For GoLightly

I felt that Go's blog needed it's own post for those who may not sift through comments or know her side of the story. Time is short and I feel that Go covered this very well in her own words. As I've stated before, I honestly hope that other people read her story and what has been done to her and many others that have donated in the past to Cathy. I hope everyone considers researching the 501(c) 3 they wish to donate too and don't be afraid to ask questions. I also urge people to never donate to a rescue that does not carry a 501(c) 3. Most are just wolves in sheep's clothing(case in point- Cathy). Myself and countless others felt from the beginning that Champ should have been PTS. There are just far to many sound, sane, and healthy horses that could have been saved in that one horses place. I also found it quite unusual that any horse enthusiast or "rescuer" wouldn't have known or at least checked under the hood before actually rescuing to see if it's a stallion or gelding. But all of a sudden, "Oops, we rescued a stallion!" Just sounds a little strange to me, but I guess I'm also not shy when it comes to casting a glance under a horse to see if the chandelier is still hanging. My theory and this is purely speculation, perhaps she knew exactly what they were doing in "rescuing" a nicely bred stallion with hopes his health would turn around.

Traveling Safe

It's starting to get busy around here so there won't be as frequent of posts.



Today I'd like to touch on something that has been bothering me for a while now. This year is going to mark the 3rd year anniversary of my good friends death. She passed away in 2006 after her truck had a blowout and struck a guardrail losing control with their horse trailer in tow. Her 9th grade daughters best friend that was in the truck with her also passed away. They were on their way to a barrel competition, something that they did frequently.



Last October there was another wreck near me involving a truck and horse trailer, both the driver of the truck and the horse died.

I don't have time to write out my tips, but I would like for you to share what your safety measures are when you are out on the road with your horses.

Protecting yourself and your horse on the road

Since many like the topics that don't center around Cathy I decided to bring up a new subject after reading a story today about a Canadian Olympic hopeful and her horse that were struck in a hit and run while out on a hack on a rural road last week. Jessica Ruppels 3 year old Hanoverian filly, Bella, had to be put down on the side of the rural road where they were struck after vets fought to save the Olympic prospect for several hours. Jessica walked away with bruises and only minor injuries. Reportedly, the driver of the light colored truck that struck them was driving on the wrong side of the road. Jessica waved her arms and did her best to move her and Bella as far off the road as she could. After being struck by the truck who apparently didn't even try to miss the horse and rider, the truck came to a stop only for the driver to jump out and scream at Jessica,"What are you doing on the road?". He then got back in his truck and sped off from the scene. The driver of that truck has been found and is facing charges. Here are a few more news links regarding this-

http://www.collingwoodnow.com/news_09/bella_050409.htm
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1518792


So my question for readers today is...what are your safety protocols regarding riding on the side of a roadway?

Here are a few of my tips for those that choose to hack on the side of the road.

1. Talk to your county representative about placing warning signs like this one on roadways that horseback riders frequent.
2. Wearing a bright orange vest may not be the highest of horse fashion. But it is one of the most recognizable colors on earth and will catch a drivers notice giving them time to slow down as they pass you and your horse. If you can find one with reflector tape of some sort it is especially good in case you do have an accident that leaves you stranded until after dark.
3. Wear a safety vest in case you do have a spill or do get hit. It might not do much to protect your horse but it will protect you if the ground near the roadway is hard or rocky.
4. Wear a helmet.
5. Carry a cell phone and let your barn mates or family know where you are going and when you predict you will be back.
6. Carry a emergency horse kit in a saddle bag or back pack while out on your ride. Many human safety kits come with everything you need for both horse and rider. And to top it off I especially recommend a roadside safety kit. The flares and reflecting triangle are great in case something does happen, they also come equipped with the reflecting vest and flash lights.
7. Carry lead and halter. Should you or your horse become injured it is always best to move away from the road as fast as you can. This will make it able for you to tie off your horse and stay closer to the road to wave for assistance.
8. Try to always ride with another horse and rider. If a situation does happen where you and your horse are injured there will be an extra set of hands to help.

The healing power of horses

After running across FHotD talking about yet another subject she has no clue about I decided to post a little more about handicapped/therapuetic riding. I'll only post a few sentences from FHotD that caught my eye.

Somehow you actually believe these horses will be well broke enough to pack handicapped children around safely with no training other than free help you can scrounge off of Craigslist?

