We Can’t Slaughter Our Way to Horse Welfare

May 26, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For OP ED Page

Contact: Duane Burright

805.208.1012

duane_burright@yahoo.com

We can’t slaughter our way to horse welfare by Duane Burright

CHICAGO, (EWA) – By now everyone is familiar with the subject of horses being neglected or starved, along with the claims from those in agricultural circles that slaughter is “necessary” to prevent horse neglect and that it is a way to dispose of unwanted horses. I’ve been hearing that litany from all of the agricultural publications and blogs, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), various state Farm Bureaus and from a group of clueless politicians including Illinois’ Rep. Jim Sacia, Sue Wallis of Wyoming and former Texas congressman and paid slaughter lobbyist, Charles Stenholm.

I find it odd that they see slaughter as being the solution for horse neglect, but when it comes to neglected or starving cattle, they are stumped. In this USA Today article Starving cattle amid high prices for feed in Neb, Steven Stanec, executive director of the Nebraska Brand Committee, a state agency that helps police the cattle industry stated that “Neglect cases are on the rise, and what’s causing it, I’m not sure. We’re having whole herds of hundreds of cattle being neglected.”

In doing a simple Google search I found other related headlines which show that cattle starving to death is a fairly widespread problem – Officials raid farm with 30 dead, 100 plus starving cows, Starving cows rescued near Paisley on road to recovery and Starving cattle seized in Lake County.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 34.4 million cattle were slaughtered in 2008, that’s an average of 94,247 cows slaughtered per day. According to Cattle Network, beef production is up over last year.

Now with all of those cattle going to slaughter, one would wonder why cattle neglect is happening. Using the logic that the AQHA, AVMA, NCBA, Farm Bureaus and the other proponents of the horse slaughter industry apply to starving or neglected horses that “slaughtering prevents neglect”, one would think that we wouldn’t have problems with starving or neglected cattle. Yet guys like Steven Stanec aren’t sure why cattle neglect cases are on the rise.

What further weakens the argument that “slaughter is needed to prevent horse neglect” is that while all of these articles have been written about neglected and starving horses, the option of horse slaughter has been available in the United States. Horse owners can take the horses they no longer want to keep to the local livestock auction and the neighborhood friendly kill buyers will happily take the horse off their hands. According to statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 134,059 American horses have been slaughtered at the European owned plants in Canada and Mexico in 2008. American horses still continue to go to slaughter as you read this, so the slaughter pipeline continues to function despite the claims to the contrary.

The reality is that slaughter has nothing to do with animal welfare. Since slaughter apparently doesn’t magically solve the problem of starving and neglected cattle, it is fallacy to think that slaughter will solve the problem of starving and neglected horses. The problem of cattle being neglected is due to the current economic crisis, that same economic crisis is making it difficult for horse owners.

In fact, a study releated in June of 2008 showed there was no correlation between horse slaughter and neglect, but a clear linkage between unemployment and neglect. Prophetically, the study warned in its conclusions that if economic conditions continued to deteriorate an upward trend in neglect could be expected.

The AQHA, AVMA, NCBA, Farm Bureaus and all of their political allies put a lot of time, energy and money into supporting horse slaughter. If these special interest groups were to focus all of those resources on solving the nation’s economic problems rather than supporting a foreign owned industry that doesn’t even pay their taxes, we might be able to get something done.

It is a pity they are so narrow minded.

Duane Burright is a software engineer by trade, aside from horses and their welfare he’s also interested in American musclecars, vintage electric fans, computers and software design. He has been involved in the campaign to make the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) law since 2003 and is a supporter of a nearby wild horse sanctuary.

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

TBFRIENDS Remember Joe's Horses

Friday, May 22nd... Pedigree folks are always writing to request real names of race horses rescued by Tbfriends. I am going to take you back in time. The year is 2008. In 2008 there were 26 horses from race tracks and we had to promise to never reveal their names. 9 girls and 17 boys. In 2008 Tbfriends rescued 55 thoroughbreds with racing tattoos at Northern California feed lots. 18 girls and 37 boys. 32 have been adopted. In 2008 there were 14 horses from race tracks who came with the wrong name. Just a hunch. 11 have been adopted. In 2008 there was a gelding from Santa Anita race track. Made the 7 hour drive to our ranch. Come to find out the gelding was entered in a race that weekend. The wrong horse was brought to us. Race horses who came to us with names in 2008. The following are still property of Tbfriends: Proud Phil Jade Beret Pragmatico Burger Queen - (not a real name) Brother Tim Poteens Rambo Garros unnamed 2 year old in training (now named Snow) unnamed 2 year old in training (now named Park) Top It Off El Prados Boy Fit To March Cero Quadro Sands Of Time Buddys Mandate Set The Course Sea Captain Earnest Storm Lord Red Speed Kaiana Gandi (not spelled correctly) Dragon C Illuminator Heavenly House Poker - (not a real name) unnamed 2 year old in training (now named Kid Rock) Seeking Answers Rivermem Bear Burning Blur Starspell Square Genius Summer In Winter unnamed 2 year old 30 days broke Six Numbers Officer Tony - (not a real name) Zig Zag Zoom Race horses who came to us with names in 2008. All have been adopted: Hasti Serve Freestrikesyourout Turbulent City Hampton Way Devon Intervention Sloppy Joe - (not a real name) Comstock Cat Silent Touch Jack Back Yummy Pie - (not a real name) Sizzling Summer Jazz - (not a real name) Gold Label Custom Design Power Blend Black & White - (not a real name) Middle Town Road Prairie Rose Paradise Cove Warrensgildedtime Sacred Senor Richard Mandella - (not a real name) unnamed 2 year old in training unnamed 2 year old in training unnamed 2 year old in training Fire - (not a real name) Joe Market Copper Star Lit Royale Abe - (not a real name) Seattle Dreaming Del Mar Doris Imsomadatmyself Tara Lago Military Rhythm unnamed 2 year old in training unnamed 2 year old in training American Dragon Cash - (not a real name) unnamed 2 year old in training now named Indy Dare Thee Power Risque Yodeler Driftwood Summer City Ring Of Friendship Deep Violet Tipsy Mandate Takin Candy Nancys Pride N Joy Excessively Mad Sissy Britches Adams Naughty Lady Unusual Jail Elusive Catch Intimate Obsession Fortunate Child Clever Commander Supercarchy unnamed 2 year old in training Crowning Moosa - (spelling must be wrong. Could not find in pedigree search) In 2008 Tbfriends rescued 16 pregnant thoroughbred mares. All were adopted. In 2008 Tbfriends rescued 48 neglected thoroughbreds from other rescue ranches. 22 are still with us. In 2008 horses from Tbfriends were adopted by folks in Alaska. Washington. Oregon. Colorado. Nebraska. Minnesota. Nevada. Arizona. Texas. Idaho. Utah. In 2008 there were 4 horses dropped off in our driveway. In 2008 we accepted 45 horses from private homes. In 2008 we accepted 23 horses from lesson barns, and event barns. In 2008 we found new homes for almost 200 horses from foreclosures. In 2008 Cathy and I ate delicious fried chicken on top of a waffle. A restaurant called Table 260 in Sacramento. I like when readers make requests. Crunching our numbers was fun. Enjoy your here we go with a long weekend Friday, and be sure to hug your horses. Simon & Garfunkel on the oldies station... Joe

