by R.T. Fitch ~ volunteer Executive Director of the HfH Advisory Council
Battle to Save Colorado Wild Horse Herd goes to Court Today
As in times a century and a half ago the people defending their land, their families, their way of life planned for months; knew they were outnumbered yet also knew that they were right. The land that they defended belonged to all people along with the wild animals on it, but a huge and out of control government claimed it for its own and nothing could stand in its way as it swept to the west consuming all and killing many as it’s illogical and inhumane policies destroyed not only the land but the animals and people who lived in harmony upon it. Our Native Americans never properly recovered and now the very same government that destroyed a nation of people is ensuring that even the last vestige of their wild American horse shall be no more.
In our camp we have met many a time around a warm yet smoky campfire where sage council was requested, options were weighed and plans were laid. Last night was our final meeting, we had tested the enemy’s strength, he had made a miscalculated response, we were buoyed by the fact that we knew we were doing the right thing yet the enemy has many, many soldiers and most of those soldiers do not fight by the rules of the common people. It would be a bloody battle.
The war paint is on the horses, our leaders are in place at the lead, the signal to move out has been given and we leave our people and animals in a cloud of dust as it is going to be a long ride to a distant land; far off in the east at a place called New York City. We are taking the fight to them with an element of surprise while tens of thousands languish in concentration camps back in the west. We take the fight to them with the spirits of the dead and imprisoned propelling us.
We do it for the horses, for what is right, for what is just and for what resides in the soul of all good people.
We fight for freedom.
Today Habitat for Horses, the ASPCA, The Cloud Foundation, Dr. Don and Toni Moore take the fight brought forward by the HfH Advisory Council to save the wild horses from the Bureau of Land Management to the courts of New York City. Plaintiffs lead counsel Bruce Wagman will argue the case for the wild horses against the federal attorneys while the nation holds its breath and the imprisoned horses await the outcome.
The only sound is a distant whinny.
It’s all about the horses.
Related Articles
- Salazar and BLM Sued for Contempt of Court in West Douglas Wild Horse Case (prweb.com)
- Groups sue to stop Colo. wild horse roundup (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Wild Horse Advocacy Groups File Lawsuit To Stop Colorado Horse Roundup (huffingtonpost.com)
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
I am with you in spirit.
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You couldn’t have said this any better JT.
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“The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.”
Proverbs 21:31
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God bless you in your journey. Call upon the ancestors of the Mustangs who will lead you to victory over what is just and right. Realise you stand in truth and justice. Do not under estimate anyone. Survey your surroundings for weak points or gaps in the chain. Close the gaps and move forward in truth. May we all be with you in spirit.
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True prayers for you all on your journey and in NYC! I moved from NYC in June. If I were there, if allowed, I would be there in court as another presence for our Wild Ones <3. I remain in awe at the good work and tenacity of the "grassroots" movement for our wild horses and burros. We will not stop. Ever!! xo
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Prayers for you all, man and mustang.
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Our prayers and blessings march into court with you and the mustangs.
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oops forgot to hit the follow up button
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For clarity, this old warrior has stayed behind to tend the fire and watch over the family. I add no value, in person, nor am I a witness so our funds are better spent supporting the legal team that is leading the charge.
We will update you as soon as we know something, the hearing begins at 0945 AM Eastern Time……
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Would that I could be with you! May right, fairness, justice, truth and power be with you. My spirit stands beside you.
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kowa bunga, spreading the word for prayer energy……………..
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We are with you in spirit! We know you will all do your best to save the last of our wonderful American Wild Horses and Burros! Good Luck and may GOD Bless!
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As a journalist I generally try to keep my comments balanced and professional, but quite frankly I hope Bruce Wagman tears their asses up.
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I agree, with all my heart, Nell.
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Yep, that’s certainly in order. Sending prayers and energy to our side and to the judge as well. It’s time someone recognized this for what it really is.
