The Managed Extinction of Cloud's Herd - KEEP CALLING AND WRITING! THIS IS NOT OVER!

This is NOT over! We MUST keep the pressure on the BLM. They have been extremely careful on this roundup because of the glare of worldwide publicity. We DID make a difference! Keep it up! There is also hope that more horses will be released, but only if we keep calling, posting and writing. If you wrote your Congressmen, write again. Tell them the old stallions and the babies need to be freed! SPREAD THE WORD!

The Managed Extinction of Cloud’s Herd « Straight from the Horse's Heart

And while a deep silence lay over the witnesses, Cloud, the leader, the master of the mountains turned from the gate and took a stance starring back directly at his aggressor, the helicopter.  His intent was obvious, his message was clear, his point was well taken and a few quite sobs were heard within Cloud’s family of human followers.  He made his stand, then turned and walked towards the gate.  He had done all he could do, the observers had tried all that they could and collectively the humans and horses knew that they had lost all control, their future and fate was no longer in their hands, Cloud’s family was to be ripped apart and all that remained for them was a few final moments of togetherness, a gentle touch, while they huddled in fear against the gate that lead to their group’s destruction.  Their cries intermingled with those from their human friends high above who felt their loss and shared their helplessness, they cried together and bowed their heads.

The betrayed innocent, Cloud

We are told that Cloud will once again run free, that the blue mark on his rump dictates that he is one of the lucky ones that can go back to living his life in the beauty of the Pryor Mountains.  But he will do so with several of his loved ones ripped from his band; he will, now, love mares that have been chemically sterilized so that they will bear him no foals and he will be forced to do all of this while surrounded by a herd that will not be able to genetically sustain itself.

This is the gift of managed extinction that we give to our native, American horses, this is the legacy that we leave to our children and this is the image that we Americans project to the rest of the world.

It is not a pretty picture

Status Update

Please! There is still time to help Cloud! Keep calling and writing!

www.thecloudfoundation.org - Status Update

On Sunday we think that the Cattoors will round up all the horses on the mountain-top-- Cloud's band included-- and drive them the 10-12 miles down the mountain. We are most concerned with the week-old filly and the elderly Bigfoot. There is no reason to bring these specific horses down the mountain and we are requesting that the roundup crew leave them alone.
There is an incredible public outcry for these horses and while the BLM is turning a blind eye to the public whose horses they are charged with managing, others are listening. Please continue to call and demand that your congressionals ask the Montana senators Baucus and Tester, as well as congressman Denny Rehberg, why they are allowing the destruction of this unique little herd on their watch. Tester and Baucus' offices have been telling us that this matter is in the BLM's hands-- this is unacceptable. Demand that fewer horses be removed. These horses are far too special to give up on.

Thank you everyone-- all of us here witnessing this roundup feel your support for these horses and we will keep working to save this precious herd.

--Ginger

National Wild Horse and Burro Meeting!

Please attend if you can. If you can't, follow this link to The Cloud Foundation for information on snail mail and email addresses. I can't go myself - but you can be sure I will be sending those letters and emails!

www.thecloudfoundation.org - National Wild Horse and Burro Meeting

National Wild Horse and Burro Meeting
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Wednesday, 02 September 2009 10:51

Sept. 28, 2009 in Arlington, VA - Please come speak for our wild horses

For immediate release: Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Contact: Tom Gorey 202-452-5137

BLM Sets Meeting of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board for September 28 in Arlington, Virginia

LAST CHANCE FOR CLOUD'S HERD

Please follow this link to learn more! The roundup is TODAY!

Fight continues to save Cloud’s herd « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Dear Supporters,
We’re sorry to announce that the District Court judge in DC denied our request for a temporary restraining order today and the roundup of Cloud’s herd is to start tomorrow. You can read the court documents here. BLM’s reasoning for this roundup is pathetic. Please don’t give up - we are doing everything we can to monitor this operation and influence the outcome. Young foals only DAYS OLD are on this mountain. Horses in their LATE TEENS and TWENTIES will be removed- this is unacceptable.

Secretary Salazar and the BLM aren’t listening to the public, nor are the Montana Senators. Cloud’s herd represents all wild horses in the West and if we can’t save this most famous herd, what chances do we have with the rest? Please continue to call and fax your congressionals, President Obama (202-456-9000), and all media outlets you can. Read a recent USA Today article here.


Watch our 2 new YouTube videos! Crow Elder & Historian Howard Boggess speaks out for the horses and Advocate Julianne French tells us just who has been hired to do this roundup.
Read and share our most recent Press Release on the current situation and the federally indicted contractor hired to round up Cloud’s herd.

National media attention is being focused on the plight of the herd. We hope it will make a difference.
Please help us bring the struggle of these wonderful animals to the attention of our government. They must not turn a blind eye as this enduring symbol of the American West is lost.

My thanks to all of you who are working so hard. Never give up!