Located in Northern California, TB Friends is dedicated to the rescue and placement of horses that have been abandoned or neglected. Usually these horses arrive from the race track. The horses obtained by TB Friends are often saved from a trip to rendering facilities in Mexico or Canada.

When possible TB Friends takes care to select horses well suited to make the transformation to riding mount or show horse. Our proximity to the bay area race tracks, along with the throwaway nature of the racing industry, unfortunately results in a situation where there are many horses in need of rescue, and therefore many horses from which to choose.

At TB Friends we manage to rescue about two hundred horses every year. When we place a horse there is no charge for the care that we provide them here at Shelton Farms. We only ask for the cost of a horse's rescue and transportation to the farm. For most horses this amounts to less than $1000 dollars. Sadly, we can not save them all. We are limited by the number of horses that we can care for at any one time. However, as we find homes for the horses we have rescued, we replace them by rescuing others. For this reason we ask you to consider purchasing a horse from our farm. Not only are you likely to obtain a beautiful animal, but you will also help us to save more horses.

My cell number is 530-383-2120.

Our mailing address is:
Joe & Cathy Shelton
15891 County Road 92C
Woodland, Ca. 95695

You can send your letters to tbfriends@aol.com

Breed group named as "driving force" behind slaughter law

horsetalk.co.nz.

May 22, 2009

The Montana Quarter Horse Association (MQHA) has been named by the Equine Welfare Alliance as a key driver of a law that allows construction of a horse slaughterhouse in the state.

The alliance has released an email sent to a mailing list by Montana Quarter Horse Association president Stan Weaver.

Alliance representatives John Holland and Vicki Tobin said, in their view, Weaver appeared to be rejoicing that Montana may be home to a horse-killing plant.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Ed Butcher, has proved controversial on several levels.

Montana Governor Schweitzer returned the bill to the state legislature over concerns it limited citizen's rights through courts to challenge construction of a plant.

However, both houses returned the bill unchanged. Schweitzer's decision not to sign the bill meant it passed automatically into law.

The alliance says the new law has left many Montana legislators and citizens shocked that their state might soon be known as the new "home of horse slaughter".

"Montana has enacted a probably unconstitutional statute that denies due process under the United States Constitution," Holland and Tobin said in a statement.

Horse slaughter, they said, will tarnish the "Big Sky" brand and everything it stands for, from cattle to tourism.

"History has shown that such plants bring nothing but pollution and controversy. Montana law makers failed to ask themselves why Texas and Illinois, and now Saskatchewan Canada, have rid themselves of the industry."

Weaver's email praises members for pushing the legislation while discussing the haste with which it was put together.

Weaver describes how the MQHA and Ed Butcher had come up with the idea for the bill just weeks before it was introduced.

Weaver wrote: "I also would like to thank the Montana Quarter Horse Association and its Board of Directors for letting me represent them in this endeavour. It was at a meeting of these folks on Sunday, February 8th that the whole idea was born. At that meeting it was decided unanimously that we would support the Horse Processing bill, and I agreed to write a letter [to be sent] to our members. The effort and email list just grew from there."

"This magnificent breed," said Holland and Tobin, "touted as the most versatile of all horses, is being sent to slaughter in record numbers. In fact, half of all horses sent to slaughter each year are American Quarter Horses.

"Weaver is apparently so enamored at the prospect of a slaughter plant to butcher Montana's Quarter Horses that he ponders writing a book that will contain all the emails and letters in support of horse killing."

The pair accused the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) of continuing to promote indiscriminate breeding.

"Last year, when other businesses were reducing production, AQHA management and its member breeders continued their mad quest to grow revenues by registering 140,000 new foals, an increase of 5000 more horses over 2007," they said.

In his speech before the 2008 annual convention, Bill Brewer, the AQHA�s then executive vice-president said, "Our challenge becomes looking at ways to introduce an equine economic stimulus package that will boost registration numbers."

Weaver�s ranch alone produces and registers 100 horses a year "and helps fill the AQHA treasury with registration fees", the alliance says.

It argues that vested interests promote stories that the United States is being flooded with tens of thousands of abandoned horses.

It was picked up by the Montana media and repeated without question, they said, even though county officials reported a total of only 14 abandoned horses in 2008. Yet little or nothing was reported on the breeding encouraged by the AQHA.

"According to Weaver, the next major AQHA effort will be to try to defeat the federal legislation that will end the slaughter of American horses; HR 503, The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009.

The pair said they expected more of the "elaborate disinformation campaign" from pro-slaughter lobbyists.

Quarter horse breeding continues apace

» Horse slaughter in the new

PROGRESS ON WILD HORSE PLAN

madeleinepickens.
Progress Made on Wild Horse Plan

Video: I-Team: Progress Made on Wild Horse Plan

The Bureau of Land Management’s perpetually- troubled wild horse program has struck a deal with the bureau’s most vocal critics. This fall, wild
horse advocates working with the BLM will stage a nationwide wild horse
adoption event to help relieve overcrowding inside government corrals,
where more than 33,000 mustangs are warehoused.

Years of accelerated roundups on the ranges and an adoption program that
has fallen far short of its goals have combined into a perfect storm of
bad news for wild horses. So many horses are packed into government
corrals that pressure is building on the BLM to take radical action.

