by R.T. Fitch, author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart”
When it comes to writing it takes a certain bit of motivation, emotion and passion for me to commit my feelings to written word, hence, I am a total failure as a news writer. I wish that I had the ability to simply state the facts, present the story and move on such as the talented equine writers Steven Long and John Holland manage to do; but I just don’t have it in me. The issue has to inspire, to push and drive me to make a point. There is always a point so I wear a hat in hopes that it does not show. As my wife, Terry, will tell you; I am a man of a few thousand words.
So as not to disappoint I sat down, last night, and began to compile a listing of all the anti-horse events that have transpired over the past several months. I provided details, numbers, dates and names. I researched and documented until I was blue in the face and then sat back and looked at what I had compiled. It was shocking, the list had grown and swelled until more words were written than I could possibly put into a short “op-ed” and to add injury to insult, I was depressed beyond words. In fact, I was beginning to feel an emotion that I have seen percolating amongst pro-horse people and over the past several days has begun to bubble up to a rapid boil.
That’s when the red flags went up.
Today, logon to any equine advocate’s blog, check out a pro-horse website and you can quickly see that a tremendous amount of justified frustration and pain is turning into something that, if not channeled correctly, could precipitate into the demise of all that we have worked for in attempting to help the horses. That singular, destructive and dead-end element is nothing more than all-American, apple pie, stick in your throat Anger.
There is nothing inherently wrong with feeling angry, Lord knows there is good reason, but a word of caution is justifiably due. If we allow this emotion to mindlessly drive us down the same dark and slippery trail that the anti-horse people are traveling, we have truly failed. The other side has a gigantic lead down the center of that abyss and the land of negativity is somewhere we do not want to go; not now, not ever.
Take a moment and consider all of this from the horse’s perspective. That’s right, think like a horse for a second and listen to what they have to say. Do you believe that the horses are angry? I think not.
The wild horses are frightened, frustrated and possibly lonely from having their families and homes destroyed but they don’t know anger as we humans do. In fact, they run from it.
What’s the number #1 rule that you impose upon yourself when you feel angry at your horse? Isn’t it to turn and walk out of the pasture as when you are angry you then repel the horse as you become the predator?
Perhaps there is a lesson learned there.
If we seek to effect change, then maybe we had better start thinking like horse trainers versus horse “breakers”. Perhaps there is more to be gained from building relationships versus ramming our point of view down our opponent’s throats.
Maybe if we attempt to display confidence, exhibit leadership, provide examples of success and clarity in the direction that we would prefer to travel then like a horse, our former opponents might be more receptive to our perspective.
If, like a compassionate trainer, we can clearly show that our path is the way of least resistance and the destination is the most comfortable place to be, then perchance we may cultivate more converts versus alienating the very horse that we are trying to train.
When we first approach a horse, who we wish to build a relationship with, we already know that the horse sees the world from a different perspective. We are fully aware that he does not trust us and that the horse has a mind of its own and will want to do what he wants to do. The horse is going to push and shove to go where he wants to go; until we can gently persuade him to do otherwise.
Is that not an exact definition of those whom we are most angry with right now?
Perhaps we should step away from our computer screens for a moment, take a deep breath, and put our horsemanship hats on. If you have equine friends, now would be a good time to spend a few quiet moments with them and tune into their wavelengths. Listen, for a change, instead of talking “to” them; recharge your emotional batteries.
If a friendly horse is not nearby; then close your eyes and imagine that high, lush, mountain meadow with vividly colored wild flowers at your feet. You look about and see the small herd of wild horses calmly grazing around you while the only sounds that you hear are their subtle chewing and the cry of a distant hawk. Tune in, breath deep and decompress.
Now; shake it off, put on your boots, slip into your chinks and head for the round pen.
We do a great job of convincing horses to behave as we desire so let’s give it a shot with humans and see where we go. Instead of a carrot stick it might be a pen. Maybe a keyboard will take the place of a lunge line or a telephone might supplant a savvy string but the tools are there, the knowledge is present and the desire is bursting at the seams.