This is one of the crazier schemes I've read, even on Craigslist. If I were qualified to open a handicapped riding program (by the way, we have names for those people...like "physical therapist"...I'll be surprised if the poster has those credentials),

A) You are not required to be a physical therapist in order to run a legal handicapped riding academy that is certified through NARHA(North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.) NARHA has a trainer/instructor program called CAT you are required to pass in order to give one on one lessons and group lessons. There are several levels from volunteer, advanced, and master. None require a physical therapy background. and B) many NARHA approved horses that are not broke or sound for riding are often used as petting therapy for younger children that are unable to ride or not yet comfortable riding.

Like almost every job you must work your way up the ladder. You can not become a master instructor until you have 4 or more years working at a certified NARHA facility, are a current advanced instructor, have documentation for at least 2 years of your NARHA work, and have taught over 400 hours of equine assisted activities which can range from ground work, to vaulting, english or western riding.

Many of the NARHA horses are donated by owners or other organizations. They are evaluated under saddle to see if they would be suitable and have the proper temperaments. The horses that do not pass into the program are often donated back to riding clubs or a show barn where they might be suitable as a lesson horse for a young adult or advanced rider. A certified NARHA facility can not have any stallions on the property for safety purposes and most facilities go through very rigorous inspections that include vet checks, book keeping, and surveying the property. These horses are treated very well and most of the time live out their remaining years ponying around children that are in need. Some facilities are donated accomplished show horses and vary in all breeds, size, and disciplines.

There are many opportunities that NARHA provides. Many facilities hold horse shows and offer a wide variety of disciplines. The riders range in a wide variety of disabilities from autism to cerebral palsy. Most of the horse back riding activities are formed to offer brain stimulation and human interaction. It also teaches balance and strengthens leg and core muscles, often speeding up development in children that otherwise would be far behind their age bracket. All NARHA facilities are equipped with wheel chair ramps that allow for easy mounting. All riders are required to wear helmets and other protective gear.

A NARHA facility is a great place to volunteer as it is not required to pass any certain accreditation, but it is encouraged to purchase NARHA volunteer lessons and hand outs from the NARHA website. If you can't give volunteer hours they always accept tack, horses, feed, and other horse supplies.

All in all I would not recommend sending a developmentally challenged child to a therapeutic program that is not NARHA approved or at least carry the EAAT standards. NARHA facilities are required to carry insurance and MOST accept medicaid, Blue Cross, Aetna, or other insurance as form of payment or partial payment.

Here is NARHAs home page so you can read more on what NARHA is and the great work they do.

http://narha.org/

And here is the direct link to find a NARHA center near you.

http://www.narha.org/Centers/FindCenter2.asp

Here are a few great centers that hold NARHA premier accreditation.

http://www.hottrc.org/

http://www.goodhopeequestriancenter.com/

http://www.braveheartsriding.org/

http://www.nbtr-bg.org/

Blackmarket Horse Slaughter

Here is what happens when slaughter houses are banned in the US but there is still a demand for horse products and meat. It creates a black market where I'm sure even the anti slaughter folks would be screaming that slaughter plants are even more humane than what is being done down in Florida. Here is the news cast. Be careful as a couple of the videos are graphic.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/weird/From-Race-Horse-To-Main-Course.html

For those in the Florida and surrounding areas, I would be locking those barn doors, stall doors, and paddock gates because these black market poachers DO NOT care if Fluffy is your backyard pasture ornament. If there is a chance they can make money off his meat, he will be killed, stripped of his meat and left on the side of the road for dead. These poachers will hit anything from fancy barns to the run down sheds- if it has 4 hooves and says "neigh" there is a chance for these poachers to spot your prize pony and see dollar signs.

As with anything illegal, the higher the risk, the higher the price. Horse meat is bringing $20/ per lb which is nearly if not MORE than double what cattle is bringing per pound in many parts of the country.

I'm not surprised in the least to see this going on, I half expected it. When you have a market for it then you will have people taking the risk to fill that demand. Do not expect to see this ONLY in Florida. This will happen in other states. If you board your horse go over safety procedures with your barn owner/manager. Talk about installing video cameras around the barn and also motion detectors that have an alarm that can be set after hours. These things might be a bit pricey but it's much better to be safe than sorry. If you have your horses on your land, it might be a good idea to talk with your neighbors and establish a neighborhood watch. Check your fences each day and padlock your gates that surround your property. But do not think for one second that these poachers won't cut wire to gain entry to your pasture. Make sure your property has adequate light source. These poachers are more comfortable at night and a well lighted barn or pasture might make them think twice.
To make it harder for these poachers to catch and get away with your horses remove all halters from sight. Leave them locked in your tack room or put away in your vehicle. Never leave a halter on your horses and if you are able, bring your horses into a smaller paddock for the night. Make sure your neighbors/barn owner know who you are and what your horses look like. Make sure your neighbors/Barn owner have your phone numbers, vehicle and trailer description. Tell them that under no circumstance is another trailer to be on your property and to call if they ever spot a trailer entering the property that should not be there or is not yours. Just like you would do for your kids, fill out emergency contacts and give them to your barn owner/neighbor. Always remember to keep open communication with neighbors/barn owners/other boarders.

