This morning I received an urgent call. There are 5 orphaned foals waiting for us to pick them up. Of course I had a few hours to say yes or no, and a few hours after that to actually get them. We were not given any opportunity to save any of the others.
So, once again plans are changed at the last minute. Luckily Matt has delivered all the 44 that were not going home with us. Mel is sharing her place with us and babysitting our stallions and other kids waiting to go to NV.
We have the rolling foal hospital with us today, (with the orphan SKY and the injured filly Kahlua with us for 24/7 care.) Matt was doing his pre-trip check when he noticed one of the tires starting to fail. They have good tread, but we have been running on them non stop for the last three years since we got the trailer.
So once again, lots of unexpected expenses. New tires, saving and vetting the foals and milk powder and pellets etc. etc. for the new kids.
But when God puts it in front of you, all you can do is say yes and do your best. So we are back in emergency mode.
Thank you to all of our CHILLY PEPPER FAMILY! Without you, none of this would be possible. Again, I have to say this was a bit overwhelming, but with your prayers, love and support we will “git ‘er done”.
God bless and thank you so much for sticking by us and saving these lives. Pictures will follow.
Please send lots of prayers for safe travel, the support we need and for Kahlua to feel better!
Below, Sky enjoying a break at one of our “free” campsites close to Yakama. :) Sometimes being frugal is just plain beautiful. lol
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
WE DID IT – One more miracle for the Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang Family, and that is – YOU! Each and Every Single Person who donated, shared and prayed for these amazing horses is part of Chilly Pepper.THANK YOU & GOD BLESS YOU!
We were extremely lucky that one of my friends stepped up and she and her husband took 14 of the stallions to their place for foster care. They will be helping us get them gelded and gentled so they can be placed in their forever homes.
So now I will only have 14 stallions at Chilly Pepper LOL.
I cannot begin to thank everyone for stepping up. We did not raise enough funds for the gelding, but for now they are safe, and that was definitely the most important aspect to worry about. We will just have to deal with that when we get them home.
Below is Kahlua. She is a 2 year old? filly who came off the range with a horrible injury. It appears as though she fought with a branch? She has a huge and oh so deep gash. Due to the fact it has been there for some time, the infection has spread to her chest and legs. However, she was seen by the vet and is on antibiotics and being treated.
When she came through the chute, I told the guys I wanted her loaded straight into my trailer. They laughed and said “Oh – you gonna just stick a halter on her?” She had a halter on the next day while standing at liberty. She is extremely intelligent, sweet and knew she needed help. She loves to play in the hose while I am hosing her injury off and we would appreciate prayers for her. If this treatment plan does not work, or even if it works but still needs help, we will take her to our vet when we get home.
THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU for saving these 44 horses.
Together (just in the past month or so) we have saved the mare and foal, 49 last time and 44 this time. ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL HEARTS AND LOVE AND SUPPORT.
Together, you are making miracles happen!
However, I have been “grounded”. We need to stay home and get these stallions gelded and the more of the horses at Chilly Pepper placed before we can bring more in. We have to be responsible. Once we get the 6 acres fenced it will allow for more horses to be saved.
There are more round ups going to happen. So we will work as quickly and diligently as we can to get these kids placed.
Thank you for continuing to help us save these lives. It takes a village…
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
The Senate Committee on Appropriations voted July 20 in favor of an amendment offered by Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), to defund the USDA’s inspection of horse slaughter, a renewal of what was effectively a ban on the practice.
Today’s vote for the Udall-Graham Amendment means the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Bill may move forward with language limiting USDA action in the inspection of animals, facilities or products associated with horse slaughter. On July 12, however, the House Appropriations Committee voted against a similar amendment that would defund USDA inspection of horse slaughter, setting the stage for possible negotiations on the final spending bill.
Horse slaughter plants in the United States were closed in 2007 when funding for USDA inspection was halted through the appropriations approval process. Horse slaughter inspections will remain unfunded through September 30, 2017, when the current fiscal year will end. Further information will be available when approval for the FY18 Appropriations are finalized.
The American Horse Council has not taken a position on horse slaughter as the equine industry remains divided on this issue. Please contact the American Horse Council for further information.
The AHC is pleased to announce the topics and speakers for its 3rd Quarter webinar, which will take place Monday, August 21st at 3:00 pm ET.