Let’s stand united, suck it up and go train ourselves some horse advocates!
There is no where to go but up!
May the Force of the Horse be with you
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Horse Slaughter, The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Wise words and goal R.T. I’m with you.
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R.T. this is a very needed expression now.We need to not follow the “Judas horse” now.
In June I was able to join up with Don Coyhis and his forgiveness journey across this country.
http://www.whitebison.org
Growing up in the Pryors there are many, many, treasures. Your sister Susan asked me about the “Little People”.
Way up there is an ancient medicine wheel. Don is in Colorado Springs and expresses much of what you have written.
Over the generations the effect is the destruction of the behavior that wild mustangs give. As generations go by with this destroyed we have a behaviors that now majority of people know and believe of horses.
“Forgive the unforgiveable” is in the south on the wheel. Thanks for leading the way.
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Great words to start my Saturday. Thank you RT, I too am with you.
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Just my thought about “being nice” when dealing with the pro-slaughter side. I am quite sure that the majority of them have already made their mind up, for whatever (ulterior) motive or reason they might have. I gave up a long time ago trying to convince them (nicely) to change their minds. We give them cold hard facts and still they ignore us and continue on in their propaganda campaigns. I think they know in their hearts that we are correct but since they have ulterior motive$$$$ they simply will not change their mind but will “stay the course” of their professed support of horse slaughter and will not change their minds. In support of my position, I ask you to ask yourselves how many of the Pro-Leaders have we managed to convince of the wrongfullness of their pro-slaughter thinking? How many have we compelled through our “polite campaigns” to change their minds about horse slaughter and come over to our side? Personally, and I may be wrong here, but I dont believe there has been any. I know you catch more flies with honey,…but this is not about catching flies. Nor is about training horses. I believe the comparision is wrong because horses have more (common) sense than these pro-slaughter folk, who, for the most part,..refuse to be “trained.” I think time has proven that. They HAVE to stick wih their lie. Yes, in my mind the time has come to end “the polite wars” for the opposition has proved they will not listen. We are in a war here, and nobody ever won a battle by asking the “enemy” nicley to concede. Heed the words of Mother Jones: DONT BE LADY LIKE in your fight. If you are serious in your committment and you have RIGHT on your side – I say Kick Ass wherever and whenever you can. Expose the B@$t@rD$ at every opportunity. Expose their lies and ulterior motives and eventually the truth will out and regular, common-folk people will begin to see the truth…that is where we should be focusing our campaigns, on the general “caring” unaware public,…not the pro-slaughter jerks who will not be swayed. I dont waste my time arguing with them anymore,…but I sure am having fun “giving them hell” by exposing their stupidity, lies, and ulterior motives to the world.
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There is no doubt that we are all in a struggle, Laura. And as a human, all of us need to ask forgiveness of our horses for the abuse and cruelty that we have rained down upon them over the past decades, there is no arguing with that.
But I feel that we need to direct this anger, the frustration, to more constructive and positive actions than throwing stones at the giant that looms in front of us. We will not win that fight using those methods, but instead, by getting the word out by letting our passion drive our mouths, our fingers on the keyboards or the pens that write the letter, we will increase our numbers, turn up the volume and maybe, just maybe our collective voices will be heard.
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RT We are doing that and when we have done we come together and share this.
Our collective voices have been heard. By BLM and DOI. The press is slowly catching up and getting to people we have not had the time and ability to reach.
We have become a force to reckon with. I believe this and hope you do also. mar
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Yes, I think we are all wrestling these days. I don’t think I have ever felt as frustrated, exhausted or ANGRY as I feel right now. I’ve had fantasies of attending a roundup and in a spectacular act of civil disobedience, tying myself to the helicopter so that it can’t take off, or doing other things just as idiotic, but oh, so satisfying!(Not much chance of this really happening – we don’t have many roundups here in Indiana)
I want to respond to some comment about how the horses are a non-native, invasive, destructive species, etc. with an all caps screed about what an ignorant, misinformed cretin that writer is and how you shouldn’t express views if you don’t know what the #$@! you’re talking about, and on and on and on…
But really, this is NOT the way to make friends and influence people, and I KNOW that. So, stand up and step slowly back from the computer – and go out to the barn.
