An Ode to Days Past, Colorado Burro Racing in Full Swing
IDAHO SPRINGS – Long ago before his long beard and long hair turned white, Bill Lee thought about what to be.
An oral storyteller, yes, because that, he felt, was a noble profession. That was needed in the ever- urbanizing West. But what to be?
“I decided on the mountain man,” said Lee, 67, reflecting in his log cabin, “because it was a really short-lived era in history.”
So he would go as the mountain man, fur coat and musket and all, to schools and libraries in towns up and down Interstate 70, to tell the kids about what used to happen in these mountains. And inevitably he would talk about the burro – Spanish for donkey – and he’d tell of the animal that was relied upon for toting supplies through the surrounding wilderness.
Toward the end, he would jump two centuries to the present. And he’d tell the kids about what they might decide to do with the burros one day:
Run with them.
Support Humane Mustang Management in Colorado!
We do a lot of complaining, and rightly so, because the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) wild horse and burro policies nationally are a disaster! But rays of hope exist, and we must support progress when and where it occurs. Such is the case in Colorado, where BLM is leading the way in community partnerships for humane on-the-range management programs in three herd management areas — Little Book Cliffs, Spring Creek Basin, and Sand Wash Basin.
On August 4, the BLM will hold a public hearing on the use of motorized equipment for wild horse management in the state. The BLM currently is using less traumatic bait trapping as a priority over helicopter roundups in most Colorado HMAs, and has minimized removals thanks to successful PZP fertility-control programs. Please support these model humane management programs by signing our petition in support of BLM Colorado’s work in these areas. Your signatures will be hand delivered at the meeting by Colorado wild horse advocates with a thank you card to the BLM. Don’t miss this opportunity to take positive action that encourages humane mustang management programs today!
Horse Industry by the Numbers
According to the American Horse Council, the horse industry contributes approximately $39 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy, and supports 1.4 million jobs on a full-time basis. When indirect and induced spending are included, the industry’s economic impact reaches $102 billion.
Some key industry statistics and economic indicators:
Estimated number of horses in the U.S.
9.2 million
Estimated number of horses by activity
Recreation- 3,906,923
Showing- 2,718,954
Racing- 844,531
Other- 1,752, 439
USDA Proposes Changes to Horse Protection Act
This alert is from the American Horse Council. Read the entire article on their website here.
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced proposed changes to the regulations governing enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). The HPA was passed in 1970 to stop the cruel practice of “soring” horses that was occurring in some sectors of the Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking Horse and Spotted Saddle Horse industry.
The proposed rule would make several major changes to current HPA regulations with the goal of ending soring. The AHC is currently reviewing the proposed rule to determine its impact on the horse industry. After the AHC has had the opportunity to analysis the details of the proposed rule we will follow up with additional information. The AHC Horse Show and Animal Welfare Committees will also be convening to discuss the proposed rule.
This is a proposed rule only and USDA will be accepting comments until September 26, 2016. USDA will then have to review all comments and release a final rule. The proposed rule has been published in the Federal Register and can be viewed here: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/07/26/2016-17648/horse-protection-licensing-of-designated-qualified-persons-and-other-amendments
The AHC opposes soring and continues to strongly support the PAST Act (S. 1121/ HR 3268) that will strengthen the HPA and finally end the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses.
Take A Stand Against Inhumane Wild Horse Helicopter Stampedes
This is an Action Alert from the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.
Please sign by July 27, 2016
As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) resumes summer roundups that stampede wild horses — including recently born foals — in extreme desert heat, the agency is holding a public hearing in Nevada on the use of helicopters in wild horse and burro roundups
The meeting will take place on July 28, 2016 at 6:00 P.M at the BLM Battle Mountain District Office in Battle Mountain, Nevada.
This is the opportunity for the public to weigh in for a more humane and sane wild horse management policy!
Please sign the petition below to tell BLM to prioritize humane, on-the-range management of wild horses, use helicopters only as a last resort, and strengthen the humane standards that guide wild horse handling and treatment by the BLM. We will hand deliver your petition signatures at the meeting on July 28, so please sign today!
The Elbow Pull
The “Elbow Pull” is a self-correcting restraint that encourages the equine to use his entire body to go forward in a relaxed and correct postural frame. It promotes the stretching and strengthening of the topline and results in the hind legs coming well under to support the body and to keep the hind quarters (motor) providing active impulsion. In the “before” pictures, the equines are simply moving their front and back legs underneath the torso, but the torso is not really moving due to inactivity in the rib cage muscle groups. In the “after” pictures, you see that the equine posture has dramatically changed and now produces an active and “rippling” effect throughout the rib cage muscle groups (which can be seen in the moving videos). This is the basic difference between a really good dressage prospect and one that might be passed over.
