to be able to provide a dignified life for her rescues. Amidst my tears, I called the Camelot Auction House in New Jersey—everyone knows what it is, but nobody wants to really admit that it exists.” With her Mastercard in hand, Kalimian purchased four of the horses, sent her shipper to the auction house, and rescued them. Kalimian’s friend Karen Bruce of Irish Oaks Farms took three of the horses, and found them homes shortly after rehabilitating them.

Seraphim12 Foundation... Redefining the

Horse & Human bond

That one road trip carved the way for the beginning of the Seraphim12 Foundation. It became a dream, a vision and then a mission. The Seraphim12 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit dedicated to creating a sympathetic balance between horse and humans through compassion, education and legislation. Through skillfully designed curricula focusing on education and awareness, the Seraphim12 Foundation will create a shift in the perception revolving around the care and classification of the horse.

It is fundamental for Seraphim 12 that all horses have a dignified life, retirement and a final resting place and that all people have a greater understanding of what is happening in today’s world to our horses. “Horses have been an integral part of my family’s history, I have been a professional in the eques-trian industry for over 25 years and I know it is time to join forces in taking responsibility for our horses,” Polk described. “I feel it is important for all people with this passion to unify in this mission, so we can make a lasting change.” Seraphim12 has been in the mak-ing for over three years, growing and expanding with the open hearts of its team. Although the Seraphim 12 Foundation has only recently taken its step into the limelight, they have already found a placement for over 20 slaughter-bound, unwanted or abandoned horses. go to page 48

www.returntofreedom.org

Proponents of slaughter have misguided the public and many policy-makers in an effort to support the reopening horse slaughter in the U.S. This has resulted in the propagation of myths and false or misleading and unsub-stantiated information that is, in turn, simply repeated through the media as if they are true. Facts that Refute the 7 Most Common Myths about Horse Slaughter

MYTH 1: Slaughtering horses in the U.S. would be more humane than transporting them across federal borders to be slaughtered elsewhere because U.S. humane laws and regula-tions guarantee the humane treatment of equines through the process of slaughter.

FACTS: a. Documented evidence of egregious violations and a lack of enforcement by the USDA in U.S. slaughterhouses led to the defunding of USDA inspections in 2007, but in the absence of a federal ban on horse slaughter, America’s wild and domestic horses continue to be shipped across federal borders where they are slaughtered just as inhumanely to this very day. b. If horse slaughter plants are reopened in the U.S., horses will undoubtedly suffer torturous agony on U.S. soil again. This is evidenced by cruelty violations and lack of enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act that have been documented in GAO reports. c. Violations to humane guidelines are rarely recorded or enforced. d. Whistleblower laws fail to adequately protect conscientious agency employees that would otherwise report problems and enforce protective guidelines. e. Slaughter plants pressure unskilled workers and agency veterinarians and employ-ees to ignore egregious cruelty violations and to instead keep the slaughter lines going while animals suffer. f. U.S. undercover surveillance footage shows horses being whipped, beaten and elec-trically prodded and repeatedly bludgeoned, resulting in fully conscious horses being dragged, hung, bled out and dismembered alive. g. The AMERICAN HORSE SLAUGHTER PREVENTION ACT would provide the necessary protection for America’s horses from slaughter. The HORSE TRANSPOR-TATION SAFETY ACT would effectively ban any use of double deck trailers to transport horses regardless of destination and thereby protect America’s horses from this cruel method of transport.

DON’T BEby Katia Louise

DON’T BE DUPED!

by Katia Louise

MYTH 2: Horse slaughter is humane euthanasia.

FACTS: a. The term ‘humane slaughter’ is an oxymoron coined by proponents of slaughter. b. Slaughter is defined as a brutal or violent killing and is NOT euthanasia at all. c. Euthanasia is the act of inducing humane death in an animal. The term euthanasia is derived from the Greek terms meaning “good death”. Euthanasia techniques are sup-posed to ensure that if an animal’s life is to be taken, it is done with the highest degree of respect and with an emphasis on making the death as painless and distress free as possible. The method should minimize anxiety experienced by the animal prior to a rapid loss of consciousness and which is followed by cardiac or respiratory arrest and the ultimate loss of brain function.