As Indy presses his forehead gently into the hollow of my shoulder, he says, “You don’t REALLY want to come off like a raving horse-hugger do you?” “But, Indy,” I say, “I AM a horse-hugger! I’m hugging YOU aren’t I?” “Yes,” says he, “but you’re not RAVING.”
Sweet!
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Suzanne, don’t forget to come back, we miss you and morgan, too. mar
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I’m here, Mar! Don’t worry – I’m not going anywhere!
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R.T. Thank you.
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JT – Excellent idea here. One of many REAL and VIABLE alternatives to what DOI and BLM are proposing. I’ve had the idea too of seeing how much and what it would take to drill wells in the drought prone ranges, outfit them with solar/wind power so they are mostly self sustaining and this would take one more “reasons” away from BLM for bringing our horses and donks off the ranges. Putting in permanent wells, I think, certainly would cost less than rounding up and putting the horses and donks in holding pens and feeding. Folks, Please Stay the Course for the Horse and Stay Active. I believe we do have to keep our brains engaged and let our deep emotion come second. Our love for them comes naturally but we need to try to think of any and everything possible to take away any ammunition from our opposition. My Very Best to All.
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Since I already posted my mind state in post 30, 2009-10-02, I’ll keep short.
First, Thanks. You’re right, I do need to see my horse again. After all, she’s why I’m posting here in the first place…
Second, we need a solution inspired from our enemy: Money.
I’ve already suggested this, but it’s only one idea: Why is the government not paying the horses grazing rights?
That could “force” the BLM to sustain higher numbers??? Let’s set the price at cattle +.50$ ? so, 1.35$+.50$ = higher profit, defeating the stealing of land for grazing?
Defeating external profits might have a higher impact…
Of course, getting everybody to stop eating meat might help, but yes, I do eat horse meat once in a while. OK, I do it thanking the horse for his sacrifice, thinking about how unfair his life must have been. (The horse racing industry has died here (Quebec, Canada), all tracks are now closed, and that industry’s lack of foresight caused the breeders to ship their horses to slaughter to cut expenses. Some horses find new homes, as the prices plummet inviting new people to own one. There is some good in that, but a lot of waste too.)
* So, the new objective should be to increase the appeal of live, healthy wild horses! Force the BLM to see that the glass is only half-full instead on almost half-empty… *
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i think it’s mighty audacious of you, monsieur boissonneault, to get onto a website that CLEARLY supports the welfare of the horse & CLEARLY stands AGAINST horse slaughter & the human consumption of horse meat, & leave the statement, “but yes, i do eat horse meat once in a while”
so. in the spirit of rt, i will respond with compassion, with examples of leadership & direction, & with the hopes of cultivating a positive outcome & building a working relationship with you & with others in similar situations. no anger, no rage, no negativity, no force. just calm. compassion. reasoning.
first of all, i have to wonder how magic, votre belle petite pouliche, feels about you eating the meat of her semblables. do you ever question if she asks herself when SHE might end up on your plate, a filly filet? she has to know that you eat her kind–she can smell it through your breath & your pores, see it in your eyes, & sense it from the depths of your soul. do you ever question how SHE might feel about you eating horsemeat?
while i understand that the current economy has turned against the horse (less horse races, a surplus of horses, horse owners no longer able to support the horses they have, the rise of abandoned horses, more horses going to slaughter, etc), i think that we as a human race should find other ways of managing the lives of these horses. sending them to slaughter after a life of working & showing & racing does not seem at all to “honor” their sacrifice. if you want to truly HONOR the horses, m. boissonneault, then give them a full life in a field or a pasture, with other horse companions, & give them food, water, appropriate shelter, open fields, & lots of love. now THAT would be an act that more truly honors the sacrifices that these magnificent creatures have been making for US since the day they were born. serving them up as steaks or burgers on a plate seems everything BUT honorable.