Happy trails,
Ginger Kathrens
Volunteer Executive Director

Pray For The Horses

Please don't stop calling and writing! I will post the results of this hearing as soon as I know anything.

Hearing Set Wednesday, Sept 2, on Roundup and Removal of Cloud's Herd | Animal Law Coalition

Update Sept. 1, 2009: U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in Washington, D.C., has set a hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009, on a motion for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, (attached below) filed by Cloud Foundation, Front Range Equine Rescue and nature photographer, Carol Walker, in their lawsuit to stop the roundup of Cloud's herd. 

EMERGENCY! Time Is Running Out For Cloud's Herd!

I just received this information from the Cloud Foundation -

Cloud Foundation
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! KEEP CALLING
We've just been told that BLM Director Bob Abbey is meeting with other officials regarding this round up due to the number of calls and e-mails they are receiving. KEEP IT UP- KEEP CALLING, FAXING AND E-MAILING.

These are our wild horses living on our public lands!

HALT THE PRYORS ROUND UP and all others across the west.

BLM Director Bob Abbey
Call: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242
Robert_Abbey@blm.gov

Please visit Angels for Cloud for more information and sign the petition! Time is running out!

reBlog from rtfitch.wordpress.com: The Force of the Horse®

This is an update to my last post - see below this one. The BLM is still planning this roundup. Please note this word of advice and write to the suggested individuals.

We are running out of time!

UPDATE: A kind insider, within the BLM, has a word of advice for us: “You might remind folks that letters to the State Director of the BLM in Billings and/or their Federal Representatives (Senators and Congressmen) are worth their weight in gold. The later (letters to Congressional reps expressing your concern or horror and asking for your Congressional rep to get answers/details from the BLM) are more effective than petitions. Petitions are viewed as “one comment” instead of many, many comments of concerned citizens: one letter = BIG pile of correspondence that the BLM must respond to.“rtfitch.wordpress.com, The Force of the Horse®, Aug 2009

Thank you so much!

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• Protect America's Wild Horses (thepetitionsite.com)

reBlog from Abbie Knowles: The Force of the Horse®

Finally! Someone has heard what we have been telling them for years:

August 6, 2009 — Hitchcock, Texas — For decades, the gourmet diners of Europe and Japan have eaten American horse meat poisoned by chemical contamination. The horse flesh exporting by unscrupulous producers and horse slaughter plants will come to an end in April of 2010. The new rules enacted by the European Union will mandate chemical free horse meat entering those countries.Abbie Knowles, The Force of the Horse®, Aug 2009

You should read the whole article.

Indy To The Rescue - Really!

The strangest thing happened to my husband, Mike, the other day, but, before I continue, a word about Mike is in order. Mike is a very intelligent, rational person. He isn't given to misinterpreting what he sees or getting overly excited without reason. He's very detail oriented and precise.

Now, about my mare, Ami. We've had her since she was a yearling, and she's now 18. She wasn't moody until she had a miserable bout with what my vet finally diagnosed as Lyme Disease when she was about 8. She had become extremely defensive about being touched. In fact, if you didn't stop when she told you to, she could become agressive to the point of actually being dangerous. As it turns out, this is a common sign of Lyme in horses, and it can remain as a permanent after effect.

This is apparently what happened to Ami. She's nothing like what she was when she had active disease, but she's certainly not like she was before either. She still doesn't like to be touched. Sometimes I can groom her reasonably well by starting slowly and staying away from the places she especially wants left alone.

Ami was never as much of a "people" horse as Indy, and now she'd really prefer for Mike and I to just leave her alone as far as "fiddling" with her goes. She doesn't seem to worry about me, but she is downright hostile to poor Mike, and he does NOT touch her if he can help it, believe me.

When she and Indy are eating hay at the outside feeder, all Mike has to do is walk by and she'll pin her ears and swing her head at him. Sometimes she will take a step toward him, and sometimes more than that.That's why he never goes into the paddock without a manure fork. Ami is smart, and she won't even try anything if he's "armed."

That's what happened on the day in question. The horses were eating on opposite sides of the hay feeder when Mike walked by. Ami pinned her ears and swung her head at him. Then she took a step toward him, and then another.

Mike said he didn't have time to react to Ami before Indy whipped around the end of the feeder to cut Ami off, ears flat and head snaked out at her. Mike said he'd never seen Indy look like that. Ami too realized that, for once, Indy meant business and jumped back instead of all but ignoring him like she usually does. Indy was protecting Mike - there's just no other way to look at it. Mike himself is absolutely sure about Indy's intentions, and he was the one that was there after all.

All I can say is, we knew Indy was a hero. Now he's proved it in no uncertain terms. Whatta guy!