The bureau says it can’t afford to feed more than 30,000 mustangs in
captivity, so it has floated an idea that might otherwise be unthinkable
— a final solution for the horse problem — mass euthanizations.

BLM’s national office knows what a PR nightmare it would create if it
ever started shooting or poisoning mustangs in captivity, so the bureau
has taken the bold step of partnering with the same wild horse advocates
who have been its harshest critics. BLM and leading animal welfare
groups have agreed to host a first-of-its kind event — a national wild
horse adoption day, the brainchild of longtime horse advocate Jerry
Reynoldson.

“This plan will entail approximately 60 adoptions across the country at
existing sites, satellite adoptions,” he said.

The target date is a two week window around September 26, 2009. The goal
is to find homes for 1,000 wild horses in one swoop, which is more than
half of the number BLM adopts out in an entire year.

The BLM officials in the northern Nevada state office have displayed
such hostility to wild horse groups that the national office decided to
essentially bypass them as part of the adoption, though there will be a
small adoption event locally.

After fighting the Nevada office for so long, Reynoldson is glad to be
on the same page with the national BLM. “I think they recognize that
something needed to be done to augment the adoption program in general
and help move these horses out. If you look at these specific project we
are doing, are budget is around $300,000. For 1,000 horses, for them to
keep them for a year is $1.8 million,” he said.

But it’s not just a one-time event. Its backers hope the adoption day
will serve as a permanent model for how to incorporate private marketing
expertise into a government program. “These horses, they are standing
there, head to butt, end to end, in countless different places with an
uncertain future, and it’s been that way for many years now. Some of
them have been there for two to three years,” he said.

BLM is also considering an even bolder plan for eliminating the backlog
— a proposal by philanthropist Madeleine Pickens to create a 1,000,000
acre sanctuary in northern Nevada.

BLM has said it doesn’t have the statutory authority to transfer public
grazing land over to the sanctuary. Reynoldson, a point man for Pickens
plan, says that even though BLM has expressed doubts about the plan in
public, it’s been supportive in private.

“Finally, when someone spoke from the BLM, the response was, ‘No, we
have nothing else Mrs. Pickens. You are the only game in town and we
need to work with you,’” he said.

The Pickens plan would save BLM some $800 million over the next 12 years
and would be much better for the horses while also providing an economic
boost to rural Nevada. Pickens thinks it offers BLM a way out of a
painful situation.

“I don’t think they hate the wild horses, I think they hate the wild
horse issue because they’ve created a nest and they can’t live in it,”
she said. “I said, ‘I’m not here to be divisive but you don’t need to
have this ugly baby around your neck forever.’”

More than half of all the wild horses in the country roam the ranges of
Nevada, but as mentioned, the Nevada office will play only a minimal
role in the adoption day event.

TBFRIENDS Remember Joe's Horses

Tuesday, May 19th... That cold ocean air reached us last night. 125 horses with a huge collective ahhhhhhhhh....

A big Happy one day late Birthday to Beckee Milton. The next tall chestnut with chrome will be named Milton.

Since Saturday there have been thousands and thousands of e-mails (okay, really only 70 or so) asking how I feel about Rachel Alexandra winning the Preakness. Is this good or bad for racing? I am always surprised when others want my opinion. No one ever listens when I brag about my shrimp with blue cheese and extra cilantro sandwiches. Hard to gage when I should speak up or not.

Now that you ask... I always root for girls. Fillies beating boys is rare, and a thrill.

But once again, due to the ego of a rich guy who bought Rachel for ten million, took her away from the old man who literally created her, just to put himself into the winners circle of one race, ruined what many besides myself were hoping for. Those rare moments in sports.

And we all know about those rare moments in sports. Who cares about golf? But I will never forget Tiger Woods hugging his ill dad after winning The Masters. A grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth by Bill Mazeroski to win the World Series. Over and over I have watched the tape of Michael Jordan hitting a crazy shot at the buzzer to win an NBA championship.

Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby. Wins so easily he could have made another trip around the track and been ahead by 50 lengths. Without Rachel, Bird wins The Preakness. And now, for the next three weeks, all eyes in America would have been on one little gelding. The most difficult feat in all of sports is to win The Triple Crown.

Love those late night ESPN highlights. What a story. A small time trainer from New Mexico. A little gelding who cost less than ten grand as a yearling, beating million dollar horses from the same sale. If Bird has a workout, ESPN would have showed us. If Bird has a bath, or eats a handful of organic carrots, ESPN would have been there with their cameras.

One or two years from now, walk down any street in America and ask 500 people who is Rachel Alexandra? Zero people will have the answer.

But if Bird wins The Triple Crown? 450 out of 500 will say oh yeah, that cute little horse we were all rooting for.

Mine That Bird, etched in our brains forever. Mentioned in the same breath as Seattle Slew. Affirmed. Secretariat. We could have had one of those rare moments in sports. Move over Tiger Woods, I need room on my video shelf.

Any time a horse is the center of attention in America, this is a good thing. Good for racing, and good for those who work with horses. But especially GOOD for the horses themselves.

Since we are talking horses, and racing, rumors continue to run rampant. Who knows what is true or not? A developer in San Francisco wants to buy Golden Gate Fields so he can build tall apartments overlooking the bay. Cal University in Berkeley wants to buy Golden Gate Fields so they can expand their campus.

I only know about the phone calls that come to us. Especially from Los Angeles, where Hollywood Park is expected to be torn down. Owners, trainers, racing officials ask me over and over. Does Tbfriends have a plan for all the unwanted race horses in the next two years?

Um, no. I can hardly plan tomorrow, let alone the next two years.

But this is getting scary. We need ideas.

Enjoy your 83 degree Tuesday, and be sure to hug your horses. Rod Stewart on the oldies station...

Joe

My cell number is 530-383-2120.

Our mailing address is:
Joe & Cathy Shelton
15891 County Road 92C
Woodland, Ca. 95695

You can send your letters to tbfriends@aol.com

EVILS OF HORSE SLAUGHTER

May 6, 2009 1:47 pm US/Pacific
Baby Horses Rescued After Moms Sent To Slaughter
EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) ―

* The Grace Foundation Website

Seven foals whose mothers were sent to slaughter have been rescued and have new homes in El Dorado County this afternoon.