Stop BLM From Hiding Barbaric Experiments
This Action Alert comes from the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.
These are America’s wild horses. They belong to us. We must be able to see what our government is doing to them and expose this cruelty to the public and Congress in order to STOP IT.
Just today, attorneys for the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign and The Cloud Foundation sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Oregon demanding our First Amendment right to observe and document the gruesome sterilization experiments the agency intends to conduct on beautiful and innocent wild mares at the BLM’s holding corrals near Burns. The letter, states:
“This is a highly controversial project and the BLM has received thousands of public comments in opposition to it. Not only is this a matter of significant public concern, but also it is precedent setting. Never before has the BLM performed invasive surgical sterilization procedures on federally-protected wild horses in experiments that could lead to a program-wide policy of releasing sterilized wild horses on the range….Given that these experiments will form the basis of this program-wide policy, public documentation of this project is essential to the public interest.”
If the BLM denies our request, we are prepared to file suit in federal court to uphold our First Amendment right to observe these experiments.
Once again, we have asked the BLM to drop its plans to surgically remove the ovaries of 100 mares through a blind and archaic procedure called “ovariectomy via colpotomy.” The majority of mares used in the experiments will be pregnant, and removing their ovaries will cause many to lose their unborn foals.
The National Academy itself warned against the procedure due to the severe health risks it poses to wild horses. Aborted foals and deaths from bleeding, infection and evisceration (protrusion of bowels through surgical incisions) are in store for these poor mares, but the BLM does not care.
This is critically important….especially since the BLM says it is doing the experiments in part to determine whether they are “socially acceptable.” Only by documenting and exposing this cruelty, can we stop the BLM from implementing these atrocities on more wild horses, including those still roaming free on the range!
TMD Equine University Graduation Clinic 2016
ADMISSIONS EXTENDED UNTIL JULY 31.
Click here to apply!
TMD Equine University is an online school founded by Meredith Hodges and certified by the State of Colorado. Students engage in a full year of study in this two-semester program. The comprehensive equine study covers everything involved in the safe and enjoyable management and training of your equine.
Our museum display affords students lessons in anatomy and its relationship to motion.
Heber Wild Horses Saved
Future AZ Generations Will Enjoy Historic Wild Herd
Lantry, SD -A settlement of appeals was agreed upon between the Forest Service of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (ASNF) and the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB) and the TerraWind Ranch Eco-Action Group (TREAC) assuring the future protection of these unique wild horses.
Represented by attorneys Anthony Merrill and Tiffany Andersen of Polsinelli Law Firm in Phoenix, the groups met with the Forest Service in Albuquerque on May 6th to hammer out the resolution of the appeals filed against the Forest Service on December 23, 2015 pertaining to the Land Management Plan for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.
The resolution harmonizes the plan with the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. It removes certain inflammatory language pertaining to the horses and finally it requires the FS to show how the plan will impact the wild horses.
ISPMB’s president, Karen Sussman, said, “This was a well deserved achievement that required the persistence of our wonderful attorneys and the cooperation of the Forest Service with Cal Joyner, Regional Forester, at its helm.” Sussman further added, “This was the right thing to do – it is the law.”
Jill Irvin, Executive Director of TerraWind Ranch Eco-Action Group stated, “These wild horses have a long and rich history and are an integral part of Arizona culture. Their presence in the ASNF adds aesthetic value and contributes tourism dollars to our economy, and they deserve to be recognized and valued as wild life species.”
In 2005, ISPMB and their attorney, Anthony Merrill, successfully obtained an injunction in United States Federal Court for the District of Arizona stopping the Forest Service from “rounding up, removing, or awarding a bid for capture and removal of horses from the ASNF.” The Forest Service was to complete a Territory Management Plan for the Heber Wild Horses.
Attorney Merrill said, “I am pleased that the Forest Service will work with the affected and interested groups and our clients to develop the much needed Wild Horse Territory Plan.”
We hope you will support our efforts as ISPMB continues to WIN for our wild horses.