“Cantering Towards a Worker Shortage?” will be the focus of the webinar, and will feature speakers on both H2A and H2B visas, as well as insight from a trainer deeply involved in the thoroughbred racing industry and why the H2B visa are so important to him and his operation.
Horse industry employers have for many years found it difficult to recruit American workers to fill jobs. For this reason, American immigration policy has been a major concern of the horse industry and the AHC has worked to ensure the H-2B non-agricultural and H-2A agricultural temporary foreign worker programs are a viable option for the industry. The AHC felt it was important to provide more insight as to why the industry relies on these visas.
Eclipse Award winning trainer Dale Romans of Romans Racing will lead off the webinar and provide insight as to why the H2B program is so important to the well-being of his business, the thoroughbred racing industry and the equine industry as whole. A licensed trainer since age 18, Mr. Romans began working in his father’s stable (renowned trainer Jerry Romans) from the time he could walk. Dale is an active advocate for the sport serving/having served in volunteer leadership positions of various industry organizations, including the Kentucky HBPA; Churchill Backside Health & Welfare Fund; Churchill Downs Racing Committee; and the Gulfstream Park Racing Committee.
Glen M. Krebs of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP of Lexington, KY, will focus on the industry’s use of H2A Visas. Mr. Krebs is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Service Team, and concentrates his practice in International and Immigration law. Mr. Krebs has spoken extensively on the subject of Immigration Law and was contributing author to “Legal Aspects of Horse Farm Operations” (4th ed. 2014), University of Kentucky College of Law, Office of Continuing Legal Education.
Lisa L. Galliath of LLG Attorney at Law will speak on the industry’s use of the H2B Visa. Ms. Galliath assists individuals, professionals, and businesses with U.S. immigration issues and question, as well as specializing in representing equestrian professionals in all disciplines. She has extensive experience and knowledge of the equine industry, and her firm provides legal services to many clients based in equestrian centers in Florida and California.
The webinar is open to both AHC members and non-members—we encourage everyone to attend! To register for the webinar, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Furst at afurst@horsecouncil.org. We look forward to having you join us for our third quarter webinar!
Our team just got bad news out of the U.S. House Appropriations markup: the committee just voted to add a pro-slaughter amendment, acceding to the barbaric request of the Interior Department to kill these majestic animals.
The members of this committee rejected the will of 80% of Americans who do not want slaughter; they rejected the science that shows these animals can be managed with humane birth control; and they rejected every major animal welfare organization who condemned the cruelty of this slaughter policy.
They should be ashamed. But this fight is not over!
We can still stop this horse slaughter provision before a vote by the full House of Representatives or in the U.S. Senate. We need your help.
The amendment, which passed on a voice vote, allows for the wholesale destruction of healthy wild horses and burros that the BLM deems “unadoptable” or “overpopulated.” The committee knew just how unpopular their stance was — that’s why they replaced “slaughter” with “destruction.” But it’s same barbaric policy with different words.
U.S. businesses will be able to hire up to 15,000 additional temporary nonagricultural workers under the H-2B program following a final rule that the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor submitted to the Federal Register this week. To qualify for the additional visas, petitioners must attest, under penalty of perjury, that their business is likely to suffer irreparable harm if it cannot employ H-2B nonimmigrant workers during fiscal year (FY) 2017. It was determined there are not enough qualified and willing U.S. workers are available to perform temporary nonagricultural labor to satisfy the needs of some American businesses in FY 2017.
Congress gave Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly the discretionary authority to address the lack of available temporary workers and provide this one-time increase to the congressionally set annual cap. H-2B visas are used for temporary, non-agriculture workers at a variety of businesses, including racetrack grooms and handlers. The government offers 66,000 such visas a year, with the 2017 cap having been met within the first 30 days of open enrollment. This left many organizations without access to the critical labor pool provided by the H-2B program.
Starting this week, eligible petitioners for H-2B visas can fileForm I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and must submit a supplemental attestation on Form ETA 9142-B-CAA with their petition. A new tip line to report general H-2B abuse and employer violations has also been established.
Details on eligibility and filing requirements are available in the final rule and on theOne-Time Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2017. This page also includes information on how individuals can report abuse in the program.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Over the past few days, we’ve launched an unprecedented campaign to try to save America’s wild horses, including a TV ad buy in four key markets and the release of new polling showing 80% of Americans favor continuing anti-slaughter protections for wild horses.