Pro Slaughter Group Issues Tainted Survey Results

The big money is with the pro-slaughter groups. It's up to US to save our horses from this horrible, inhumane death.

clipped from rtfitch.wordpress.com Pro Slaughter Group Issues Tainted Survey Results In Horse Slaughter on July 10, 2009 at 9:33 am FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHICAGO, (EWA) – The Unwanted Horse Coalition, a subsidiary of the American Horse Council continues to present a false facade of neutrality on the explosive issue of horse slaughter in America, all the while doing everything in its considerable power to bring back an industry shunned by the overwhelming majority of Americans. For the sake of the horses, the truth needs to be heard! The Washington D.C. based lobbying group has the support of pro slaughter breeders, ranchers, and others with an economic interest in disposing of horses for profit – no matter the cruelty involved.

Indy Earns His Stripes - Er, Carrots

Indy and I got in that next ride since my last post. In fact, we've had four rides since then, including today's - which may explain my lateness in posting the results of my "bit experiment." On the first one I used the Myler snaffle again, like I posted last time, and no doubt about it, Indy much prefers that bit over all the others - Happy Mouth double jointed snaffles and the French link. I'm not sure why, but I'd be willing to bet it's because of the way Indy hates to have his tongue interfered with.

Indy has this funny way of using his tongue to remove bits of food from his mouth - just like humans do after eating. You know how you use your tongue to get that annoying stuff out of your teeth and between your teeth and your cheek? Well, he does that too. His tongue is not quite as well suited to this as a human tongue, but he certainly does his best! He really works at it and continues until he gets it done to his satisfaction. So, you can imagine how upset he can get if the use of his tongue is seriously restricted.

The Myler has a thinner mouthpiece than any of the others, and, for the reasons stated above, Indy prefers this. For the same reason he likes the bit snugly against the corners of his mouth - not tight, but certainly not flopping around. Also, the Myler snaffles are unique in having slots for the headstall and rein attachment instead of their just being inside the bit ring. This gives this bit much more stability in the mouth, with each arm moving independently and only in response to the rein. I think that is probably the major reason that Indy likes it so much better than the others.

For the last three rides however, I used the head gear he really prefers above all others - his sidepull. I think Indy will always prefer bitless because of the complete tongue freedom it affords him. He was working very well too. I think working with a bit every so often makes him stay lighter in the sidepull. Since I do want him to accept the bit and work well in it, I will do what I did with DJ - who liked bitless as well. Do bit work regularly but spend most of the time bitless. I will however, stay with the Myler with Indy. ;o)

These last two rides I've been working on leg aids. So far, I've stayed with rein cues, but I think it's time to advance. Yesterday, Indy was "getting it" incredibly well. He even gave me a few steps of a correct leg yield! It felt great - light and effortless. After the first time doing this, man, were my legs sore the next morning! I'm not sore after yeaserday though, so maybe I can recapture my old form after all. 'Course, it doesn't hurt that Indy learns so incredibly rapidly. We'll be doing shoulder in next time!

Probably won't be riding for a few days though. Supposed to get into the 90s, then a couple of days of rain. It actually sprinkled on us yesterday in fact. Oh well. Things have gone so wonderfully these last few rides - especially his quick response to my legs - I think I can manage to stay pumped for a few days.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!

The Force of the Horse®

I follow RT Fitch's blog, Straight From The Horse's Heart, and he recently posted this:

SFHH Update: Often, on this blog, we speak of the atrocities of horse slaughter and continued distortion of the facts by pro-slaughter advocates. But we have yet to explore the complexities that intertwine the fate of our American Wild Horses with those same bloody crimes that threaten our domesticated equine partners and companions. Today, we will make a sincere effort to bridge that gap.Good friend and fellow member of the Equine Welfare Alliance, Sonya Richins, has produced the in-depth documentary “Mestengo” in an effort to clear the air and put all of the facts surrounding the wild, American Mustang before the people of the world. The story will astound and infuriate you as the details of a government agency, out of control, is unfurled in vivid cinematography before your leaking eyes. How did we let this happen? How did it get so far out of hand with no one noticing? In this country, things like this are not supposed to happen! But they DID and it is still going on.Stimulate your sense of dignity by being aware of the injustice; take a moment and view the trailer.The day of “Mestengo” is coming and you can be a part of it.Watch, learn then act.R.T. Fitch Author – “Straight from the Horse’s Heart“The Force of the Horse®, LLC1-800-974-FOTHThe Force of the Horse®, Jun 2009

Please visit this blog, see this moving video and read the whole article. After that, get angry, very angry. We cannot allow this to continue.

Can This Last?

What can I say? Nothing but good news to report. How 'bout that?

First, I rode Indy last Sunday - the last good day we've had for riding incidentially - and he was fantastic. He did look in the window a couple of times, but other than that he was his usual self again. No tension, no bouncing, just good ole Indy. Ami was quiet as well. Whatever it was that was bothering them, it's either gone or they don't care about it anymore.

Not only was Indy his calm cool self, the first time we rode up the "playpen" he stopped and started an attempt the stretch into urinating position. Since he's never urinated under saddle yet, I tried to encourage him as much as I possibly could. No dice. He straightened up and continued walking.