The baby horses arrived at The Grace Foundation in El Dorado Hills today. They were left to fend for themselves when a group of mares that included their mothers were sold to slaughter and shipped to Canada.

There were originally nine young foals abandoned but two died before a private citizen contacted The Grace Foundation. The foundation is a 600-acre rescue and rehabilitation center that currently is home to 120 horses.

"The horse industry is in a crisis and rescue facilities like ours are being bombarded with calls from desperate owners looking for a place that will take in their horse," said Beth DeCaprio, Executive Director of The Grace Foundation. "Unfortunately, we're nearly at maximum capacity already, and as a non-profit, our funds are already limited. But when we heard about these foals, there was no way we could just turn our backs."

DeCaprio says it will cost thousands of dollars to care for the foals. But she says the community has been extremely supportive.

"It's easy to be cynical about the world when you hear how these foals were basically left for dead, but the thing that gives us hope is the amazing capacity for generosity we witness every day out here," said DeCaprio.

The Grace Foundation hopes to adopt out the foals once they are nursed back to health.

The Preakness

AP

Rachel Alexandra is first female to win Preakness since 1924, holding off charge by Derby winner Mine That Bird to capture Triple Crown's middle jewel. | PHOTOS

The Day It All Started ,Barbaro's Legacy

Jerry in Missouri (Slew)

Today marks the third anniversary of the day that started it all, Barbaro's Legacy. Because of Barbaro, so much good has come to horses around the world, from rescues, closing slaughter plants in the U.S., to better track safety.

During the 134th running of the Preakness, please take a moment and reflect on these past three years. Think about the friendships you have made, the Horses you have followed, the wisdom you have gained through the help of Alex and all the posters here on ABR.

Say a prayer that every horse and Jockey are safe today, and remember Sweet Barbaro, as he is why we are here.

May 20th 2006 Pimlico Race Track

Barbaro's Last Stride

TBFRIENDS Remember Joe's Horses

Friday, May 15th... Despite lack of custody liability insurance, we are once again sending horses to live with our friends.

There is no other way to do this. The numbers are staggering. Thoroughbreds come to us almost daily, most with racing tattoos. We have not even had time to give names to 8 horses. Some from feed lots. Some from private homes who threaten to kill their horses. Race tracks. A breeding farm out of business. We are shoulder to shoulder, hock to hock. Toss a key lime pie in the air, it comes down on a horse.

Adoptions are steady, but not great. We said goodbye to Untapped. We said goodbye to Dragnet. The day before Danny Gokey was booted from American Idol, Gokey the horse found a new home in Pleasanton.

And through it all, through our massive numbers and 18 hour days, there are pissed off people because I refuse them a horse. I explain nicely, your other horses look like crap. Obviously you are having a difficult time feeding your horses. So why should I allow you to adopt one more?

You might as well be talking to a red brick wall. Nothing gets in. Forever on the defensive, and they threaten and pout and say bad things about Tbfriends on the internet. Whatever. Always liked that term. Whatever. It would be a waste of our time to rescue a horse, only to place him into another sad situation.

And so we call upon friends to open their gates for our horses. The nicest family you will ever meet, living in Clear Lake. Friends in Vacaville, Dixon, Suisun, Davis, Elk Grove, Wilton, Grass Valley and Colfax. In the last week all have once again become foster parents. Helping to ease our numbers. We are extremely grateful.

Hungry horses are waiting for the old man to bring breakfast. Later we could be a toasty 90 degrees. Delicious ice cold orange juice from Simply Orange. Cinnamon rolls with melted butter made by Raleys. Flies starting their engines. Lady Ga Ga (huh?) on the radio...

Joe
THANK YOU JOE AND KATHY !!

CONTACT
My cell number is 530-383-2120.

Our mailing address is:
Joe & Cathy Shelton
15891 County Road 92C
Woodland, Ca. 95695

You can send your letters to tbfriends@aol.com

House of Representatives Is Considering a bill to ban transporting Horses in Double-deck Trailers

House weighs ban on equine double-decker transport
May 13, 2009
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE

Washington -- The House of Representatives is
considering a bill to ban
transporting horses in double-deck trailers, thereby
turning into
federal law a similar rule the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has had in
place the last two years.

The Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009 would
prohibit anyone from
transporting a horse "in interstate commerce" using a
vehicle with two
or more levels. The bill, also known as House
Resolution 305, is before
the House Subcommittee on Highway and Transit.

Several states have passed bans on double-deck horse
transportation, and
the USDA has prohibited the use of double-layer
trailers to transport
horses destined for slaughter since 2007.

Unlike the USDA rule, the new law, if passed, does
not specify a purpose
for the horse's travel but simply bans double-deck
transportation
altogether, according to legislation. Fines for
violations would range
from $100 to $500 per offense. It is

`(b) Civil Penalty- A person that knowingly violates this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of at least $100 but not more than $500 for each violation. A separate violation occurs under this section for each horse that is transported, or caused to be transported, in violation of this section. On learning of a violation, the Attorney General shall bring a civil action to collect the penalty in the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which the violation occurred or the defendant resides or does business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Horse Slaughter A Financial Nightmare

are05.13.09 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (photos attached)
Contacts: John Holland 540.268.5693 john@equinewelfarealliance.org Vicki Tobin 630.961.9292 vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org

Horse slaughter dream a financial nightmare

CHICAGO, (EWA) – The dream of the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) and its affiliate the MQHA (Montana Quarter Horse Association) to bring horse slaughter back to the US may have just been dealt what may be its death blow. The blow came not from anti-slaughter advocates, nor public revulsion, nor Congress, but from a horse slaughter industry insider whose op-ed, Meat plant: a cautionary tale, appeared on April 30^th in the Western Producer, a subscription-only Canadian online animal agriculture journal.

“Natural Valley Farms died the day the decision makers chose to kill horses”, says Henry Skjerven, an investor and director of the defunct Natural Valley Farms (NVF) slaughter complex in Saskatchewan , Canada . Skjerven tells the story of how NVF, which had originally been built to process cattle during the BSE crisis, ended in a $42 million financial disaster following its decision to kill horses for the Velda Group of Belgium .

The story broke just as the AQHA and Stan Weaver of the MQHA, were celebrating the passage of Montana bill (HB 418). On April 5, EWA broke the news that the plant had been closed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in December.