MYTH 3: The absence of horse slaughter plants in the U.S. has caused an increase in the abuse, neglect and abandonment of horses.

FACTS: a. Established research indicates that there is no data to support the inflated number of horses reported as abandoned in the U.S. Countless unsubstantiated reports and articles are circulated by proponents which create Wild for Life Foundation Equine Protection Program Saving America’s Horses Initiative www.wildforlifefoundation.org www.savingamericashorses.org the misconception that abandonment is out of control. Moreover, investigations indi-cate that these fabricated articles and reports are based on inflated and artificial data. b. It’s a crime to abandon, neglect or abuse a horse, and history clearly shows that crime rates increase during times of economic downturn. The substantiated data shows there is an increase in horses in need that is tied to the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. c. Horse owners that resort to abandonment of their horses are breaking the law. When questioned they say they have done so in effort to save their horses from going to slaughter. d. The absence of horse slaughter in the U.S. has not and does not prevent horse own-ers from taking their horses to auction for the purpose of slaughter. Livestock auctions have continued to operate all over the country where animals, including horses, are bought and sold for slaughter. So, it makes no sense to suggest an increase in horses in need is tied to a lack of slaughter. go to page 55

www.wildhorsefreedomfederation.org

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Bristol MacDonald

My love of horses goes back to early childhood, Some of my “perfect” memories involve the smell of horse breath and the fragrance of “stable” on my skin. As an adult, I met an old mustang in the kill pen at a packing plant when I went to rescue another horse. I asked if I could buy him, offering more than three times the market rate in cash, but I was refused. A load was go-ing out and they had to “make weight.” I have never forgotten that old mustang’s eyes. He was freeze marked, born “wild and free” and had served man well into his twenties. How did that happen? I came into this issue with the

mindset that the “truth” of a story

can only be revealed if it is

“lived”. So I set off and literally

immersed myself in the issue and

discovered that Wild Horses and

Burros have an entire act of

Congress devoted to their

protection, but the US government

programs look much more like pest extermination. During the 2009

Calico round up, I found a foal that had just been rounded up. His

hooves were separating from his body, literally falling off, from running

for far too long in front of a helicopter. I asked to adopt and care for him

and was told he had been euthanized. I named him “Hope Springs Eter-

nal”, as in my heart, I still have “Hope”. This is who I am and why I do

what I do.

My Wild HorsBy Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh

I founded ‘Wild Horse Education’, for the purpose of “educating the public” about wild horses and burros on public land, with a focus on the care and management, from the range all the way to the horse’s final destination. This type of education can only come through first-hand documentation of practices by the agencies tasked with the pro-

tection and management of wild herds. My video footage has been used on CNN, and I-team reports of George Knapp as well as many documentary films. In the last year and a half, I have has witnessed more roundups than any person including government personnel and her travels have taken her to six different states to view wild herds. I work endlessly to document the treatment of Americas Wild Horses at the hands of our government, on the Court battles to protect our First Amendment rights to know what’s happening to our wild horses on public lands, as well as the case to hold BLM accountable for the inhumane treatment of the wild horses and

burros. The truth and facts of our disappearing wild herds, our Government and the BLM’s involvement and their methods of manag-ing the wild ones to extinction. If my record of advocacy, eyewitness reports, lawsuits and court appearances achieve the goal of saving our wild mustangs and burros, then this is the battle I am willing to fight to the very end. Support Laura Leigh’s efforts visit and donate at

http://wildhorseeducation.org/.

My Wild Horse Education By Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh By Laura Leigh

The International Society

for the Protection of Mustangs & Burros

Fundraiser

Weldon Lee and Lori Huff, noted wildlife photographers, are hosting a fund raising event, Our Heritage at Risk, for the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs & Burros (ISPMB), at the Roadway Inn, 1701 Highway 34, in Estes Park, Colorado, on Saturday, April 14, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Headquartered between Lantry and Eagle Butte in South Da-kota, ISPMB is unique in that it rescues entire herds of wild horses. Velma Johnston, better known as Wild Horse Annie, single-handedly founded the organization in 1960, making it the nation’s oldest organization dedicated to protecting and saving wild horses. Karen Sussman, the third and current ISPMB President, and a modern day Wild Horse Annie, will speak at the event , an-swer any questions, and sign autographs. There will also be door prizes and a silent auction. Weldon Lee, the man who talks to wild animals, will also be there, sharing stories of encounters with his “wild brothers and sisters,” including wild mustangs. Event donation is $20 for in-dividuals, $28 for couples. All proceeds go to the ISPMB. All are invited, spread the word far and wide. To register and for additional information, contact Weldon Lee at: (303) 747-2074, or via email at: weldon@weldonlee.com.