if you are eating horse meat, even as an occasional meal, then you are creating a rise in the demand for more meat & therefore for more horses to be slaughtered. conversely, if you were to STOP eating horse meat altogether, perhaps get a few friends to join you in this, you would DECREASE the demand for horsemeat, therefore decreasing the demand for horses to be slaughtered. perhaps you could send the money that you would have paid to the butcher or grocer for that $20 pound stallion steak to a local horse rescue who could then continue the work of saving horses (there are plenty in canada, i assure you. let us know if you need help finding them).
so. now you need something to replace that horse meat & the protein that you were getting from it. how ‘bout some beans? some legumes? some high protein grains & nuts? there are OODLES of vegetarian “meats” out there on the market right now & made with quite a variety of ingredients, such as soy, mycoproteins, wheat gluten, & roasted grains. try one of them! they are really quite tasty! on the days that you would think about eating a horseburger, try going meatless on those days! eat veggies! not sure how to do that??? how ‘bout taking a vegetarian or vegan cooking class? or getting a vegan cookbook? (3 of the very best vegan cookbooks on the market were written by a couple of canadian chicks, you know!) how ‘bout getting a vegetarian magazine? or looking at any of the thousands of vegetarian recipes available on the net for options? please, find something….anything….. that will replace the occasional horsemeat on your table & will still give you a good healthy source of nourishment.
horses are here to nourish our souls, not our bellies. they have worked so hard for us….carrying our fat asses from one place to another, lugging our belongings, racing faster & jumping higher because we want them to….why force them into that final sacrifice of torture & slaughter, ending up between two buns & covered in ketchup? it just doesn’t seem honorable.
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Audacious? Yes, I know!
Respect: I’m learning
Magic has changed how I see EVERYTHING, including eating meat. When I see horse meat, I get tears. I do think of Magic, of how much I need her… But I cannot let others just ignore the sacrifices that horse made through others poor choices. There are no funerals for those sacrificed horses I can attend. No, it’s not the solution, and I’m pleased that I don’t see horse meat more often in the supermarkets I go to.
The whole horse meat issue DOES need to be addressed, limited, controlled. Education is what’s needed, and Magic made me reflect on many issues I didn’t know or cared before. Like meat. It has a very polluting impact on this world. Yet, banning meat isn’t an option, at least not for a long time.
The owner of the barn where I am bought 6 ex-race horses, fine horses he trained for saddle and they went to fine families… Money is the enemy, not people…
He made some money, maybe, not even sure he did, but slaughter is never the answer. He still cares a lot about his 26yo Princess, who needs a fair retirement. I know one of his dogs who is buried somewhere on his land because he cared about this old dog.
Death is part of life, and I know one day Magic will pass away. I’m scared crazy about that, and maybe I’ll have to choose what I do with her body. I would prefer to eat her than to let worms eat her. It’s far from done, I not sure I will ever do it, but life is about opportunity and energy recycling. I would prefer having Magic as a part of my body, but the cycle of life will continue whatever my choice is then.
I feel horses are my family, and I write here because I know a lot must change. Seeing horse meat on a shelf in the supermarket is one of those things. A horse meat black market is no better an option. Random killings of horses for meat neither.
As far as me eating horse meat, it happened twice. There isn’t much of a market here, beef is more expensive and common (so, more in demand). The first time was an exception, and it was my way (maybe not the best) of honouring this horse. I wanted this horse to be remembered, not ignored. That way, I would remember him, and he would not be eaten by someone who wouldn’t care.
Maybe, one day I will have to choose what to do with Magic’s body. My trainer had to choose just that the week-end after I eat that meat, because her filly died in training. Her neck broken. It took about 15 seconds, and it was over. The next christmas, I knew the name of the horse I ate in that fondue. Part of her body had been in the barn’s freezer for many months, in little white packs. Everybody at the barn knew of it, of the accident. It was a reminder to honour our horses, and to enjoy every second with them as it was the last, because life does end, sometimes terribly quickly.