In his article, Skjerven refers to the plant’s confrontational interaction with the CFIA over the plant’s “composting” and other issues. Unlike beef that can be used in pet food, horse byproducts must be disposed of properly because they contain substances such as the wormer, Ivermectin, which can cause fatal encephalitis in some breeds of dogs. Blood disposal appears to have been equally problematic for NVF as with other horse slaughter plants. Not only do horses have twice the quantity of blood as cows, but the blood is notoriously difficult to treat. The bacterial agents used in standard cattle digesters fail to provide acceptable discharge levels because of antibiotics often found in horse blood. As a result, pollution follows the horse slaughter industry where ever it goes.

During debate over HB 418, the Montana Senate Agriculture committee dismissed evidence of these problems as anti-slaughter propaganda. Even the testimony of former Kaufman , Texas mayor Paula Bacon was ignored when she told of blood rising into people’s bathtubs in her town.

But unfortunately for NVF, the CFIA was not so easily assuaged. Even Butcher has admitted that any horse slaughter plant that is built in the US will have to be operated by an EU group like Velda because the horse meat market is in Europe and they control it. Now Velda needs a new home, but in his op-ed Skjerven, says, “horse slaughter never brought a single minute of profitability to the company.” In the end, it may not matter that HB 418 is unconstitutional, nor that a horse slaughter plant in the US could not export its horse meat without USDA inspectors, nor that the industry has committed a thousand sins against horses and the environment.

If investors in a horse slaughter plant cannot be comfortable in knowing they will make a profit, there will be no plant built. If Stan Weaver and the AQHA want horse slaughter they may have to do the killing themselves.

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

mjwilson4978 Wiki Page

GO NICANOR !! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL !!

Trainer Michael Matz switched Nicanor to the turf for his fourth career start and it clearly suited the colt well, as he demolished a maiden special weight field by 15 1/4 lengths at Delaware Park May 13
Bloodhorse.com

Governor Schweitzer goes to Derby, leaves slaughter bill to become law

Press release:

05.06.09
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: John Holland
540.268.5693
john@equinewelfarealliance.org

Vicki Tobin
630.961.9292
vicki@equinewelfarealliance.org

Governor Schweitzer goes to Derby, leaves slaughter bill to become law

CHICAGO, (EWA) - On Friday, May 1st, Governor Brian Schweitzer packed up and left his office to head for the Kentucky Derby. On his desk, he left HB 418, a bill designed to encourage the building of a horse slaughter plant in Montana!

The bill was designed to lure a horse slaughter plant to Montana by preventing Montana citizens from challenging such a facility in the state courts without first posting a bond equal to 20% of the facility’s cost. Without his veto, the bill became law.

The Governor had initially issued an amendatory veto of the bill, pointing out that it was almost certainly unconstitutional, but the legislature had sent it back to him without his suggested amendments. The bill’s sponsor, Ed Butcher, was quick to praise the Governor’s act of surrender.
In an interview published in The Horse, Butcher dismissed the idea that his bill was unconstitutional. He went on to explain his misguided belief that the role of the courts is more like that of movie critics, saying, "Courts have the right to offer an opinion about legislation--they do not have the right to make law. That's the legislature's job."
Butcher has said these safeguards [taking away the access of citizens to the courts] were needed to avoid the types of legal appeals that shuttered the country's last horse slaughterhouses in Illinois and Texas in 2007.

In an earlier article “Showdown at Horse Slaughter Pass”, EWA’s John Holland used the metaphor that Butcher was trying to “tie the citizens of Montana to the tracks”, and pondered whether the Governor would save the day. But alas, the Governor had his mind on the Kentucky Derby and left the citizens to their fate. Luckily, Butcher’s bill ties them to the wrong tracks.

None of the three US horse slaughter plants was ever closed through such a law suit. This is not to say they should not have been, but they weren’t. The Dallas Crown plant was ordered closed by the Kaufman Texas Board of Adjustments (not a private suit), but they managed to delay even that order in the courts until they were eventually closed under a long un-enforced 1949 state law.

In irony piled upon irony, that 1949 law had originally been pushed by cattlemen to prevent horse meat from competing with beef. Believing that the movement to stop horse slaughter is part of a “vegan agenda”, cattlemen were among the strongest proponents of HB 418!

And the Illinois plant, despite piling up continuous fines for the last three years of their operation, was never closed for such offenses. They were instead closed under a new Illinois law banning horse slaughter. A bill to reverse that law recently failed in the Illinois legislature and was withdrawn by its sponsor.

The Belgian Velda Corporation’s Natural Meats plant in Saskatchewan, Canada is the most probable target of Butcher’s overtures. Their operating license was suspended in December over unspecified health concerns by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, but this action would not have been relevant to the Butcher bill either. After a temporary reinstatement, the plant closed permanently in February.

And of course, no slaughter plant can currently slaughter horses in the US for human consumption because Congress removed funding for the required USDA ante-mortem inspections. The bill’s only real impact may be the statement it makes about Montana, its legislature and its governor.

But in a final irony, Schweitzer pointed to one of the fundamental injustices of horse slaughter by going to the Kentucky Derby as he announced to the world that Montana wants to become the country’s new abattoir. According to a study done for the American Horse Council, American horses generate about $141 Billion dollars a year in direct and indirect revenue through thousands of events like the Kentucky Derby. The slaughter industry pays about $40 Million a year to ship these athletes, companions and entertainers to an inhumane end. Put another way, after all they do for us; we sell our horses to slaughter for just 3 cents of every $100 they earn.

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

********************************************************************

Links:

Horseback Magazine, left column, second story down.
http://www.horsebackmagazine.com/breakingnews.htm

Also,here: http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=72069

MYSPACE / MINE THAT BIRD

myspace/minethatbird

lots of info and video's on this horse and connections ENJOY!!

MINE THAT BIRD TEAM SALUTES BARBARO, GIVES ROSES FROM DERBY GARLAND TO FANS

From John Asher at Churchill Downs:

LOUISVILLE, KY. (May 3, 2009) - Kentucky Derby fans who visited Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum on the day after the 135th "Run for the Roses" got a surprise gift from the team behind Mine That Bird, the 50-1 longshot that won America's greatest race on Saturday.