Born and bred in La Jolla, California, our April Buckle Bunny, Michelle Rose, could barely walk when she put on her first pair of ice skates and was hooked. Rose figure-skated competitively for 15 years and ultimately reached the Junior level when she began her studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara leaving the sport of skating behind, but not the passion for it.

To her good fortune, and ours, Rose fell in love with another sport; trail riding in the bountiful hills of the Santa Barbara wineries. “Being out in nature on top of a beautiful, gentle horse is a breathtaking experience”, smiles Rose, “and then to top that off with a vintage bottle of Cab, life doesn’t get much better.”

Graduating with a BA in film studies and Spanish, Rose moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting while honing her craft and furthering her studies at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy. Featured roles on CSI:NY and on the Conan O’Brien Show keeps her working in television but Rose is also a stunt woman and can be seen in this summer’s Stallone release. In between this hectic schedule, Rose performs in the Water World Stunt Show at Universal Studios in Hollywood. “I’ve been fortunate,” she smiles, “but I’m still waiting for my figure skating lead role!”.

“The cool thing about Los Angeles is that you can be in a hectic city, in a crazy industry, and within a few miles in the country, on a horse”, Rose says, “horses give me peace of mind. I can’t conceive that someone would hurt one, nevertheless, round them up, pen them and slaughter them! Their backbones are literally the reason we are here. They are engrained in our culture. Besides can you imagine a John Wayne film without a horse?” No, partner, no we can’t . And we couldn’t imagine tCmag without our mysterious Buckle Bunny, Michelle Rose.

“The cool thing about Los Angeles is that you can be in a hectic city, in a crazy industry, and within a few miles in the country, on a horse”, Rose says, “horses give me peace of mind. I can’t conceive that someone would hurt one, nevertheless, round them up, pen them and slaughter them!

Their backbones are literally the reason we are here. They are engrained in our culture. Besides can you imagine a John Wayne film without a horse?”

No, partner, no we can’t . And we couldn’t imagine tCmag without our mysterious Buckle Bunny, Michelle Rose.

Photographed by: Bristol MacDonald * Shot on location at Melody Oaks Ranch Styling: Cate Crismani * Hair & Make up: Melissa Thorensen * Uber Horse: Empy * Bitless bridle courtesy of Buckaroo Leather Products (see ad on page 9)

www.wildhorserescue.org

Relocating just over two years ago from the east-ern mountains of the Carolina’s, artist Melody Perez of ‘Running Horses Studio’ is blazing a trail across the west as she paints the Wild Mustangs. Just weeks after her arrival to the moun-tains of NW Colorado, the fire of creativity was ig-nited on canvas of the first of many original por-traits of our west’s greatest iconic symbols, The American Mustang. Perez captures the spirit and the essence of these remarkable Living Legends on canvas, as her pas-sion is refueled with each new subject she re-creates. What started as a re-birth of creative re-lease has turned into a life’s mission to bring

awareness to the masses, of the plight of one of our nation’s greatest re-newable resources, its wild mustangs. “In my opportunities to photograph them on our public rangelands, meet them face to face in training, witness their diverse abilities and willingness in competitive events, and visit mustang sanctuaries, I have gained a deep appreciation and affection for their special spirit of freedom, strength and grace,” says Perez. “They have given so much to our society from the beginning of our country’s roots. They have healed broken hearts in therapeutic service. To lose them from our lands would be terrible and would constitute a great disgrace to our nation.” With over 48,000 captured wild mustangs now held captive in short and long-term holding facilities across the nation, and less than 22,000 estimated to remain on public rangelands, it’s become the mission of ‘Running Horses Studio’ to share the ‘mustang gospel’ message. It became apparent to Perez that it was time to take that message on the road with the Mustang Mansion Road Tour.