I believe eating that meat was, for me, one way to honour those horses. I admit however that I will no longer buy that meat, because I don’t see how it would help protect them. However, I want the option of consuming Magic be mine if there was a terrible accident. I’m not sure I’ll ever pick that option, but I want to have this option.
I DO believe it should be something of exception. Limited to the owner and is direct family, of a long owned horse who died naturally (not slaughtered healthy and well, and if the vet treated the horse, it’s usually un-consumable after, taking that option away), limiting what can be done with the meat since he could not sell it. I think like game hunting (I’m not a hunter, not even a fisher) where you cannot sell the meat.
Magic helps me see all that’s wrong on this planet. Eating meat is one, volume farming is wrong, anything “for profit” is wrong. I’m a technology fan, but I’m worried about the environmental impact I have on my planet. I’m trying to change that, and I know the road is long and hard.
I want Magic to be happy, I want her to know I care about this planet, my planet. I want horses to be free, healthy, even if it means disappearance of humans.
I watched Cloud: The wild stallion returns in 2003 to be a better horse to Magic. I went to a “natural horsemanship” clinic to be even better at it. In return, she teaches me how to be a better human. She has changed me. I do my best to spread this change around me, one little thing at a time. The transition will be long, way too long.
I hope we will do it before it’s too late, before Earth decides to move on…
Martin
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okay. i understand that you want to honour those you love, horses are considered part of your family, & you are all about recycling. so, in that line of thought, what–or who–is next on the menu, fluffy? fifi? grandmaman??
i think there has to be another way of “honouring” life, . eating them just doesn’t seem like the answer….
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Not trying to be “mean” here, but cant help but wonder,…does this “horse-lover” eat cats and dogs “sometimes” too?
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RT, At the Cloud blog we have held together, allowed our rants and been supportive and I think, a very strong force together. The fact that people are angry and frustrated needs to be addressed, but it stopped our progression at the Cloud blog. I hope that we will regroup because together we have been effective. We can ask a question and get an answer and the egos have died back. Knowing someone is discouraged and needs to have encouragement is met. I am so proud of our stance together. I cannot find the same thing anywhere else, yet you have an influence. What you wrote may have made some of our good bloggers think they need to step back and they were not who you were referring to.
We have recently been treated to the ugliness of hate comments at article sites. That is really scary and even overwhelming for some who have been pouring their hearts and spirits into this ‘fight’ for what else is it than a struggle against a larger, institutionalized force? The hate out there has been kept at bay, but now we are exposed to it. Now we have to readjust and find a stronger personal stance so we are not sucked into that influence.
Laura Leigh has a difficult path and she must need and want encouragement and the passion of others to help her. We all feel that we have not done enough. We share that. Even when we have evolved from timid questions to strong researchers who have found evidence and information inside the texts, laws, and reports no one else has noticed before.
Do we need to step back or slow down? Is there time? The urgency should not be tampered with. The momentum is more fragile than I realized. To be as careful as possible as we navigate our own words and feelings may be in need of constant revision. We must tend our hearts and spirits so we are not damaged by the scope of challenge before us. But we need to be encouraged to keep on even if we are wounded. This hurts. It is very painful. Those moments we have not checked our temperature are moments we are learning from daily.
It is my hope that the silence at the Cloud blog will end and we will continue as a forceful group and not chastise ourselves but encourage each other further. We have come a long way together. We can go further.
We have hoped to have leadership and found we must lead ourselves. If we yearn for a center, the horses and burros are that center. But we must not stop for long or we lose our place. Mar
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Mar;
Stepping back is not what we need to do, instead we should continue to rock and roll with the momentum that we now possess. If I did not make that clear in my writing, then I owe you an apology AND if what I wrote caused several people to slow down and step back, then that was not my intent.