Trainer Chip Woolley Jr. suggested Sunday morning that the mantle of roses worn by Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby Winner's Circle after his victory be placed on the new sculpture of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro located at Churchill Downs' Gate 1 entrance. After consulting with co-owners Mark Allen with Double Eagle Ranch and Dr. Leonard Blach of Bueno Suerte Equine, the trio behind Saturday's surprise Derby winner decided to give the nearly 400 "Freedom Roses" that make up the garland to Derby fans who were visiting the Barbaro Memorial and the Kentucky Derby Museum on the day after the race.

The garland had been stored in refrigeration overnight in the museum, and at noon (EDT) was briefly placed over the rail of the Barbaro sculpture in tribute to the ill-fated 2006 winner of the Kentucky Derby. The garland was then removed and Woolley and Allen began handing out the roses, one-by-one, to fans who happened by the larger-than-life sculpture as they visited the museum and Churchill Downs.

"This is a tribute to a great horse," Woolley said. "I wanted everyone to have a little piece of the Derby. We wanted to give something back to the game. We just want to show how important horses really are. That's what this is all about. We want people to know just how important these horses really are to us. They're not just animals, they're a part of us."

A line of delighted fans formed in front of the Barbaro sculpture as they awaited their opportunity for a Derby rose won by Mine That Bird, and Woolley and Allen also posed for photos and signed autographs until the each rose had been distributed. The two men greeted fans in front of the Barbaro Memorial for more than an hour and a half until each rose from the garland had been handed out.

Mine That Bird’s Canadian Connection

---

May 3, 2009, 11:28 am

Mine That Bird’s Canadian Connection

By Alex Brown

Behind the scenes with David Cotey: buying, racing and selling a Derby winner.

I have known David Cotey for a year. He has stalls in barn 30 at Woodbine, the same barn I am in with Steve Asmussen’s string.

David’s star last year was Mine That Bird, and Mine That Bird happened to beat us a few times! David purchased Mine That Bird as a yearling for $9,500 at the Fasig Tipton sale in October 2007. David sold Mine That Bird after winning several stakes races with him in Canada and sealing Canadian 2yo of the year honors. I took the opportunity to sit down with David, the morning after Mine That Bird’s win in the Kentucky Derby.

On David Cotey’s Background.

David is a partner in Dominion Bloodstock (DBA), along with Hugh Galbraith and Derek Ball. They essentially buy and sell horses, horses that also race. About 8 years ago David took over the training side of the operation. Currently they have about 55 horses in training. Of that number about 28 are at Woodbine, Barn 30.

On Buying Mine That Bird

The price range DBA usually pays for horses tops out at about $15,000. They did pay $30,000 for one horse, which never made it to the races. And $25,000 twice, and both those horses won Stakes races. They target the Fasig Tipton October sale, and the January sale. Once the bigger buyers have already made their purchases.

Mine That Bird was acquired for $9,500 from the Fasig Tipton October sale. He had a nice walk. He was well balanced. His pedigree was attractive (by Birdstone and out of a Smart Strike mare), and he was very smart and professional in the ring. All factors that are attractive to David as he buys horses. That year David bought 20 yearlings. And at the time of purchase he considered Mine That Bird one of his three favorites. Loose Talker, another of the three, runs this afternoon at Woodbine.

On Developing Mine That Bird.

He was the favorite of Gemini Caine, who broke him in (provided his early education). She indicated this to David very early on. Charlie Brown, one of David’s exercise riders, concurred once Mine That Bird got to Woodbine. Charlie always liked him and the way he worked. And Mine That Bird continued to blossom. Constant Montpellier also liked him when he worked him. “Very intelligent”. Constant was his first jockey and broke his maiden. Constant lost the mount when he had a conflict and headed out west for a race. Chantal Sutherland rode him that day and subsequently won multiple stakes on Mine That Bird.

On Selling Mine That Bird

DBA does not usually sell their better horses. It’s not the goal. But Mine That Bird had won three stakes in a row and it left them three options. Lay him up for the winter and hope he comes back strong for the following season (David does not travel south with a string like some other trainers do here at Woodbine); run him in the Breeders’ Cup, which would have required some significant expense; or sell him so someone else could run him in the Breeders’ Cup. And there was pretty significant interest in the latter. Bear Stables had made an offer. The offer fell through, however other interest persisted so a sale was made. The sale simply made good business sense, with the added consideration that Mine That Bird is a gelding. There is no residual value from a breeding perspective.

The money from the sale was useful for the upcoming sales, allowing DBA to invest significantly when the market had clearly switched to a buyers market. And David thinks they have made some decent purchases and is upbeat about his prospects from last year’s sales.
Basically everything fell into place.

On Mine That Bird’s Derby win.

It’s a great deal for everybody. Everybody’s happy. David noted that watching the Kentucky Derby was the most exciting day of racing in all his life. And David has trained some good horses, including 3yo Canadian Champion Lady Shari. David could not be happier with the outcome. He has been in touch with Mine That Bird’s new trainer on a few occasions and has nothing but good things to say about him.

On David Cotey.

As noted above, I have known David for a year. David is a terrific person to get to know. We have sat in his office on many occasions trying to handicap races in which we are both in. It is entirely unsurprising to me that he is delighted for those who purchased Mine That Bird and the success they are having. David is simply a classy guy and well liked at Woodbine

The Preakness

This article shows who will not go on to the Preakness and who may be being considered...

http://www.drf.com/news/article/103483.html

Mine That Bird >>"We'll let the horse tell us," Allen, who owns Mine That Bird with Dr. Leonard Blach, said Sunday morning as a light rain fell at Churchill Downs. "We'll run some blood work on him, make sure it's where it should be."

"The plan was that if he showed something here, to skip the Preakness and go to the Belmont, like his dad," Allen said. Mine That Bird is a son of Birdstone, who won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes in 2004. This year's Belmont is June 6.

Woolley said that if Mine That Bird skips the Preakness, "we'd wait for the Belmont."

"Go in fresh," Woolley said. "The farther he goes, the better this horse is going to be.

"He's come back super, so far," Woolley said. "You've got to do what's best for the horse. We'll see how he is in a couple of days." Woolley cited as another concern the widely held, though empirically false, belief that Pimlico, the home of the Preakness, "is speed-biased."

Others..

>>Dunkirk, who finished 11th, injured his left hind hoof and also is out of consideration for the Preakness.