Mine Expansion to Impact Triple B Wild Horses in Nevada
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public comments on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the proposed expansion of the Bald Mountain Mine, an open pit gold mine in White Pine County, Nevada. The mine lies entirely within the Triple B Herd Management Area (HMA), and the expansion will have a negative impact on over 7,000 acres of habitat and available surface water availability by draining water from aquifers already depleted from drought. Even if BLM ultimately approves the mine (a scenario that seems likely), the agency can take steps to protect horses and mitigate impacts of the mine expansion. Take action below to urge BLM to protect wild horses in the Triple B HMA.
Get Ready for the 2016 Tax Season
It’s never too early to get prepared for the 2016 tax season, and it’s always a good time to keep your accountant happy!
Both the Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook and the Tax Tips for Horse Owners have been updated to be current through 2016, and as a previous purchaser of both, we wanted to extend a special offer to you (it’s only available until August 1st so act fast!):
- Receive 40% off the 2016 Update* by using discount code update2016 at checkout
- Receive 40% off the Tax Tips for Horse Owners booklet by using discount code taxtips16 at checkout
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions at info@horsecouncil.org
*Only purchase the 2016 Update if you have previously purchased the 2011 Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook. All new purchases of the Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook will automatically come with the 2016 Update.
Horses Safe – but waiting for Emergency Truck Repair to come home
CLOSE TO $4,000 +/- IS NEEDED for emergency repairs to fix the rescue truck. – (We have spent over $1000 so far, and now the other bank of injectors is needing replaced prior to Matt driving one more mile.)
Matt is stuck waiting for the truck to be repaired, and as usual, God sent us an Angel. His name is Larry, and the picture above is his place and the horses are happy and enjoying their “break”.
As we deal with the frustrations of old equipment and trying to save lives, I have to once again be grateful. Our angels watched over us again and the truck started having issues about 10 miles from the shop, as opposed to Matt being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with the horses.
I paid for our “rescue truck” personally, with my own funds, but have designated it to the rescue and for rescue use only, pretty much since the rescue started. It has been our “rescue” truck since the very beginning, and we have put well over 100,000 miles on it saving babies, big kids and a few other assorted critters.
While y’all are the reason we have been able to do what we do, without that truck none of this would have happened. Unfortunately it has 200,000 miles + on it now, so we will be needing to raise funds for a new truck in the future. However, everything is checking solid with the exception of needing the new injectors, and I am happy to say that we did get about 100,000 miles on most of them. (We did have to replace a couple of them last year, but they are not the ones that failed like I thought.)
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So once again, the horses and the rescue need help. Things are going well here with the horse kids that are here. We have placed 5 of the babies we brought home and three more, possibly four, should be heading to their new homes in the next week or so. The gelding of the 6 stallions has been scheduled and once we get through this, we will continue saving lives and doing what we do.
Thanks to all of you, we have been blessed to be able to save 32 babies, 11 adult wild horses, the Percheron Big Girl, two miniatures, and we are receiving a Jenny this coming week. So because of the love and support our “rescue family” has shown us, we have been able to save all those lives AND help place over 20 wild horse kids in safe and loving homes.So thank you for saving those lives :).
We want to thank everyone for being part of saving all of these lives. It means the whole world to each and every horse that we save, and although we can’t save them all, we are grateful for all the lives we do save because of folks like you and your love and support.
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us save these horses.
You can go to Paypal – Palominodancer@yahoo.com or go to our website
if you would like to help these horses.
You can donate via check at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088 or mail a check to Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, P.O. Box 190 Golconda, NV 89414
You can also donate via credit card by calling Palomino at 530-339-1458.
530 474-5197 or 530-339-1458 If you are interested in visiting or adopting one of these beautiful horses
Will Congress Allow Back Door Mustang Slaughter?
We anticipate that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on the 2017 Interior Appropriations Bill, which currently includes dangerous language that opens the door to large-scale killing of wild horses and burros via transfer to other federal, state and local government agencies. The bill also contains report language that encourages sterilization of wild horses and burros, including by inhumane, invasive and dangerous surgical means.
This is the most serious threat to wild horses and burros since the 2004 Burns Amendment authorized the unrestricted sale of older and unadopted animals! Even if you have previously done so, it’s important to continue to contact your Congresspersons to let them know that you want them to uphold the will of the people and protect our wild horses and burros from slaughter for commercial or non-commercial purposes, and from barbaric sterilization practices. Please remember that calling as well as emailing will help to ensure that your message on behalf of wild horses and burros is heard!