Melody Perez

Blazing Her Own Trail for the Wild Mustangs

The ‘Mustang Mansion’ is a vintage RV whose exterior is painted with murals of the western landscape and the ‘wild ones’. The inte-rior of this little ‘tincan’ will be filled to capacity with diverse educational reading material, DVD’s, Fine Art prints, wearable art, photogra-phy, jewelry and more from a range of authors, organizations, crafters and more. The Mustang Mansion Road Tour will be presented this spring as it launches across 6 western states to present Fine Art and share the beauty of our western heritage. One of the many stops ‘The Mustang Mansion’ has on the calendar is this year’s first ‘Wild Horse Festival’ set to begin its first celebration of the Mustang in Santa Fe New

Mexico, May 19th. A collaborative effort of art-ists, photographers, authors, Mustang trainers, filmmakers, and musicians from across the country to the local New Mexico BLM and Forest Service Departments all coming together to celebrate The Wild Mustang, and support the two sanctuaries that will benefit from the proceeds of this New Mexico event. You can learn more about this event by contacting the hosting Non Profit Organizations at http://www.spiritofthewildhorse.com/ and http://www.moneromustangs.org/

To get tour details, donate to the “Mustang Mansion” tour, view original artworks, order prints and wearable art online and to learn more about artist Melody Perez visit her website at www.runninghorses.org.

www.thecloudfoundation.org

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

It is believed that the Buckboard wagon was created in 1841 by Horace and James Buck. They lived in Portland, Oregon, but went to

Europe to study wagon making.

Horace and James came back to Portland with

their new skills, started a carriage business, and created the Buckboard

wagon. Although, there is evidence to suggest that the Buck’s created

the buckboard wagon in South Carolina, where

they eventually did most of their carriage

business.

The Buckboard wagons were used by farmers and cowboys to transport themselves and supplies. But, what is a buckboard? The

"buckboard" was the front most board on the wagon that acted as both a footrest and protection for the driver. The protection being from the

horse's rear hooves in case of a "buck"- hence "Buckboard" wagon. It is a simple coincidence that the inventors, Horace and James’ last name

happens to be “Buck”,

The buckboard wagon was simple, light, had four wheels and was un-covered. There were elastic, board slats extending from the front axle to

the rear axle. The seats were placed upon these flexible boards. The boards were used instead of ordinary springs. If there were springs, they

were placed between the board and the seat and not attached to the axles.

Buckin’ the Buckboard! By Buckaroo John Brand

There were no sides on the body of the

wagon, just iron rails three or four inches

high. These rails would help to hold in the supplies or other

packages.

The buckboard wagon was pulled by a sin

gle horse or two horses. The wagon was steered by its

front wheels, which were connected to

each other by a single axle. The wagon had two rows of seats; the

back row could be taken off if the driver

needed more hauling room.

The buckboard wagon was a simple but sturdy all around work wagon. The farmers used it for supplies, fencing material, and trans-

porting their families to and from town. The ranchers used the wagons for tools, ranch supplies, and animal supplies.

Much like today's ranchers and farmers with their favorite beat up old

"pick up" truck, these buckboard wagons were the "pick up" trucks of

the 1800's. Of course, “horse power" took on a whole other in meaning

in the 1800's.

www.buckarooleather.com

Photographs courtesy of the Brand Family. All rights reserved.

They have also been instrumental in assisting the ASPCA with large-scale horse rescues, facilitated the major repair of a well water pump on the Stanford Addison Ranch in Wyoming, have provided fundraising and donations of multiple run-in sheds to continue to provide housing for recue horses and have acted as sponsors and co-chairs for numerous horse protection organizations.