Kelly Breen, the trainer of West Side Bernie (ninth) and Atomic Rain (16th), said he had no plans for either colt, but did not expect to run in the Preakness. "We are going back to Monmouth and regroup," he said.

Musket Man, who finished third, is "under consideration," trainer Derek Ryan said.

"If he runs in the Preakness, he would not run in the Belmont," Ryan said. "It'll be one or the other."

Hold Me Back (12th), Advice (13th), and Mr. Hot Stuff (15th) - would not run in the Preakness

"Mine That Bird "Takes Derby

Final time of the race was 2:02.66 A $9500 horse wins the Derby ... an American dream !


Mine That Bird Foaled May 10, 2006 is the leading runner so far by millionaire Birdstone, who carved out a permanent niche in racing history by foiling Smarty Jones' Triple Crown bid in the 2004 Belmont S. (G1). A son of 1996 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Grindstone, and a grandson of 1990 Derby hero Unbridled, Birdstone stamped himself as a classic contender when capturing the Champagne S. (G1) at two. Unfortunately, the spring of his three-year-old season did not go according to plan, and he could manage only eighth in the Run for the Roses.

Full Pedigree ›

Mine That Bird	Birdstone	Grindstone
		Dear Birdie
	Mining My Own	Smart Strike
		Aspenelle

Mine That Bird is the first foal from the unraced Mining My Own, who is by Smart Strike, sire of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Preakness (G1) and the third-place finisher in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. The 1996 Grade 1 winner is a relatively new broodmare sire and will have the opportunity to shine for years to come.

Mining My Own, an eight-year-old mare, should provide plenty of stamina for her offspring. She is out of Aspenelle, a confirmed router who finished second in the 1993 Canadian Oaks, and Aspenelle hails from Vice Regent, whose offspring tend to relish longer distances. Vice Regent’s best offspring include the outstanding Deputy Minister, the 1981 Canadian Horse of the Year who went on to be a successful stallion; Canadian champions Regal Classic, Regal Intention, Bessarabian, Ruling Angel, Fraud Squad, Bounding Away, Christy’s Mount and Deceit Dancer; and multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Twice the Vice.

Montana Horse Slaughter Bill Becomes Law

http://www.kpax. com/Global/ story.asp? S=10289857


Associated Press - May 1, 2009 8:04 PM ET
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Legislation to allow investor-owned horse slaughterhouses in Montana, and limit legal action against them, has become law.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer neither signed nor vetoed the measure on Friday, the deadline for him to take action, which means the bill automatically becomes law.
The bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Ed Butcher, of Winifred, aims to limit the kind of legal challenges that forced the 2007 closures of the nation's last U.S. slaughterhouses in Illinois and Texas.
During the 2009 legislative session, Schweitzer rejected the limit on legal action. He said it would strip people of appeal rights important in environmental protection.
The Legislature then rejected the changes the governor wanted.

ALERT: A Walk Across America for Horses

PLEASE CROSS POST

www.awalkforhorses. webs.com <http://www.awalkfor horses.webs. com/>

We began our walk across America on March 14th, in Newark, DE. We will
finish walking in Long Beach, CA, in the fall of 2009.

Our goal is to bring awareness to the danger American horses are facing.
Many states are working on legislation to re-open the American horse
slaughter industry. The economy has put thousands of horses in danger of
abandonment and even worse abuse.

The horses need our help. We must create a humane and dignified solution to
save these majestic animals which have served us for thousands of years.

PLEASE HELP at www.awalkforhorses. webs.com
<http://www.awalkfor horses.webs. com/>

Donations are accepted. Our web site has a PayPal account to accept any
monetary support you may be able to give, to assist us in our endeavor.
Checks or money orders can be mailed in care of:

A Walk Across America for Horses

PO Box 123

Capulin, CO 81124

We have T-shirts available on the web site. ALL proceeds go towards
supporting our walk and our quest to end the re-opening of slaughter houses.

In addition to monetary donations, you can donate your time. Please come to
walk with us to show your support!

Phone Kristina at 719-580-0374, for route information.

Thank you.

After having spent a good bit of time with Kristina, I feel compelled to add
a brief note...

Kristina has been a guest in our home. Faith Dower, WV rescuer, & I had
dinner with Kris, last night. Every advocate who has met this very
intelligent young woman, both in our home and within this state (WV), has
been enormously impressed by Kris' knowledge of horses and the horse world,
her out going (never give up) personality and attitude, her honesty and
warmth. Kristina is a wonderful ambassador for the horses and for our
cause. She has rescued horses, as did her mother before her. (She and her
husband finance their rescue work.) The family is also well known within
their Colorado community, including local churches and 4 H.

Bonnie Oliver: Friesians2@casinter net.net

Faith has managed Kris' Walk across America for Horses, within West
Virginia. She is also assisting with the web site. Faith's contact
information: faith.walkforhorses @gmail.com

Phone: 304-643-2324

THANK YOU!

Pickens Once Raced Horses, Now Works to Save Them

http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 05/03/sports/ othersports/ 03horses. html?ref= sports