Why the urgent push? Tomorrow, the full House Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the new Interior Department budget — and we are told our opponents will attempt to add language to authorize the mass slaughter of America’s wild horses.
The fate of America’s wild horses may come down to your Congressperson. Will you contact he/she right now?
1) Call Your Rep at202-225-3121 and say: side with 80% of Americans — #NoHorseSlaughter, no way!
2) Click the icons below and Tweet and/or Facebook to your Representative.
We’ll keep you updated as the votes unfold. This is one of the most critical weeks we have ever had in the fight to protect wild horses and prevent what could be one of the largest mass slaughter’s of wild animals in our history.
Thank you for being with us,
Suzanne Roy
American Wild Horse Campaign
P.S. Please also consider an emergency donation to help us continue our Virginia TV ad buy.
His house and all his belongings had just been destroyed by California’s Wall Fire, but his concern was for Dane, the donkey that a dying friend gave him seven years ago.
You know the special connection we have with our animal companions. Whether a dog or a cat, a horse or a donkey, they are our family.
And so Ricky was overjoyed when he learned that firemen and our partner, NVADG, had rescued Dane. The poor donkey has suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation and will need ongoing care for several months.
Our rescue team is still on the ground in Butte County helping the animal victims of the Wall Fire that has scorched more than 6,000 acres and destroyed dozens of homes.
We’ve helped rescue, shelter and care for more than 150 animals … from dogs and cats suffering from smoke inhalation, to injured goats, horses – and yes, even donkeys.
You can help! The animal victims still need you, and your gift today can help us continue to provide them with everything they need until they can reunite with their families and return home.
You’ll help the animal victims of this devastating fire and so many other animals that are suffering and need care.
I’m thrilled that we could help Ricky find Dane.
So many times, when disasters strike and people lose so much, the reunion with their animal companions is the first glimmer of hope they feel.
It heals their broken hearts and helps set them on the road to recovery.
You can help heal more hearts with your donation today.
The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations voted July 12 against an amendment that Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) and Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) had offered to defund the USDA’s inspection of horse slaughter, a renewal of what was effectively a ban on the practice.
Wednesday’s vote against the Roybal-Allard/Dent amendment means the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Bill may move forward without any language limiting USDA action in the inspection of animals, facilities or products associated with horse slaughter. The Senate has yet to hold their full committee markup, and both bills must be accepted by the full House and Senate before the USDA could begin inspections for 2018.
Horse slaughter plants in the United States were closed in 2007 when funding for USDA inspection was halted through the appropriations approval process. Horse slaughter inspections will remain unfunded through September 30, 2017, when the current fiscal year will end. Further information will be available when voting for the FY18 Appropriations are finalized.
The American Horse Council has not taken a position on horse slaughter as the equine industry remains divided on this issue. Please contact the American Horse Council for further information.
NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND! – 49 Mustangs Saved from Slaughter!
Yes 49…. WE DID IT!!! Thanks to everyone who stepped up we were able to save the lives of ALL 49 mustangs we were called to help.After these mustangs are rounded up, we get a courtesy phone call and we are the only chance they have to avoid being shipped directly to slaughter.
Initially we were not supposed to bring any horses back to Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang. But how do you look deep into the eyes of the stallions and simply walk away. CPMM is one of the few places who can take on wild stallions, and no one else was going to step up. As they stood there patiently staring at me, the decision was made.
How can you walk away from horses you CAN save, and look in the mirror? Yes, it makes things extremely difficult at times, and is much more expensive as we incur the gelding costs before we can place them, not to mention stallions can be a lot of work. However, the only alternative was to look at them and say “nope – you are too much trouble – die a horrible death”, and it was not an option as we did have the capability of saving them.
So not one horse was left behind – this time…. Unfortunately I have already been warned the phone will be ringing again in a week or two.
But right now we need to concentrate on our orphans, and getting our boys gelded. We cannot place them without them being gelded which means none of the next group of stallions have any chance to be saved.
We now have 3 babies who are on Foal Lac Powder ($149 per bag if we drive 3 hours to pick it up.) They are also on Foal Lac Pellets, ($99 per bag) and we are supplementing with Baby Goat’s milk as it is less expensive and easy to digest and has lots of fat. Add to that their hay, grain and medical care and it eats up the budget quickly.
I am really praying hard that some of the monies that were “promised” for this last rescue come through. We had some folks pledge enough money to make this possible without total devastation to our entire budget.