For more information regarding the Seraphim12 Foundation please

visit www.seraphim12foundation.org.

from page 21

Saddle up, SubscribeSaddle up, SubscribeSaddle up, SubscribeSaddle up, Subscribe!!!! Help Support Our Mission to Save Help Support Our Mission to Save Help Support Our Mission to Save Help Support Our Mission to Save

Our Wild Mustangs & BurroOur Wild Mustangs & BurroOur Wild Mustangs & BurroOur Wild Mustangs & Burro

wwwwwwwwwwww....ttttrrrruuuueeeeccccoooowwwwbbbbooooyyyymmmmaaaaggggaaaazzzziiiinnnneeee....ccccoooommmm////ssssaaaaddddddddlllleeee____uuuupppp____ssssuuuubbbbssssccccrrrriiiibbbbeeee

“WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN

OLD HORSEWOMAN" OLD HORSEWOMAN" OLD HORSEWOMAN" OLD HORSEWOMAN" By Patty Barnhart

When I am an old horsewoman

I shall wear turquoise and diamonds, And a straw hat that doesn’t suit me

And I shall spend my social security on white wine and carrots,

And sit in my alleyway of my barn And listen to my horses breathe.

I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night

And ride the old bay gelding, Across the moonstruck meadow

If my old bones will allow And when people come to call, I will smile and nod

As I walk past the gardens to the barn and show instead the flowers growing

inside stalls fresh-lined with straw.

I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel

And I will be an embarrassment to all Who will not yet have found the peace in being free

to have a horse as a best friend A friend who waits at midnight hour

With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes For the kind of woman I will be

When I am old

Copyright 1992 Patty Barnhart

www.horseworship.com888.60.HORSE

featuring the Wild Horse photography

of Kimerlee Curyl Designed by

Pamela Robbins

The “Freedom Collection” from

“WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN “WHEN I AM AN

GOOD READS Reviewed by Carol Upton

www.dreamsaloud.ca

Horses of the Storm:

The Incredible Rescue of

Katrina’s Horses

By Ky Evan Mortensen

Hurricane Katrina pounced the Gulf Coast in 2005 and flooded New Orleans, causing devastation and apocalyptic suffering to humans and animals in its wake. Ky Mortensen was part of the subsequent largest scale equine rescue ever carried out. This book is his first-hand account of these determined rescue efforts, accomplished with a handful of heroic volunteers and no blueprint. Many horses drowned or starved during this disaster. Some ponies were swimming in circles for days before being rescued. One horse was found

on two boards from which he could not move, waiting desperately for his owner’s return. Mortensen speaks of horses that immediately began to call for help as soon as they realized humans were in the area. These scenes are impossible to forget. Yet, hundreds of horses and thousands of other animals were saved along the way. No creature was left behind if they were found alive. The book is a heartfelt tribute to those who did this work and it includes an Emergency Preparedness Guide to cover planning for horse care during almost any emergency. Many more creatures can survive the next disaster, no matter where it occurs, due to Mortensen’s careful record of what was learned from this one. “Horses of the Storm” is a collection of essays for our future, as climate change brings more weather-related disasters. These can strike with little warning and, while we might keep extra water and perhaps an earthquake kit handy, we may not have gone so far as to thoroughly plan for our livestock. “Heart is what got these horses out of hurricane-ravaged areas.” Ky Evan Mortensen

Ky Mortensen is Director of Advancement for the Louisiana State University Equine Health Studies Program. He feels it is paramount that people prepare a disaster plan

that includes their animals. A portion of book proceeds goes to the LSU Equine Health Program.

Available at www.exclusivelyequine.com or Amazon.com

NEW AGE

DISAPPOINTMENT

by Jeff Hildebrandt

Long blond hair, black Western hat, tight leather pants. No ounce of fat.

High heeled boots, concho belt, imagine how he must have felt

when she just stopped and looked around then asked if she could please sit down.

He tipped his hat and said, “you bet”. She smiled and said “We haven’t met.

Hello, my name is Bambi, I’m a new-age kind of gal

who’s looking for a partner, a buddy and a pal.”

Then she commenced to bare her soul. He was picturing something else!

http://cowboyupamerica.blogspot.com/

WWW.SAVINGAMERICASHORSES.ORG

From page 25 e. Investigations have revealed some of the horses found abandoned were rejected for slaughter and were simply dumped by kill buyers. This would not have happened if slaughter was illegal.

MYTH 4: Horse slaughter is a necessary means to deal with an otherwise unmanageable surplus of “unwanted” horses.