Now, you may be asking yourself why I bring all this up - and I couldn't blame you. LOL! It's just that many geldings have problems urinating under saddle. It's not that they can't, but I guess they don't think they can, or, maybe they think they're not supposed to. In any case, some geldings NEVER learn to urinate while being ridden, and others only after witnessing another gelding doing it. Needless to say, on a long trail ride this can become extremely uncomfortable for the poor horse, so I wanted Indy to catch on even though he didn't have another gelding to "set an example."

So, I kept taking him back there where there were lots of old shavings to tempt him. Finally, he stopped and tried it again. This time he did the Deed! I praised him to the skies and stroked his neck and everything else I could think of to let him know that this was a goooood thing he was doing. Sure glad there was no one else around though...

Hopefully, this will carry over. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to ride again, but maybe tomorrow.

The only "bad" note is that I'm sure now that Indy does not like the French link bit. After observing him with different bits now that he's more used to the idea of bits in general, I'm convinced that he still likes the Myler bit the best. Maybe it's the thinner mouthpiece. Or the slots it has for the headstall and reins - this may hold it more steady in his mouth and give his tongue more freedom. Whatever it is, it's his mouth so he gets the bit he prefers.

I'll use the Myler for our next ride and see how it goes.

A Tale of Two Rides

I usually make a separate post for each ride, but, given that I'm having trouble typing right now - more about this later - I decided to combine two rides. These particular rides are probably best discussed together anyway.

I had tentatively titled the earlier ride "An Interesting Ride," because interesting it was. There was a lot going on - field work in both of Lowell's fields, Mike mowing, Bernadine mowing, so that might account for some of the excitement. Still, both Indy and Ami seemed as high as kites, especially Ami. She acted like she couldn't find Indy, and he was right there, in the small paddock just like always.

I've never seen Indy so worked up, and certainly not when I was riding him. It was really strange, especially when he started insisting on turning and racing for the entrance back into the barn, both he and Ami seeming close to panic.

I didn't have a clue as to what was going on with them, except that I couldn't let Indy quit on such a note. Now, if you've read many of my posts, you know that I'm not the boldest rider in the world - even before I had my hip replaced and smashed the heck out of my rib cage, I wasn't the world's boldest rider, much less now, even with a helmet and rib protector.

Still, I could not quit, so I took most of the slack out of the reins - enough to maintain some control but not pulling - held on to the saddle horn with both hands and kept going. Indy never tried to buck, but some of his turns made me glad I had that saddle horn! We trotted and cantered back to the barn, then we went out again, came back, went out... Actually, staying on was easy, Indy's trot and canter being lovely and smooth.

I never got either of them to calm down, but when I decided we could quit, I got Indy away from the barn to dismount. As always he stood still as a statue as I eased off trying not to stress my left hip joint any more than necessary. Then I walked him around the paddock a bit. He was ill at ease, but he never attempted to pull away or anything like that, so I felt it would be fine to end here.

Our next ride was last Friday. I again used the Myler bit, pulled snugly into the corners of Indy's mouth. This is definitely what he prefers - he hates for the bit to flop around in his mouth even a little. He also seems much happier with the thinner mouthpiece of the Myler over the thicker Happy Mouth. I think that, with Indy, less is definitely better. He hates having his tongue restricted, so whatever takes up less room and stays off his tongue is always going to be his preference. And, since it's going to be in his mouth, his preference is the one that counts.

Friday's ride was much better. Ami didn't seem much calmer, but Indy was. I could feel it not only through the reins, but his entire body felt different - softer. He still wanted to go back over to Ami, but he wasn't nearly as extreme about it.

I kept just a tiny bit more contact this time. There was still a loop in the reins, but not as much as last time, and if I closed my hands, I made very light contact. Indy has never been ridden on contact - until now! - and again, I didn't want him to feel trapped or punished. And all I asked of him was to keep his cavorting within bounds.

Not only did he keep himself within bounds, when I used the light contact to ask him to "easy," I could feel him not only obey, but actually accepting the contact and softening his jaw. It was brief, but it was real, and it was the first time. I feel that we had a real breakthrough.

A training breakthrough is always cause for celebration of course, but even more so for me here is that I, as they say, "did it my way." By that I mean no pulling, no punishing. I just keep him going when he's not doing what I want, and I praise him when he is doing what I want. Indy is so intelligent - really, he is - that I had to spend a lot of time figuring out the best way to handle him.

He's more than willing to offer his opinion about everything, and I didn't want to squelch that, while still having him understand that there were times when he just had to do it my way, period. I wanted him to respect me, and I always knew that I would definitely have to earn that from Indy even more than one usually does with any horse. But, I also wanted him to trust me and mind me out of that trust - not fear. And besides, Indy is not easily intimidated. With his smarts and self confidence, the "do it or else" type of handling would probably lead to disaster.