American Horse Council Reaffirms Support for the PAST Act
During the American Horse Council’s (AHC) annual meeting and issues forum in Washington D.C. the AHC Board of Trustees reaffirmed AHC support for the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act (PAST Act). The PAST Act would strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses, and Racking Horses
“The AHC annual meeting brings together leaders from all segments of the horse industry and every major horse organization and allows them to discuss the issues they believe are most important to the industry,” said Julie Broadway, President of the AHC. “Soring is without a doubt painful for the horses subjected to this practice and even though it is limited to a small segment of the walking horse industry it damages the image of the entire horse industry. There is no question that ending soring is a priority for the horse industry and the AHC is committed to passing the PAST Act.”
Soring is an abusive practice that continues to be used by some horse trainers in the performance or “big lick” segment of the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse, and Racking Horse industry. It usually involves the use of action devices, chemicals, stacks, wedges or other practices to cause pain in the horse’s forelegs to produce an accentuated show gait for competition. At the 2015 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration alone U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors identified 226 violations of the HPA.
No other breeds or disciplines’ have a history of soring, have a reason to sore their horses to accentuate their gait, or have been cited for HPA violations. In fact, since other breeds show at various gaits soring would be counterproductive and harm their ability to successfully compete.
The PAST Act would amend the HPA to prohibit a Tennessee Walking Horse, a Racking Horse, or a Spotted Saddle Horse, the three breeds with a history of soring, from being shown, exhibited, or auctioned with stacks, action devices or chains. These new prohibitions would not apply to other breeds that do not have a history of soring. The bill would also increase penalties for HPA violations and eliminate the current ineffective designated qualified persons (DQPs) program. A full description of the bill can be found here.
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Spa Day
“Hey, Augie! It sure is hot…great day for a bath don’t you think?”
“Well, Roll seems pretty pleased after his bath looking in the window at
himself like that! Who needs a mirror?!”
“Hey, Spuds! I found a gold mine of oats AND grass!!!”
“A little WET, but not too bad!”
“Oooooh! That water is kinda cold, Spuds! Shocking!!!”
“Don’t pout, Spuds! It isn’t THAT cold and she will be done with you
in a minute! Suck it up!”
“What’s up, Spuds? Eat your oats!”
“I can’t be BOUGHT, Augie!”
“No Spuds, but you could cut off your nose to spite your face!”
“Hey, Mom…come back! I want the oats now!”
“You’re lucky she came back, Spuds!”
“We are two REALLY LUCKY guys, Augie! She’s the best!”
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
© 2016, 2017, 2021 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What’s New with Roll? Bath Time
Today was the perfect day for a summer bath. Roll is feeling well and his left hind foot has nearly grown out from his bout with White Line Disease. During the duration his White Line Disease that began in January, he has not spent one lame day.
Every time I clip Roll’s bridle path, it is an exercise in frustration, but he exhibits great patience with me as I stretch the skin and clip over the deep scars between his ears. Someone must have taken the idea about “hitting a mule with a two-by-four” quite literally.
The mule that used to hide behind his partner Rock, trusts me completely and even enjoys the cool water on his face on a hot day!
He knows his good behavior will always elicit an appropriate reward!
Roll likes his Wonder Blue Shampoo and doesn’t even mind a bucket of soapy water in the rear! He knows it makes his tail REALLY PRETTY and remarkably swishable!
Ours is a relationship of many negotiations. One of our regular deals is “He eats oats from the fanny pack and I spray!”
In the summer, one needs to be aware of the eggs that the flies lay in specific spots on each of the mules. They LOVE Roll’s lower legs! A Shedding blade and a Bot Block are about the only things that will remove the sticky eggs.
Using a regular hairbrush, I use Wonder Blue Shampoo to bring out the buttery whiteness in Roll’s mane and tail. In this photo, you can see how well the left hind has healed so far.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness as my grandmother used to say! Thank you, My Friend, for a lovely day together!
Take Action Today: Protect the Pine Nut Wild Horses
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public input on its plan to conduct a roundup and birth control program in and around the Pine Nut Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) – which includes the nearby Fish Springs area outside Gardnerville, Nevada. AWHPC is proud of our partnership with the Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates to keep the Fish Springs wild horses wild and believes that this program needs to be expanded. Please take a minute to submit your comments urging the BLM to continue the humane birth control program and forgo the proposed roundup and removal of horses. The Fish Springs humane management program happened because of public support – please show your support for the Pine Nut wild horses by submitting your comments today.
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