The message that I was attempting to transmit was that we are at a crossroads and will have to decide which trail we take to our ultimate destination. I am confident that all of us will not choose the exact same trail, and that is ok as long as we can meet at the end. I was offering a word of caution about traveling down the trail of hate and anger as it is a trail that is not only dangerous but it’s direction and final destination cannot be predicted.
I, personally, have elected to take several trails at the same time, you have to stretch here. One is the path that I discussed in the article, the public path of cordial debate and information sharing. The other is a trail that is new; it will be cut at night so that no one knows who travels it and what direction it takes and, for obvious reasons, it will not be discussed here.
So don’t slack up on the enthusiasm or brainstorming as we need all that you can supply. But you need to remember that we are clever, intelligent, focused, informed, articulate, honest and driven by a just and moral cause. Those who oppose us cannot lay claim to any, not even one, of those attributes. And when all of the cards are laid down on the table in the light of day, the darkness always succumbs…and die it will, that much I assure you.
R.T.
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EVERYONE – see new YouTube “Our Wild Horses II” – Foals, by pnickoles. SEE IT!
This why we need to convert, add people to our campaign, work together with, well if it has to be BLM/DOI so be it, or some other group, whoever we have to!
Yes on ROAM!
WE can do this!
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RT, I hope I can get in touch with you as we start a project for attending roundups. Not secret but one of those things that will be done off the blog. I do understand the public face and hope that people do not mistake it when they hear it as some have when Secretary Salazar spoketh. It is ever so easy to misunderstand when someone is not clear. Glad you believe as I do. mar
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I admire anyone who proceeds on in an attempt to talk calmly and coherently with the ones trying so hard to destroy the west and its wildlife.Not just horses but all.I tried for years to follow that path and in that time thousands have died.Now the goal was almost reached and ionstead we are stalled once again and the horses are quietly disappearing from the range and holding pens. I can walk into a round pen with a wild eyed horse and feel no fear and walk out with a friend.I can no longer walk the path of quiet peace.R.T. and those who can you are much stronger than I, 40 years in this fight and I’m way past the ability to be nice. It is good you are all there to balance out a furious old woman. Thank You!
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Elliroo, i am also one furious old lady. it has been most of my 60 years. There is a scene from history brought to life from the Thomas Berger book, “Little Big Man” In the film you hear Gary Owen being played by a marching band as Custer and his men descend upon the village camped along the Washita. They shoot not only the women and children, but the Native ponies. Hundreds. This is to break the People. This is their way. It is out of place now. There are so many alternatives and they have listened to none. For years. I still think it is time they backed down and let the people do a better job. It would save them time and money, us too, as they are spending ours. RJ mentioned the man in Oklahoma watching the herd and Stallion Nine,,,, he still knows his path with his mares.
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I am with you Marilyn; Too Mad Too Angry and Too Through with The Polite War and Asking Nicely: http://www.freewebs.com/saveourwildhorses
NOW is the time for DEMAND
-Power was never ceeded without demand,…it never was, and never will be- F. Douglas
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At least there are two old ladies out there mad as he!! . When I read that the U.S. army slaughtered 40,000 Crow ponies I’m sick. This is just one of several vindictive mass slaughters done only to break a Peoples will.I don’t think the BLM plans are any different now!
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Hey! Don’t forget me in the Furious Old Lady Club!
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Suzanne, Never. Please get me email at the cloud blog and contact me. Mar
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Ellieroo and Suzanne and Marilyn,
I’m in the Furious Old Lady Club too. And I think perhaps either intentionally or accidentally, you have stumbled into a great idea.
The “Red Hat” ladies get on Oprah just for wearing red hats and a red outfit and going shopping.
Lets buy White Cowboy hats! Serioulsy, for long term impact -this has PUNCH to it.
Add the words “wild horses” somewhere in the name.
Purpose “To promote awareness of the plight of the American Wild Horse”. Period, something as simple as that! Have handouts with links to necessary sites. Otherwise stay “bi-partisan” about who has the best idea – let people decide for themselves.