Fortunately, all my noodling over him seems to have paid off. I know he isn't afraid of me, but he's is very respectful and does what I ask - and I do ask, not demand. I really don't think he's been testing me the past couple of rides. I don't think that's what this has been about, but I think I did handle it the right way for us. I always said that if I ever had another greenie to train, I wouldn't make the same mistakes I did with DJ. Of course, I never intended to have another green horse. But, such is fate.

Being totally dependent on the weather is a severe handicap when you're trying to train a horse as green as Indy was. Consistency is hard to come by when training sessions are weeks apart sometimes. I don't even have a place to do useful ground training when it's wet, very cold, and/or very windy - not to mention all three at once. Around here the winter is pretty much a total loss without some sort of indoor facility. And it's not only the cold - which can be very cold. It's also the wind and the footing. Even on relatively nice days, the footing is nothing short of impossible - hard, slick and extremely uneven.

It's also hard training such an inexperienced horse without the benefit of other horses giving him confidence by example. On the other hand, I don't have a dozen well meaning friends advising me to do things that I would later wonder about. Tight nosebands, not letting him "get away" with anything, whacking him instead of taking time to figure out why he was doing what he was doing, etc. I was pretty green myself then, and I knew it. Now, well let's just say that since then, I've developed my own ideas about training - with a lot of credit to John Lyons - and they are quite different from the style I was using in the 1980s.

The two most important things I learned from John weren't techniques, but matters of attitude. The first is that my idea of patience was woefully inadequate. That's the mistake I regret most with DJ. I thought I was being patient with him, but I wasn't - not nearly, no matter what I was hearing from other "Monday morning trainers," or even seeing with other horses in the hands of other pros.

The other thing is equally important, especially for someone like me. And that is that it's okay to love your horse. It's even okay to love on your horse. I have to admit, other pro's I'd seen/read made me feel like an idiot because of the feelings I had for my horses and the way I loved to pet on them. John took an approach that was totally different. I'll never forget the first time I saw John kissing his beloved Zip. Maybe that's why John's methods work so well for me both in the saddle and on the ground.

Oh yeah - about my finger. When I was putting the saddle back on the rack after that last ride, I guess my grip slipped a little with my right hand, and somehow I caught my left pinkie between the full weight of the saddle and the metal rack. Yikes! I really smashed it. It turned a deep purple and even with iceing it, within hours it was so swolen I couldn't even bend it - or straighten it for that matter. Guess a few days of rain that we're supposed to be getting won't be so bad after all - this time.

John Lyons and Bright Zip

John Lyons and Seattle, by Bright Zip

Another Ride!

I can hardly believe it! I actually did get to ride today, just like I planned. This doesn't happen - when I make plans, something always comes up. Not this time though. Indy and I had another super 30 minute ride.

I used the Myler snaffle again but raised it a bit in his mouth. It seemed more comfortable for him this way, but he still much preferred having it out. Next ride, I'm going to try the Happy Mouth D-ring again, and see if I can detect any difference. Indy responded very well to the Myler, but he certainly didn't enjoy it. We shall see. I doubt he'll ever like going with a bit as opposed to bitless, but I'd like to be able to train with a bit because I just think it gives a more understandable, clearer signal than the sidepull, below.

The only bad note of the ride was my left leg/hip. It hurt. It hurt worse than on Monday's ride in fact. I just hope that it was only slower to recover from out of shape muscles that my right leg and that it will be better in a few days when the weather clears up - at least the weather's supposed to clear up over the weekend.

Hopefully, it won't rain a lot and will dry up soon so we can ride again. Having a few days off for my leg to recover probably isn't a bad idea, but too many days off and I'll just be starting over. Even though my hip did hurt worse while riding, I wasn't in nearly as bad shape the over night and the next morning as I was Tuesday morning after Monday's ride - not even close. So, I'll write that up to progress - rather than mere chance - and hope I'm correct. I'll know for sure next ride, whenever that is. Soon, please.............

An Actual Ride!

I can hardly believe it! I actually got to ride Indy today! It was our first ride since last fall. That is a bummer I know, but I can't feel bummed when I get to ride by wonderful partner.

Indy was fantastic - especially considering how the bugs were bothering his face and ears. I sprayed his body, but it didn't occur to me that his face and ears would be a problem. It didn't seem that bad, but it was. Poor Indy was flipping his head all over the place sometimes, trying to rid himself of the nasty pests. At one point, I leaned up his neck and cleaned out the insides of both ears. He did appreciate that, but they just came back.

As far as not having been ridden for months, well, you'd never know it. He stepped back into the routine as if I'd been riding him every day. I worry about his training so much because I don't get to ride nearly as much as I'd like, and I fret that he's going on 11 and is still so green. He sure didn't act like a greenie today though. I've seen some experienced horses that had to almost start over after not having been ridden for as long as it's been for us. Not Indy. He is such a special boy, maybe he's getting enough "saddle time" after all.

I thought I would see a difference in the way the saddle fit, and I sure did. It wasn't that I shortened the girth that much, but last fall, when I tightened the girth it sank into the blubber, and there was fat bulging on either side of it. OMG! Now, that fat is completely gone. I knew he'd lost weight, but I didn't realize he'd lost that much. I still can't feel his ribs though, so we must keep on keeping on - whether we like it or not.