By JILLIAN DUNHAM
Published: May 1, 2009

As a longtime owner of thoroughbreds, Madeleine Pickens has made the famous walk to the Churchill Downs paddock with some great racehorses. But she will not attend the Kentucky Derby this year and has no plans to any time soon.
After hearing that Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, had been slaughtered in Japan in 2002, Pickens inquired about Fraise, her first champion at the Breeders´ Cup. Fraise´s Japanese buyers told her that the horse had been sent to a riding school - the same path Ferdinand was said to have taken on his way to the slaughterhouse.
"All the years, we´d had something like 800 horses, and it never occurred to me that there could be something like horse slaughter," Pickens, 62, said in a recent interview. "There would be an injured horse, and I´d say, `What will happen?´ And they´d say, `The glue factory.´ I thought they were joking."
She and her husband at the time, Allen Paulson, the founder of Gulfstream Aerospace, owned a number of Kentucky Derby starters and Breeders´ Cup champions, including Cigar, one of the most successful horses in history. Paulson died in 2000, but his widow continued in the sport with success. In 2004, her colt Rock Hard Ten finished second to Smarty Jones at the Preakness.
The next year, she met and soon married the Texas oilman/billionaire T. Boone Pickens. Less than two weeks before her wedding, she received a call from Michael Blowen, the founder of a Kentucky sanctuary for rescued racehorses called Old Friends. "You don´t know me," he told her. "But I have Fraise, and I´m bringing him home."
He said Pickens began to cry.
Along with Fraise, the foundation was bringing back Ogygian, a Grade I stakes winner. It would cost $65,000 to fly the horses to Kentucky. "Never mind," Pickens said she told Blowen. "I´ll pay for it."
She had begun to pull away from the sport and decided to give it up entirely. She began instead to advocate against slaughter with the support of her new husband. They worked with the Humane Society of the United States on animal-welfare issues, including the rescue of hundreds of dogs and cats after Hurricane Katrina.
"She´s really there for animals when they are in distress," said Wayne Pacelle, the Humane Society´s chief executive. "We consider her a fabulous ally for animal protection in this country."
After the federal government suggested last fall that it could begin to euthanize wild horses it could not afford to manage, Pickens announced that she would create the National Wild Horse Foundation, an organization to buy and maintain a sanctuary for the animals.
To control the population, the Bureau of Land Management has rounded up nearly 80,000 wild horses and burros since 2001. Some have been individually adopted, but 32,000 remain in the agency´s custody. The cost of their care has become unsustainable, the Bureau of Land Management says, taking up three-quarters of its $36 million wild-horse budget.
Existing laws mandate that the agency euthanize healthy wild horses and sell some, including to slaughterhouses, to control costs. The Bureau of Land Management says it has not complied with those aspects of the law. But last year, the Government Accountability Office recommended that the agency begin discussions with Congress over whether to do so.
Pickens´s subsequent offer to create a sanctuary was met with enthusiasm by both activists and the government. Her plan stalled, however, after she requested a federal stipend of $500 a year for the lifetime of each horse, equivalent to what ranchers who care for the horses receive in annual contracts from the government.
"She´s asking for the money ad infinitum," said Tom Gorey, a Land Management spokesman. "We can´t do that."
Pickens maintains that her plan will save the government at least $700 million over 10 years. Gorey called this "fantasy savings" because the proposal did not meet the requirements of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971, which restricts wild horses to public land they inhabited before the law was enacted.
Senator Mary L. Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who is a lead sponsor of a bipartisan antislaughter bill introduced in March, did not know Madeleine and T. Boone Pickens at the time of Hurricane Katrina. But after meeting with them in January, she decided to support some of the positions later put forth in a House bill called the Restoring Our American Mustangs Act, or Roam. Last week, the Committee on Natural Resources approved the act for a future House vote.
The legislation contains measures to protect wild horses, including the prohibition of euthanasia and sale for slaughter. It also endorses contraception, something the Bureau of Land Management has tried in a limited way. The Roam Act also would expand available grazing land and support public-private partnerships like the one Pickens proposes.
"It saves the horses; it saves taxpayer money," Landrieu said. "I think that kind of effort should be honored."
Pickens hopes to create a million-acre sanctuary that could be a "living museum" for the horses, which descend from cavalry mounts, burros brought west by Jesuit missionaries and the mustangs of the 16th century Spanish conquistadors. "If you take the horse off the range," she said, "you now have a moral obligation to take care of that horse for the rest of its life."
That obligation, she said, extends to the backyard horses, children´s ponies and racehorses that can wind up abandoned or slaughtered.
"We are personally responsible for these horses," Pickens said.

For Immediate Release: Hundreds of Mustangs Rescued from Nebraska Rescue

For Immediate Release: Hundreds of Mustangs Rescued from Nebraska Rescue

Posted by: "R.T. Fitch" rtfitch@forceofthehorse.com safetydude.geo

Fri May 1, 2009 4:46 am (PDT)

Hundreds of Mustangs Rescued from Nebraska Ranch Ready for New Homes
Rescue Agencies and Volunteers Continue to Care for the `Nebraska 200´

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jerry Finch 866-434-5737

1 May 2009

Alliance, NE - More than two hundred neglected horses and burros found at a Morrill County ranch are now available for adoption through Habitat for Horses, a Texas-based equine protection organization.

On April 22nd, more than two hundred horses and donkeys were seized from Three Strikes Ranch, a private mustang facility just outside Alliance, Nebraska. An additional 74 animals were confirmed dead. Necropsy results on a number of animals revealed significant fat and muscle atrophy, which is consistent with starvation.

Jason Maduna, the ranch´s owner, was arrested on one count of felony animal cruelty, but additional charges are expected. The animals are now recuperating at their temporary home at the Bridgeport Rodeo Grounds. The Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue have been working alongside the Bureau of Land Management and area veterinarians to feed, treat, and assess the 220 animals, including a number of foals born since the seizure. According to Jerry Finch of Habitat for Horses, "the outpouring of support from the local community is humbling. From home-cooked meals for the volunteers, to hay provided by the local Farm Bureaus, we could not ask for more or better support."

Of the 220 animals at the Fairgrounds, 22 have been identified by their owners and will be returned to them. The remaining animals are available for placement with qualified individuals or groups. Those interested, should contact Hillary Wood of Front Range Equine Rescue at 719-481-1490. The horses have all received a negative Coggins, have been dewormed, vaccinated and microchipped. Finch strongly cautions that they are looking for those with experience in handling and training wild mustangs. "These are not back yard ponies."

A dedicated website has been setup which includes photographs and descriptions of the available animals, as well as forms and contact numbers. For more information, please visit: http://nebraska200. horsereunions. com/.

Donations are still needed to help cover the cost of medical care. Credit card donations can be made online at http://www.habitatf orhorses. org/. Donations can also be mailed to: Front Range Equine Rescue, P.O. Box 307, Larkspur, CO 80118. Please notate on your check and/or credit card donations that it is for "Nebraska 200 ". Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
~
Habitat for Horses (HfH) is the largest all breed equine protection committed to the prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation of neglected and abused horses. The largest organization of its kind in North America, HfH operates a rehabilitation ranch in Texas. To learn more, visit www.habitatforhorse s.org

.

Forwarded and endorsed by:

R.T. Fitch
Author - "Straight from the Horse's Heart"
The Force of the Horse®, LLC
1-800-974-FOTH
www.rtfitch. com
www.habitatforhorse s.org
www.equinewelfareal liance.org