Maybe TCF would help start this up. I can’t go to roundups, but I can sit in Fair booths, sit at a shaded booth at a rodeo (yikes – well have to go where the converts might be!), I can’t be out in the sun – but the rest of you – think about riding in a, donated for the day, white convertable Ford Mustang in Parades – or just walk around shopping malls and talk to people, have handouts. The imagination is endless on what could be done with this.
Or – I’m off my rocking horse!
Marilyn has, I think all our e-mail addresses. Ladies “lets talk”.
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Hey, Hey, Hey…ladies, there are still a few old stallions grazing around with this herd. This is not totally about mares, you know…Ha!
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No, I only have a couple email addresses. There is a wildlife and environmental group of women who use a name like that.. Grand Old Broads for Wildlife? They are here in Colorado, Durango. Ornery Old Women/Ladies For Mustang Freedom? Mar
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RT, You be the Guru, here. I need recharging. It is good to have more voices. I hope that Monika will join those in the field again, her wit is sharp. mar
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Mustang Mommas? Mommas for Mustangs? Or,…The Wild Horse Annie Gang? (This would include men also)
How about baseball like caps with bullhorns on the side,…with a “No BS” logo in front saying “Cut the Bull about Our Wild Horses” We could wear the hats and pass out brochures at all equine events…..
I got the idea about the “Bull-horn baseball” caps because when I was living in Bullhead City Arizona, they had such hats that said, “Bullhead is Better then No Head.” Ha Ha Ha
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how ’bout BABES who LOVE MUSTANGS?!? get it? BLM???? hahahaha. my one little funnyism in all of this.
personally, i like Wild Horse Annie Gang…the initials would be WHAG. i like a group name whose initials spell something catchy. i’m all about the “catchy.”
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“Cut the Bull” – excellent
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Battling Ladies for Mustangs=BLM
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Furious Old Ladies for Mustang Freedom?
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While it is a spiritual solace to go in the barn and spend time with my horse, it doesn’t change my outlook on the situation the wild horses are in, and it doesn’t stop my anger at the atrocities hurled at them, and it doesn’t heal my aching heart for the mustangs and their horrible fate.
It energizes me to continue the battle. People are generally good. Yet I do not trust the enemy, and I will not engage with them. Nothing hurts more than being betrayed. Our horses have been betrayed. I believe in reaching changes with confidence and leadership exposed… but all with caution. Building relationships with passiv-aggressive “opponents” will only end up with them smiling hypocritically and pretending to be your best friend.. while sneaking behind your back and backstabbing you. After all, isn’t that what they have been doing to our mustangs all along ? Confucius said: “It is shameful to befriend someone while concealing a grudge”. These chameleon-type people are scary, for they change depending on what they think you need to hear. They will use our confidence against us at times when we least expect it. They are plotters. Building relationships with people who have salt in their eyes and sugar on their lips is not an option in my book. They may appear supportive…or receptive to our ideas… only to turn out yet AGAIN like remorseless vipers. People are generally good. Yet there are those who will never change. Why should the enemy change now ? A parable that reflects this was popularized in the movie “The Crying Game”. A scorpion wanted to get to the other side of the river. The only way was to hitch a ride on the back of the turtle. The turtle said: “I can’t let you ride on my back, you could sting me and then I would drown”. “Now why would I sting you?” the scorpion said. If you drowned, so would I. Why would I do something that stupid ?” The turtle thought this made sense and let the scorpion climb on his back. In the middle of the river, the scorpion stung the turtle. As the turtle drowned, he asked,”Why did you sting me? Now you have destroyed us both.” The scorpion lifted his claws and replied:”That’s my nature”.