Since I've been having so much trouble with my left leg, I had wondered how it would feel riding. Well, I did notice it, for sure. On mounting, it hurt as I pivoted on my left leg when throwing my right leg over Indy's back. It was even worse dismounting. I had to hang onto the saddle and very slowly slide down Indy's side. He looked back at me, wondering "what the heck?" but he did not move a muscle. Good Boy! Indy has always stood perfectly still for dismounting, and it's a darn good thing, especially now.

Dear Indy - We'd only ridden for about 30 minutes, but I was limping badly going back to the barn, but he stayed with me, walking very slowly all the way back to his stall, and I wasn't even holding onto him! Is he a doll or what?

I'm not at all sure I'll be able to ride tomorrow, but if not, it's supposed to be nice on Tuesday too, and I'll be hoping to ride then. Wait and see. At least I got to ride today, and nothing can dampen my spirits after a good ride!

Weighty Matters

First, the good news: Indy and Ami have both lost a significant amount of weight. There is still a ways to go for both of them, but it's a visible start. Both of them even seem to feel more energetic, especially Ami. Not only is she sound, she's cutting up almost as much as Indy. And that's saying a bit since he's been pretty hot to trot himself - even more than usual I mean. It's wonderful to see them tagging each other up and down the paddock!

Now, the bad news: This is so damned hard. They are hungry. And we had to start keeping them in the paddock early as well. Having been an "easy keeper" all my life myself, I can really empathize with them. I know they would be able to eat more if they got more regular exercise, but that's easier said than done.

They know so much more about maintaining easy keepers these days. There has been an explosion of knowledge in just the last few years, but the bottom line is KEEP THE FAT OFF. If allowed to become or remain obese, these horses can develop a metabolic syndrome similar to Type 2 diabetes in humans.

Of course, not all fat horses fall into the high risk category, but those with, among other signs, a cresty neck like Indy and Ami, are among those that do. They are at high risk for developing insulin resistance because this was an advantage to their ancestors, allowing them to survive on very poor forage. That advantage has become a liability for today's horses because of the high sugar grasses in modern pastures. These grasses were developed to fatten cattle, not graze horses. Even cattle can easily founder on it though, so imagine what it does for horses.

Anyway, Matt and Tyler were here yesterday and they both noticed Indy and Ami had lost weight. In fact, Tyler was staring at Indy in disbelief, "Wow! He's lost weight!"

I guess a bright spot in all this is that Indy's saddle should fit really nicely - if I ever get a chance to try it that is. I still haven't gotten to ride even once so far this spring. If it's not cold, it's raining and/or windy enough to blow me off Indy's back. It's beginning to be extremely frustrating.

Another problem that's bugging me is the pain I'm having in my left leg. It's hurting worse than the right one ever did. I guess - I hope! - it's coming from my back and that my left hip isn't going on me. That would probably push me over the edge into total insanity.

I don't plan to have hip replacement surgery again - at least not the same kind I had before. If they can improve on the post-op pain and rehab time I might, but the same thing over again? No way. My right hip is great, but going into that one I didn't know what lay ahead - now I do. Nope. Not unless it gets so bad I can't ride at all will I even consider such.

If it's my back, they still can't do anything about it, but it probably won't hamper my riding any more than it ever has. I've had lumbar stenosis all my life after all. Sure, it's getting worse over time, but it's never been a real factor in riding. In fact, a reasonable amount of riding seems to actually help. I think it's because much of the pain comes from spasms in the muscles in the area, and when I'm riding is the only time I must relax those particular muscles, and they seem to benefit from that, as well as the general rocking motion of following Indy's back. Good for his back and mine. Now, I ask you - who could ask for more?

The Last Stand

Just look at this incredible bridleless Dressage!

National Wild Horse Adoption Day Sets Goal of 1,000 Homes

Please spread the word

clipped from www.thehorse.com Wild horse and humane animal advocacy groups from across the nation are joining forces to encourage the American public to consider and act on the adoption of a wild horse or burro. A goal of 1,000 adoptions has been set for the first National Wild Horse Adoption Day to be held Sept. 26, 2009. More than 65 events will take place across the country in support of national wild horse adoption day, and other events can apply to be included on the calendar through the event Web site.

AAEP Brochure

Equine Welfare

Unwanted Horse - Feb 3rd, 09

An AAEP Brochure

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), animal welfare is a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, humane handling and, when necessary, humane euthanasia.

Both science and society have a role to play in deciding what constitutes an appropriate level of animal welfare. While science can determine what type of degree of animal welfare risk exists under specific circumstances, it cannot determine what type of degree of risk is acceptable – that is the question that society decides.

