Archive for August 20, 2009

85 abused horses rescued in Oklahoma

Posted: August 20, 2009 by R.T. Fitch in Horse Rescue
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by Gan Matthews

WYNNEWOOD, Oklahoma — Garvin County authorities are dealing with the largest case of horse abuse they have ever seen after 85 horses were rescued near Pauls Valley.

Eighty-five horses were rescued in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Many of them were in poor health.

Eighty-five horses were rescued in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Many of them were in poor health.

The horses, many of whom were in poor health, now reside at the Wynnewood rodeo grounds. Authorities said they were taken from their old home after their owner could no longer care for them properly.

“She was attempting to try to take care of the horses. Financially she was getting into a situation where she couldn’t afford it,” said Garvin County Sheriff Steve Brooks.

Four horses were found dead and three others had to be euthanized. Vets have been able to treat the remaining horses.

Local residents are also helping with the horses’ recovery and so is the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals.

“We committed to food and veterinary care. They’ll have to be treated for parasites immediately,” said Ruth Steinberger, Oklahoma Alliance for Animals.

Deputy Kerry Poteet has been bottle-feeding one young foal at her home, and many residents have said they want to adopt some of the horses.

The District Attorney in Garvin County will decide next week if any criminal charges will be filed in this case.

The District Attorney in Garvin County will decide next week if any criminal charges will be filed in this case.

Authorities said Garvin County has seen an increase in horse abuse cases in the last three years and said it is may partially be due to a new federal law that makes it harder to slaughter older or marginal horses for human consumption abroad. The new law has, in some cases, left owners with horses they can no longer afford.

“Some people have it in their mind that, ‘well, I’m not going to spend the money to take a horse to slaughter or have it euthanized. I’ll just stick it out there in the pasture and hope that it will pass away.’ You can’t do that,” Brooks said.

The District Attorney in Garvin County will decide next week if any criminal charges will be filed in this case.

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Bureau of Land Management on Rampage to Destroy Famous Wild Horse Herd

Posted: August 20, 2009 by R.T. Fitch in Wild Horses/Mustangs
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Sign the Petition and make the Calls, Today!!

Cloud and the wild horses of Montana’s Pryor Mountains are world famous but fame it appears is not going to protect the herd from a drastic government round up planned to begin September 1st in their spectacular wilderness home.

Recent photo of member of Cloud's herd (Sandy Church/Rimrock Humane Society

Recent photo of member of Cloud's herd (Sandy Church/Rimrock Humane Society)

There are currently only 190 wild horses (one year and older) living in the Pryor Mountains. The BLM plans to remove 70 of them, plus foals. According to the foremost equine geneticist, Dr. Gus Cothran, 150-200 adult horses are needed in the herd to ensure their genetic diversity, which is vital to their long term survival.

These 70 horses would be placed in jeopardy. Any horses over 10 years of age can be bought directly by killer buyers and transported over the Northern border to Canadian slaughterhouses or south into Mexico. Younger horses not adopted would be put into government holding with 33,000 others that the BLM has removed from the wild and has proposed killing because they can no longer afford to feed them.

BLM cites poor range condition as the reason to remove the horses but abundant snow and rain for the past two and a half years has produced wonderful range conditions according to all who have visited Cloud and his herd.  The Agency is not listening to anyone. They want this herd gutted. Nearly all the mares returned to the range would be given an experimental two-year infertility drug, PZP-22.

This helicopter round up is just one among many that the BLM is trying to complete, before the Obama Administration can catch up with what is going on.

The Pryor Mountain wild horses are descendents of the Lewis and Clark horses who were stolen by the Crow Indians in the early 1800′s.  They can be traced further back to the horses brought over with the Spanish Conquistadors in 1500 making them the most Spanish of all wild horse herds in North America.

Call and email President Obama and Vice President Biden and tell them that you do not want a misguided agency destroying Americas wild horses. 202-456-9000 or 202-456-1111 or write. Tell them to intervene on behalf of the Pryor Wild Horse Herd! The BLM appears to be on a rampage to manage wild horses to extinction.

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.“

Please contact The Cloud Foundation for more information.

www.thecloudfoundation.org, info@thecloudfoundation.org, 719-633-3842

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION!

*Rimrock Humane Society

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Local Oregon horse therapy program helps disabled with stability

Posted: August 20, 2009 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News
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by Erica Heartquist

SCAPPOOSE, ore. — When people with disabilities ride a horse, experts tell us, the bond that’s formed can lead to positive strides in many other areas of their lives.

Horse Therapy builds sability

Horse Therapy builds stability

The new program T.R.O.T. or “Therapeutic Riding of Tomorrow” has begun in Scappoose. It’s a therapeutic horseback riding program and 26-year-old Kassi Sande is the brainchild behind it.

“There’s something about being able to control, manage, manipulate and make friends with a thousand pound animal,” said Sande.

Sande grew up around horses and said she quickly saw the benefits of riding, especially for people with disabilities.

“Most people don’t look forward to therapy, but they certainly do here,” she said.

By incorporating the principals of hippotherapy, which helps people with movement dysfunction, Sande teaches her special needs’ students how to ride horses while they work on overall coordination.

One of her students, Felicity Matson, 4, rides horses every week for therapy. Her father, Eric Matson said each week, Felicity can’t wait to be lifted onto the horse.

“It’s just a matter of getting her interested in some therapy that actually doesn’t feel like therapy,” he said.

Felicity has a neurological disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder, which slows her reaction time and daily functions.

In the four months that Felicity has been going to T.R.O.T. for horse riding therapy, her father said he’s noticed a significant change in her confidence level, strength and coordination.

“It’s a huge benefit. If we didn’t have it, I don’t know what we would do,” said Matson.

T.R.O.T. is just getting started at the stables in Scappoose.

Sande said she is working towards acquiring non-profit status.

“I love my job. Everyday you feel really good about what you’ve done. It doesn’t just help people ride horses – it helps people in their life,” said Sande.

If you’d like more information about the program, head to:

http://www.therapeuticridingoftomorrow.org/

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