Expect to see more and more of these black market poachers. Keep your animals safe and don't be afraid to call police if you see someone suspicious hanging around your barn or neighborhood. Your horses safety is your responsibility and these poachers just don't care if they are young, old, mare, stallion, accomplished performers, or trail horses.



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For those interested in helping those animals saved or just want to read more into their story, here is the SPCA website that talks further about the horses stolen, recovered, and sadly those that did not get such a happy ending. I have also included the link to the youtube video that speaks further into this story.

http://www.spca-sofla.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pLApxH5le4

OMG, how did horses survive all those generations without FHotD?

So I am a little late but my computer is no longer acting like a giant turd with a power cord. Which means I can now comment on the whole Genesis Award/HSUS that has Cathy singing,"We aren't worthy!" Obviously she would fit right in with the PETA crowd with her anti carriage and vegan ways.(Not that I have anything against vegans, but don't care to have their views pushed on me). Hell, I'm an old gal that still enjoys that big juicy steak!

Where to start. Oh yes, the glorious comment section where Cathy is insulting and putting up a fight with anyone who doesn't agree with her. I have to say though, I've never seen Cathy comment so much. Here we go.

My personal belief - just mine - is that if you can't kill it and butcher it, if that would make you uncomfortable, then it's time you reassessed why you are eating it.

There are several people, including myself that raise our own meat and do not butcher it ourselves. My family has raised our own meat for several generations. My mum would take our cows to butcher when I was younger, would come home with the rolls of meat and tell us all that she "exchanged" the cow at the butcher just to make us feel more comfortable about not eating Fluffy, or whatever name we chose to give the cow. Just because you're not comfortable watching the actual butchering does not mean eating meat is wrong or raising your own animals for butcher is wrong.

Why can't the carriage rides go on at a beautiful farm somewhere more appropriate, like the Hamptons? You could do a beautiful driving trail with appropriate non-asphalt footing.

Cathy, are you also a person that complains about horses being in parades? "But the poor, poor horses could freak out when the fire engine turns on it's siren!"**crosses arms and pouts**,"It's just so unjust to imagine that people back in the 1800s and early 1900s traveled this way all the time. Their poor wittle feet. Lets cuddle him, put him in a dress and call him Dave!" Cathy, bet you just cringed when you read Black Beauty and learned that they pulled buggies on brick?

I don't think that is true. It may be a belief of certain HSUS employees but it is not the opinion of HSUS employees, donors, and volunteers as a whole. I have worked with them for a long time now and spent plenty of time talking to these people.

Birds of a feather flock together. That is one crazy @$$ feather though.

Michaleen - Well, given that you are supporting horses in NYC, not exactly a cheap place to live, I would assume that business could be conducted elsewhere. In fact, if you'd stop being so defensive and try to work with the people who want these horses to have a better life, you might find that someone is willing to donate a place for them to live or partner with you in your business to move it to a more appropriate place.

Cathy, believe it or not, but most horses that are willing, sound, and sane enjoy to work. I have a pasture full of them that would gladly saddle themselves if they could. Instead they choose to greet me at the gate and wait for me to come get them and tack them up. NYC carriage horses are well taken care of. Much like the Anhauser-Busch Clyde's. They are groomed daily, put up in warm stalls, blanketed when cold, given some of the best grain and hay, and shod on time. Can people ever win with you Cathy? You complain when people don't feed, groom, or trim their horses and then you complain when they do.

Where do you draw the line, if you allow Madeleine Pickens to have 30,000 horses with no hoof care?

Madeleine Pickens is planning on letting these horses live as naturally as possible with little human interference as they were born and most have lived doing so. This isn't a question of taking some prissy jumper/dressage horse out of a show barn and throwing him out on a million acres. She is taking wild(feral) horses and placing them on land where they can live protected without much government interference. In the wild, these horses naturally wear down their own hooves. Where do you think the term Mustang Roll came from? This is a lady that has a plan, seems to have the money, and wants these horses to remain in their natural environment with plans only to throw hay and feed when times call for it and to doctor the horses that need to be vetted. Once again, no one can win with Cathy. She's against the slaughter of these animals and against the stalling of these animals, yet when someone comes along and wants to bring aid to the situation, she's against that too. Makes you wonder, if ole Cathy is just jealous that she's not able to do this much?