Different people emphasize different factors when evaluating the welfare of animals. None of these views is inherently right or wrong. And people may hold more than one view at a time. They may consider:

• The basic health and function of the body (functional view).
• How an animal “feels,” that is, its physiological state, such as pain, suffering or contentment (positive affective states views).
• An animal’s ability to lead a reasonably natural life and perform behaviors in which it might normally engage (natural living view).

When the welfare of horses is assessed, their broad athletic, economic and recreational uses are also considered.

National Issues

A number of issues that affect the welfare of horses are a focus for many individuals and organizations, including equine veterinarians. The AAEP has developed position statements for the following issues:

• Transportation and Processing of Horses

• Management of Mares Utilized in the PMU Collection Industry

• Use of Horses in Urban Environments

• Use of Vesicants

• Practice of Soring

• Practice of Tail Docking

• Thermocautery or Pin Firing

• Therapeutic Medications in Racehorses

• Therapeutic Medications in Non-Racing Performance Horses

• Stewardship of the Horse

The plight of the unwanted horse also is a growing welfare issue. The Unwanted Horse Coalition, a broad alliance of national equine organizations joined together under the American Horse Council, is concerned that some horses may slip through the various safety nets within the horse industry. The Coalition is working to educate industry groups about this important issue and help people learn to “own responsibly.”

Local Issues

Veterinarians and horse owners have legal and ethical obligations to ensure the welfare of horses. Some states require veterinarians to report animal cruelty. The AVMA recognizes that veterinarians may observe cases of animal neglect and abuse as defined by federal or state laws, or local ordinances. When these situations cannot be resolved through education, the AVMA considers it the responsibility of the veterinarian to report such cases to appropriate authorities, such as:

• Police Department or County Sheriff

• Animal Control

• Humane Society

• State Department of Agriculture

Horse owners are not required by law to report instances of animal cruelty. However, most states require that an animal’s owner or caregiver provide a minimum level of care. Generally, this care includes food, water, shelter and veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering. Horse owners can promote equine welfare by becoming educated and working proactively to address widespread concerns within the industry and by reporting local horse neglect or abuse to authorities.

Euthanasia Guidelines

There may come a time when, for humane, medical, economic or safety reasons, an owner may need to consider euthanasia for their horse. The decision to euthanize, or induce a painless death, should never be made without careful consideration. The right choice is clearly the one that is in the best interest of the horse and the people who care for it. A veterinarian can aid clients in making a timely decision, prepare the owner for what will happen and ensure the horse’s life is ended as painlessly and distress-free as possible. The following questions may be helpful:

• Is the horse suffering?
• What is the likelihood of recovery or at least an acceptable return to usefulness?
• Has the horse become depressed or despondent or does it continue to show an interest and desire to live?
• How much discomfort or distress can the owner expect the horse to endure?
• What kind of special care will this horse require and can the owner meet its needs?
• Can the owner continue to provide for this horse economically?
• What are the alternatives?

Welfare Issues

Below are Web sites that offer more detailed information that has been presented here:

www.aaep.org

The AAEP Ethical Guidelines and Position Statements are available here. An additional brochure – Euthanasia: The Most Difficult Decision – is available as well as Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities.

www.avma.org

The AVMA’s animal welfare policies, background information on issues and news articles on welfare can be found here. A brochure – How Do I Know It Is Time? Equine Euthanasia – is also available.

www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org

The mission of the Unwanted Horse Coalition is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and to improve their welfare through education and the efforts of organizations committed to the health, safety and responsible care and disposition of these horses.

www.horsecouncil.org

The American Horse Council is the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C.

Local Contacts

Your veterinarian ______________________________________________________________

Police or County Sheriff ______________________________________________________________

Animal Control ______________________________________________________________

Humane Society ______________________________________________________________

State Dept. of Agriculture _______________________________________________________________

This brochure/ article was produced by the AAEP. To order copies of the brochure for your organization, click here.

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Springing Forward

As I have said - many times - I hate falling back and love springing forward. This year however, I wondered what the heck we'd sprung into - weather was bitter cold, then warm with severe thunderstorms - even a tornado touched down nearby - then back to bitter cold. Ewwwwww!

Spring must be close though because Indy and Ami are shedding like mad. Since Indy loves to be scratched anytime, shedding season is heaven for him. I could use the shedding blade on him all day and he would be in total bliss.I actually wear out metal curries and shedding blades on this hunk. Once the little points on the blade get dull, he doesn't like it any more. I'm thinking of getting a large paddle shaped piece of wood and driving case hardened steel nails into the back so that they stick out about a quarter inch on the front. Maybe that would hold him for a while!

Actually, the real problem is Ami. Unless she is extremely itchy, she has no interest in being groomed. Her attitude in fact is something like, "Touch my body and die!" Of course, it is her body, and I do my best not to aggravate her unnecessarily, but sometimes she needs to be groomed whether she thinks so or not. It doesn't matter what grooming tool I use on her - she hates them all.