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Very well put! I had planned to attend the hearing (which is probably in progress right now, if they’re on time), but I pulled an all-nighter on a writing project, and had to opt out. I won’t miss the ‘big one’ that I hope is coming, trial-wise. Would love to see a major investigation of many of BLM’s activities, followed by an all-out trial with many convictions.
FINGERS CROSSED!!!
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As ALWAY’S my many daily prayers are said. I ask the Lord to bring his rightchenous down upon the people that seem HELL bent to cause irreputable damge to the Wild Horses. I live by the rule, we do what we can and what we cannot if we stand in belief, God will see us through no matter what. I BELIEVE…
I am from New York and I am praying for a Judge that will see through the muck of the BLM’s lies and their abuse to the horses and the complete disregard to the law of OUR LAND and the LAW!!!! . Maybe from here there will be a historical happening for the horses, bringing many who do not know of this Holocaust of Wild Horses and their land and then a new multitude of people wanting to help. I BELIEVE, with the truth on our side and with the perserverance and God’s help and many Horses ADvocates playing by the rules, the Judge will throw the spear into the ground and fight this war with US for the Horses.
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May the wild ones finally prevail. God bless
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Oh I Am So There with the rest of you. Fingers & anything else crossable crossed and PRAYERS that this will be a GOOD Day for all horses and the future.
Give ’em Hell This AM!!
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I pray justice comes to the “valley of the guns”. The spirits of those brave animals that tried to defend themselves against the guns, the helicopters ,the army of BLM descending on the FREE, the innocent, and their defenders-the advocates-Braveheart, Why, the mare who was just killed at tonapah, the mares in colorado defending their young, the many young foals who could not fight and were just casualties, and the many more before them and those that will die in the days to come- many we will never hear of-stand behind you giving their testimony of innocence and bravery..You have the truth and the power of the FREE on your side
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Ned Blackhawk can be very helpful. Madeleine Pickens Mustang Monument is in the heart of his tribal land. His understanding and experience of violence make him needed at the Council.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Blackhawk
Appreciate all your writing , November 16th is the decision for the funding of New Mexico Sanctuary, the meeting agenda has not been posted.
http://board.nmdfa.state.nm.us/content.asp?CustComKey=292318&CategoryKey=294748&pn=Page&DomName=board.nmdfa.state.nm.us
The Technical work has been done for the land purchase closing transaction. Nature Conservatory is partner in this. As for policies and organization , maybe someone has contacts.
Awaiting news from New York beside “Rents to High” .
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Because the coverage has been so one sided, I’m putting up the following comment wherever I find an article about the proposed NM Wild Horse Park:
This purchase is NOT … I repeat NOT, NOT, NOT … exclusively for the Wild Horse Park, even though that’s the ONLY issue making headlines. There will be many other uses and opportunities for NM residents, other Americans, and people from around the world who visit the expanded Cerrillos Park. Those people will bring their tourism dollars with them and, if it’s done right, come back again and recommend the park to others.
And ask any realtor the last time land was available for $233 an acre in this area? I bet the answer will be, “Not in my lifetime.” or something close to it. At that price I know I’d be opening my wallet. The state should jump all over this no matter who’s in charge or where the funding comes from.
I support including the Wild Horse Park for what I consider another good reason. Despite the number of wild horses that may be found in our state, fewer than 50 are federally protected and allowed to live on the TWO very small Herd Management Areas that remain in the state.
There were once 11 additional HMAs covering thousands of acres, but they’ve since been “zeroed out” (all horses removed and none allowed) by the BLM. Any horses found roaming these or any other areas of the state are subject to removal by force for adoption or sale, including sale for slaughter.
New Mexico was settled on horseback and I hope our government officials and citizens remember and respect that. Setting aside a portion of the Cerrillos land is the least New Mexico can do to preserve and protect the descendants of those that have done so much for us.
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Praying to all ancestors of the wild horses and Native Americans to finally enlighten the white man to see that his ways only lead to destruction of his own kind in the end, for as the wild horses go, so goes man. I will be looking for a rainbow today.