Unfortunately those funds have not yet arrived, which means our budget is nearly depleted. So until these funds are replaced, we won’t be able to save the next group. The cost of this rescue averaged about $250 (per horse) x 49, which is pretty good when you consider that covers saving them, vetting them, delivering them safely to their new homes and all fuel costs.
Unfortunately, this does not include feeding and caring for the stallions or getting them vetted. We need to buy hay asap. The horses came in pretty thin and beat up and they need extra groceries.
What makes things even harder is that Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, (and all of YOU who helped save the 900+), spent thousands to save the horses at ISPMB. All the funds were supposed to be reimbursed when we went the second time, but we all know how expensive rescue is. It simply did not happen. So our funds were already depleted immeasurably.
However, that was a successful life saving rescue for over 700 horses. There are still horses left, and we offered to place more through Chilly Pepper. However, due to things beyond our control, that did not happen. So although together we helped save over 700, as many as 100+ may face a “merciful end to their lives”. This sounds horrible, and breaks my heart, but at least none of them will face slaughter like the ones we are rescuing at this time.
There is no choice of where to concentrate at this point. A quick painless end to life or a devastating trip through slaughter, where they are often butchered while still alive – the answer is clear – save as many of the Yakama ponies as we can.
Kim Clark took 25 of the mares and foals at “A Little Piece of Heaven” in Idaho. She is a huge part of our success as she is part of the team that finds homes for these horses.
Wendy & Mike Hanson at Mountain Ranch Equine Rehab took 8 to gentle and match up with “their person”. They work with troubled youth and are using some of the wild ones for therapy for some of our amazing heroes (our beloved veterans).
Kayleen and Clint, out of Oregon, took on 5 fillies and young mares to train and re-home, and we have 10 stallions and a mare at Chilly Pepper.
(We like folks to know that they are actually safe!)
Below, meet the newest orphan “My Heart in the Sky” aka SKY for short, with Rocky and no-name in the background (My niece is picking “no-name” out a very special name. lol) Sky is named after our beloved friend Les Stedronsky, may she rest in all God’s glory. We love you and we miss you so, Les!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN! We so appreciate the love and support and I am working on Thank You’s as quickly as I can. We still need your help. So please let’s keep saving lives. Together we are making a difference!
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
We need to get on the air. In the last 48 hours, thousands of you shared our web video helping to get our message out. We’re starting to be heard — we must prevent the slaughter of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros.
The Bureau of Land Management does not have the power to overturn the ban on horse slaughter. Only Congress can do that. So we’re making it crystal clear: with their votes, Congress will be deciding to:
support science and protect these iconic animals
OR
side with the special interests and slaughter nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros
It’s the truth. And the choice Congress has to make. The initial text of the Interior Appropriations bill maintains the ban on slaughter, but we are told an amendment will be voted on next week to add BLM’s proposed language allowing slaughter. With your help, we’re going to make sure they understand exactly what’s at stake.
Right now, Washington is ablaze in controversy and partisan bickering. But behind it, too many are missing a critical story: if Congress signs off on the Bureau of Land Management’s budget request, as many as 100,000 wild horses and burros will be slaughtered.
This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s what’s at stake if we overturn the ban on horse slaughter. And if we’re going to stop it, we need to get this story out there and make sure Congress and Americans at-large understand what could happen in just a matter of weeks.
Watch our latest web video and then share it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #NoHorseSlaughter.
We need to turn up the volume. And fast. So please watch our video now and share it.
Thank you for being with us and America’s wild horses,
-Suzanne Roy
P.S. Please also consider a donation as we intensify our campaigning in Washington and across the country.
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
Our agenda will include the following:
Presentation by 5th grader, Maya B.
Horse Updates
Volunteer Updates and Needs
Board of Director Updates and Activities
Community Outreach Updates and Activities
Fundraising Upcoming Events and Needs
Grants – Updates
Programs – Updates and Activities
Please bring either an appetizer or dessert to share at 6:00pm, meeting will begin at 6:30pm and end by 8:00pm.
The American Horse Council (AHC) held its Annual Meeting on June 11, 2017, where all five of the AHC’s standing committees met: Animal Welfare, Health & Regulatory, Horse Show, Racing Advisory, and Recreation.
The AHC would like to thank everyone that attended the commitee meetings, and hopes that the topics and discussions held were useful and informative. We hope to see everyone there again next year!