Shedding or not, it hasn't been very springlike here except for a few days here and there - and naturally, it poured rain on those few relatively warm days. We've been under a flood watch for weeks since all the rivers in the area are over flood stage. We have a little creek behind our property - called the Wyland Ditch - that empties into the Tippecanoe River. It has at times back up into our back field but nothing like this:

As you can see, the water was almost up to the cross fence. Never seen it even half that far up the field. The rain, coupled with a few above freezing days, has softened up the ground at least, and Ami is moving much better as a result. I've even taken her off bute - finally! I've never had her on such a high dose for so long.

Spring has always been my favorite season and still is, even though the First Day of Spring 2009 wasn't very impressive around here: chilly and breezy, it didn't feel like spring at all. Still, it is spring and it's gotta get warm soon. Indy and I always love springing forward much better that falling back. I know Indy loves to spring forward because he does it often - sometimes when I'm on him. And that's way better than having him fall back...

March Madness

No, I do not follow basketball. I just want it to be spring and warm! This has been one of the coldest winters this area has ever seen, and it's really taken its toll on me. Of course, the bout with shingles didn't help one bit. I've been fighting it all winter. The cold bothers the rash and my right sinus very badly, and I just seem to be more sensitive to cold generally.

Saw the opthamologist last Wednesday, and while most things look very good, there are still some virus cells in my eye. So, I have to stay on acyclovir and two kinds of eye drops for at least another six weeks - until who knows when. What a nightmare!

This winter has been kinda tough on the horses too. In early December it rained - and rained. The ground got so torn up it looked like a Moonscape. Then it froze, and the bitter cold has been almost unrelenting - certainly no breaks long enough or warm enough to allow the ground to soften up even for a while. Poor Ami has had sore fore feet the entire time. Even Indy was off for a while back in January. Come to think of it, my feet are sore too.

It was 8 degrees overnight last evening and not supposed to get over about 22 all day. Tomorrow not predicted to be much better with high about 30. Are you believing this? Could be much worse of course - just look at that's happening to the southeast and northeast today. Feet of snow and strong wind. Yep, we are doing much better than that! But still.... I mean, it is March.

It's supposed to be in the 50s by the end of the week - and it's supposed to rain the entire time, naturally. I will take warm and wet over cold and dry. Like everyone else around here, I've had it with this winter.

About the only good thing I can say about the present is that Indy and Ami can be out in the field 24/7. At least they are enjoying themselves - and, they both are sheding. There is hope!

Morris Animal Foundation's Equine Health Initiative

Horse Health Research from MAF Equine Consortium — Improving Horse Health with Veterinary Research

Morris Animal Foundation's Equine Health Initiative is our largest equine initiative.

Watch Video The Equine Health Initiative is the largest equine health campaign in the organization's history. The first project is the Equine Consortium for Genetic Research. This worldwide research project brings together the best equine researchers in a collaborative effort to improve equine health.

The Equine Consortium for Genetic Research is led by University of Minnesota equine professors Jim Mickelson and Stephanie Valberg, with a total of 32 scientists from 18 elite academic institutions throughout nine countries collaborating on the project's development and completion. The university will receive $2.5 million over five years to complete the project.

The research team will use the sequenced horse genome to identify genes and mutations that contribute to heritable diseases such as musculoskeletal disease, laminitis, recurrent airway obstruction, and bone disease. Because genetic diseases affect horses from every breed, this project has tremendous potential for preventing and treating diseases with heritable risk factors. The project will benefit the entire horse industry, offer new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to reduce animal suffering, and promote equine health and welfare.

To contribute to this critical project, e-mail Paul Raybould, Vice President of Gifts and Business Development, or call 800.243.2345.

• View the equine brochure.
• Donate to the Equine Health Initiative.

'Eyelights And Lowlights - '09 So Far

First, the 'Eyelights -

Without doubt, the highlight of this year will be the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the US.

For me personally, an 'Eyelight is the outcome of my last visit to the ophthalmologist -  that my right eye is now clear of the virus. A viral infection in the eye is apparently Bad Business and can come roaring back if you're not careful. I'm still on a reduced schedule of meds and will see the ophthalmologist again in a couple of weeks
.
Meanwhile, the rash on my face is slowly getting better, but it's still driving me crazy. I guess I should put this under the Lowlights of the year so far...

Matt managed to make a heart bar shoe for poor Ami. It's been too cold so far to use his adhesive because it gets much too stiff to use in this @%$*&@%! weather we've been having.

A real 'Eyelight for me has been all the well wishes I've gotten from friends and strangers alike. Thanks All! I needed that, believe me!

Now, the Lowlights -

Of course, this attack of shingles has to be my lowest light for quite some time. Plus, the cold doesn't help at all. The rash is not as sensitive as it was, but my sinuses are, and we can't seem to get a break from this weather.

This was one of the coldest Januarys on record for this area, and February isn't getting off to a good start at all. Our high for today was 16, and the low overnight is supposed to be 0. It's supposed to be in the 40s by Saturday, but I'll believe it when I see it.

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