FACTS: a. The “unmanageable surplus horses” is an artificial crisis created by the proponents to justify slaughter as “a necessary evil”. b. Horse slaughter is not driven by a surplus of horses; rather it is driven by a foreign market for horse meat which is sold as a delicacy in foreign countries. c. On average, less than 1% of the 9 million horses that exist in the U.S. are “surplus or un-wanted”. This tiny fraction of the horse population can easily be managed and reabsorbed back into the equine community just as it has in the past. The “surplus” of horses created by the indus-try can simply be kept longer, sold or traded, retrained in new disciplines, donated to retirement and rescue facilities, humanely euthanized or they can provide a public service such as equine therapy. d. When the market for horsemeat dropped, and the number of horses sent to slaughter went from over 300,000 in the 1990s to less than 50,000 in 2003, the industry was forced to take responsibil-ity for the surplus of horses. The country was not overrun with “unwanted” horses; rather they were reabsorbed back into the equine community. e. Horse owners that are unable to provide continuing care for their horses can have them hu-manely euthanized for the cost equal to one month’s care. Humane euthanasia clinics are often-times available to horse owners that cannot afford to have a qualified veterinarian administer the lethal injection. f. Due to the economic downturn some equine rescues have been forced to close and many are struggling. Research, however, indicates the actual number of new horse rescue organizations and facilities in the U.S. are on the rise and new flow through organizations are being formed to help support them. g. Thousands of horse rescue organizations across the U.S. provide emergency care and shelter to slaughter bound horses, but for every horse that is rescued from slaughter another one takes its place in order to fill the kill-buyer quota. The passage of the protective bills that would ban the slaughter of horses in the U.S. would stop the never ending flow of slaughter bound horses into rescues and end the flow of rescue funds to stop horses from going into the slaughter pipeline. This would in turn enable these rescue organizations to instead put those funds and efforts toward providing assistance to equine owners for the prevention of equine cruelty and provide for horses that need rescue from abuse.

h. The criminal element and level of corruption that exists within the horse slaughter indus-try is well established and contributes significantly to the lack of law enforcement that

would otherwise protect equines from this predatory trade. Reputable rescue organiza-tions are impacted when kill buyers fraudulently rescue horses for the purpose of slaughter. Many large scale seizures of abused and abandoned horses reveal the perpetrators involved in horse slaughter. go to page 58

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From page 55

i. Slaughter creates a salvage or secondary market that enables and encourages over breeding and contributes to any excess horses in the market.

MYTH 5: Equine meat is healthy and safe for human consumption and is used to feed starving people in third world countries.

FACTS: a. Horsemeat from the U.S. is sold as a delicacy on the foreign market and is not used to feed starving people in third world countries. b. U.S. horses, whether used for competition, recreation or work are treated with many substances known to be toxic to humans; substances that can be lethal when in-gested by humans, and many of which have been banned from the human food chain in most countries. c. Foreign consumers of horsemeat are not made aware of the associated health risks directly related to the substances administered to U.S. horses. d. Most of the countries that consume horsemeat also operate their own slaughter plants.

MYTH 6: Reopening horse slaughter plants in the U.S. would be good for America’s economy.

FACTS: a. Horse slaughter is NOT desirable economic development. As evidenced from the past 30 years of operation in the U.S., these communities have been devastated by slaughter’s negative economic and environmental impacts. b. Millions of dollars in losses are attributed to horse slaughter by those that have come forward from within the slaughter industry. c. The government paid out over five million dollars in tax payer money a year to subsidize three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the U.S. d. These foreign companies don’t pay taxes in the U.S. because they sell at a loss to themselves overseas. Later, when the horsemeat hits the foreign marketplace, they take a huge profit. For example, IRS tax records reveal over $12 million in gross in-come in one year, yet only $5 in federal taxes were paid by the foreign owned horse slaughter plant(s). e. Horses have an established total impact on the US Gross Domestic Product of $112.1 BILLION and if “surplus’ horses are not sent to slaughter their re-absorption back into the equine community can instead provide a boost to the economy.

MYTH 7: The majority of people within the equine community support the slaughter of horses.

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