To read the recaps of each committee meeting, please click below.
It’s #WildWednesdays – a unified call-in day for wild horses! Supporters all around the country are making their voices heard for wild horses, and we need you to join them!
In less than a week, a key House committee will decide whether the ban on slaughtering wild horses is removed from the 2018 budget bill. The lives of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros are on the line.
Please make a quick, polite phone call to your Representative at 202-225-3121 right now. You can say:
“I’m (your name), calling from (your town). As your constituent, I ask Rep. (rep’s name) to reject the BLM’s 2018 budget request to slaughter thousands of America’s wild horses and burros. Please vote to maintain the current ban on slaughtering these iconic animals.”
Please make a quick call right now – it will only take a minute and it can make a big difference!
On June 29, 2017 Bernadette Juarez, Deputy Administrator of APHIS-Animal Care, released an open letter to the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, as well as Horse Industry Organizations and Associations (HIOs), and the owners, trainers, exhibitors, and custodians of horses engaged in Horse Protection Act (HPA) covered activities.
In it she provides a progress report on the efforts to strengthen the HPA inspection program, their working relationship with the industry, and HPA enforcement. She applauded the HIOs that have made refinements to their processes to achieve their new standards, including the updated inspection guidance intended to promote consistency throughout the entire industry. That inspection guidance was posted on their website, found here, along with videos that depict the inspection process.
She ended her letter by acknowledging that “A consistent and thorough inspection process coupled with management’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities under the HPA are essential for ensuring exhibitors have clear expectations and can confidently present horses for inspection and participate in HPA-covered events.”
On March 30, 2017, Representatives Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) re- introduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2015 (HR 1847) (PAST act) in the House of Representatives. The bill is intended to strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and prevent the soring of Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. The bill is supported by the American Horse Council and most national horse show organizations. The AHC urges all members of the horse industry to contact their Representative and ask them to support the bill and become a co-sponsor.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently requested that the 2018 budget lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros. If the ban is lifted, all horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold for slaughter. And most of the remaining wild horse population will be slaughtered, possibly even through aerial gunning in the wild.
Here’s the bottom line: 92,000 healthy horses will die if this ban is lifted.
It’s time to fight back against this senseless slaughter. Thousands of you have already made your voices heard. Now, we’re launching a new campaign: #NoHorseSlaughter. But we need your help to spread the word.
We’re going to take our message to every member of Congress and make sure they know what’s at stake. We can’t let the BLM undertake an unprecedented mass slaughter of our nation’s healthy wild horses and burros.
Congress is likely to decide the future of our nation’s iconic wild horse population in the next two weeks, which means these next few days will be critical. We’re going to take the fight to them — both in their districts when their on recess and back on Capitol Hill. With your help, we’re going to make sure they know that America is standing up for #NoHorseSlaughter.
The American Horse Council (AHC) National Issues Forum, sponsored by Luitpold Animal Health, on June 12th provided a wealth of information and ideas from different perspectives on how we can grow the industry and continue to work together. Attendees were treated to insights ranging from cutting-edge research to help our equine athletes, to how we can encourage the next generation to get involved, as well as how tradition, continuity, and innovation can work together for the benefit of the industry in moving forward.
The Morning Session kicked off with keynote speaker Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association who spoke about several initiatives the travel industry has undertaken the past few years to increase tourism and travel within and to the United States. For example, a Visa Waiver Program that allows residents of allied countries to be pre-screened before entry and are given visa-free travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days. Most notably though, was the creation of a Global Meetings Industry Day that showcases the impact that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions have on people, business and communities.
“Staying focused, finding things you can work on together, and speaking with one voice are critical to ensuring the success and longevity of any industry,” Mr. Dow closed with.
To read the recap of the National Issues Forum in its entirety, please click below.
1) The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget asks Congress to lift a ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros.
2) If the ban is lifted, wild horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold to slaughter. The remaining “excess” population will be slaughtered, possibly gunned-down in the wild. Up to 92,000 healthy horses will die.
3) The Congressional markup to decide if this slaughter provision is included will happen in the next two weeks.
If this sounds like the worst-case-scenario for our cause, it is. If Congress accepts the BLM’s budget provision, we would see an unprecedented mass slaughter of healthy horses and burros. It would lead to horses being slaughtered for human consumption. It would destroy our nation’s icons of freedom. It would be a tragedy.