The BLM is a BS liar agency. If a man lies to you, he will definetely steal from you. They embellish the positive and leave out the negative. For the past three decades, this agency has not achieved any greater awareness but their own self-serving agenda. The only way to stay our course is to stay angry, but turn this energy into a fuel of determination, a source of conviction that we must never stop – yes, show leadership, confidence and all. And as it is futile to hate certain people.. or harbor certain prejudices against them… beware.. some bullshitting liars stretch the truth primarily to impress others. Letting them save face is not the solution. It’s not an option. The enemy is NOT trustworthy, no matter how dignified we act. Our enemy has lied so much, it ends up believing it’s own lie. The BLM is the ultimate manipulator. They are selling themselves, but misrepresenting the goods.
Bridging gaps and ending up with common goals and solutions and to abolish “walls” between groups would be a great achievement. Yet, when so many countless lives of innocents have been compromised, and continue to be compromised, the only route to reach changes is to pursue this mission that gives us meaning. Not with anger as an expression, but with the same perseverance and fueled by it – so we can find hope and comfort in knowing that it is our commitment to speak for our wild horses – and be on our guards whom we trust.. in these critical times when the enemy just wants us to give them the little finger so they can eat us all together. People are to be valued, cherished and treated with respect and dignity. Be true to yourself and chose wisely – the enemy is alive and well. We all have anger, and we must find a way to use it in a creative way. Go in the barn, get some time out with your equine friend but don’t forget why the wild ones are in that position in the first place and keep up the fight. Opponents like to steal the teeth out of our mouth and then come back for the gums. They will consider your “trying to build a relationship” as a sign of resignation only to pull the rug out from your feet once more. The horses have suffered enough. Am I angry ? Yes. Unfortunately the BLM and the likes do not fall into the category of “horse’s perspective”. Reaching our goal with the path of least resistance is a challenge which we must endure with a never-fading persuasion that we cannot ever trust the enemy – a horse never forgets, neither should we.
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I love ya, Monika.
For those of you who have not been fortunate enough, yet, to have met Monika in person she is one ball of fire and will go head to head with anyone from the BLM in a heartbeat. I about gagged to death, while taking a drink of water, when Monika walked up to our observation group, which was being watched over by a BLM security guy called “Chuck”, and stood right up the guard and said, “Well Chuck, what’s your story? What’s your deal? What do you think about all of this?” Really took him off guard and she did not let up, I had been ignoring him as I don’t converse with the enemy, but Monika was cutting him no slack.
I really don’t do the event justice but I will never forget those words, “Well Chuck, what’s your story?”. Monika is priceless and sincere to the bone.
All of us have our own style, and Monika’s is unique and invaluable.
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Laura, i will be listening to you, Craig and Ginger on the radio this week. It should be posted here… I have gone back to Our Sheldon Horses again and again, as this is one of the best documented of the brutal roundups and worth much time to absorb. Thanks for your passion and well place anger, and continued good luck and well being, mar
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Monika, Come by the Cloud Foundation Blog. Mar
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Monika, you up for more roundups? mar
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Thank you very much R.T. – all of you I’ve met, specially you and your wife, will hold a special place in my heart forever. Your book and close connection to horses – all animals, the way you are in tune with them.. reflects the way I feel. It is my inspiration. I do hope to see you again. And as for Chuck… I thought he was some tourist, all decked out with his toys around his neck and sun hat…
waiting for the almighty BLM to open the “tape” so he could access the corrals. Didn’t he just look like a clowny tourist ? Well he was the enemy, which sparked me up even more – from a candle to a fireworks. I had no idea that these clowns put a “security” under the shade tent… but after all, I do have an accent and might be taken as a dangerous foreigner… not the first time…
Chuck, Jimmy (Sparks) boy… who tried to convince me there is enough milk for the foal trying to drink from his mother in the corral,after I asked him if the stress didn’t affect the milk supply… I guess when THEY decide there is enough milk, there is. When there is REALLY enough milk like up on the range, they decide there ISNT’T. It’s almost comical how they change their wits. But that’s their nature. Just like the scorpion. Sting whenever they want.
Keep up the fight. Thank you R.T. – for all you do and your never-ending wisdom and a heart to huge to hug.
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