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To me those hand prints on the war horse symbolize the bloody handprint of the BLM on the wild horses.
please follow Carol Walkers, real time updates at Adobe, a small family with an old grey stallion just rounded up..he fought the helicopter till he could run no more and walked being bumped by BLM on horse back..head down a fallen warrior..Can we adopt this small family and save the stallion from Gelding at the prison and get them to Return to freedom?? we must act fast, as things are going to get worse for him in a hurry, I have asked carol to try and identify him
http://www.facebook.com/WildHoofbeats?v=wall#!/photo.php?fbid=1653752426019&set=a.1653751625999.2092251.1303318300&pid=31770037&id=1303318300
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Yes, Sandra!! I just posted the same thing on FB. Let’s save this mightly warrior and some of his family. I will post on Return to Freedom page. And we do need to hurry before he disappears into the BLM 10 years and older blackhole.
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I called the canon facility and left a message as there was no live body answering the phone..I gave a description of Grey Beard and told them he was arriving on the transport tonight, that I wished to adopt him and his mare and that I had pictures that could identify them. and that I did NOT want him gelded. I will never OWN him, he is a wild spanish mustang, he belongs to the land and the american people and should always be FREE, he shall never again walk with his head down and be beaten
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got ahold of Jana from canon facility..34 stallions in that load arrived..she said many are gray and battle scarred, have to identify him quick as they are overflowing and will move these studs into a larger group fast. So many of the adobe town studs are gray..have to find him NOW..need clearance from the prison facility to get in..don’t know how long it will take..she is trying to help, can hear the frustration..she is overloaded with the amount of horses arriving so fast..God help our spanish mustangs
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We need to tell the BLM to Leave the Wild Horses alone! They survived hundreds of years living their own lives on their own rangelands. Let the Mustangs run free again!
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The BLM and USFS feel that mustangs don’t need all their space provided to them in 1971. The Mustangs deserve as much protection and respect from the USA government as any other NATIVE animal.
Whinny Whinny!
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It’s all about the horses, and justice. I’m holding onto positive thoughts…. (and crossing my fingers)
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EXCELLENT, SPOT ON. SO PROUD OF YOU TERRY !!!!!
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I did all my calling yesterday, today WE, MUST SIMPLY PRAY THAT THE JUDGE WILL SEE IT FOR THE HORSES. IF SO, WOULD IT NOT BE AS THO A MIRACLE HAS TAKEN PLACE IN NYC.
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When the lands reverberate with the sounds of free hooves again.. Will they be intact wild mustangs or BLM gelded horses forever destroyed because of man’s hands ?? With intact mustangs they are truely free again; if gelded; the BLM still did it’s job. The Mustangs will all die out; over time; as the casterations of the genes carrying the future blood lines will be dead as the body parts throw in the dirt…
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MAY THIS BE A DAY OF GREAT VICTORY AND A TURNING FOR THE WILD HORSES. TO MANY HAVE PASSED OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE DUE TO THE CRUEL GREED OF MEN. MAY HE WHO WALKS WITH THE WHITE BUFFALO BRING VICTORY .
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Don’t get your face on a government coin,
In this country once treasured and free
Cause they’ll take you away and leave you no change
When they promised to just let you be.
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Outstanding Rob!
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We are praying that God will protect his wild ones from the evil that is man.
“Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?
He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray.
He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.
The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance.
In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’
He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.”
Job 39 vs.19-25
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The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, one is obeying the literal interpretation of the words (the “letter”) of the law, but not the intent of those who wrote the law. Conversely, when one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one is doing what the authors of the law intended, though not adhering to the literal wording.
“Law” originally referred to legislative statute, but in the idiom may refer to any kind of rule. Intentionally following the letter of the law but not the spirit may be accomplished through exploiting technicalities, loopholes, and ambiguous language. Following the letter of the law but not the spirit is also a tactic used by oppressive governments.
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