“Feel Good Sunday” with R.T. Fitch ~ president of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
“Human History is Forever Changed by Our Relationship with Horses”
Moose and his faithful companion, R.T. ~ photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
“Feel Good Sunday” finds us in a place where we all sincerely need to inhale deeply, look into each others eyes and repeat the mantra, “Until they are Safe”.
We are going through some difficult times but there appears to be a glow of bright light at the end of the tunnel; to get there we need to continue to keep pumping fuel into that charging locomotive and see this thing through…BUT, it is okay to take a few moments out and recognize each other for the special individuals that you all are.
Today we are going to be light and share with you a video that an avid advocate sent our way. The reason it is of note is that the equine star, in this clip, is obviously enjoying the interaction with the humans and taking cues from their movements. This guy seems to really, really enjoy what he is doing and it is obvious that the rider is, also, loving the interaction.
We share this in hopes that we can have a group effort whereby all of you take a moment out and share with the rest of us your favorite equine video. Let’s make today one gigantic sharing fest where we can put forth, without fear of retribution, what floats our boat and lightens up our lives.
Please enjoy, below, and be sure to insert you favorite equine moments in the comment section; I am looking forward to seeing what all of you can pull out of your valued, individual archives and gaining a bit of a glimpse into what fuels your drive and motivation on behalf of our equine companions.
Keep the faith my friends!
R.T.
Related Articles
- 2013 Annual American Equine Summit Unites Against Horse Slaughter (rtfitchauthor.com)
- US summit on ending horse slaughter this month (horsetalk.co.nz)
- A Texas Parade of Equine Memories (rtfitchauthor.com)
Categories: The Force of the Horse
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
That put a big smile on my face this morning. Two other things that tickle me, going into the pasture with a halter and rope, holding it up and letting my horse come to me and put his head in it, and, taking my clippers out to the pasture and having my horse stand still and let me clip his bridle path and chin, no halter, no rope. I know, I’m not normal.
LikeLike
To the contrary…you are very normal as you are one of us, those who love their companions and those who are loved back.
LikeLike
This rider is using spurs to get the horse to perform. She is not the type of trainer I would want for my horses. Your viewers need to know this trainer used cruelty to teach an animal that loves to please to perform through pain.
LikeLike
thanks for the cute video. I already know the beauty of the horse. need to get out to the world to stop the slaughter of these beautiful creatures! thanks for all you do for them.
LikeLike
I love how my lil man always wants to come to me in his pasture when I go to catch him while the rest of the herd tries their darndest to keep him away from me. They go on either side of him but he always manages to get out of their clasp and find his way to me. I love that he loves me as much as I love him ❤
LikeLike
OMG!@!@…
I LOVE THIS R.T………….Thank you, a very nice heart warming video….
I really laughed hard…………
LikeLike
This made my day today. Talk about intelligence. I have heard that horses do enjoy music?
I don’t have a horse, although there are many people who do have horses where I live. But here’s a PBS video about wild horses, the Cloud series. I don’t think Tim Sappington would have the, ahem, nerve try to bully one of these guys.
LikeLike
Thanks idalupine for sharing….I have thoroughly enjoyed following Ginger’s work filming”Cloud” and the Pryor horses….My Passion is huge for “Cloud” and his life…………….
LikeLike
You’re welcome – isn’t it wonderful.
LikeLike
How cool was that!!! Some people have a hard time picking up the steps…Some people do not see the horse as such a magical and smart creature as. When I pull up in front of my barn my horse will run into his stall and look for me to come thru the door. He is in a small barn with windows that allow him to see everything that is going on. I often wondered if he knows the color of my car or the sound of my car. I did an experiment and had someone else drive me to the barn. He didn’t respond until he heard my voice. Amazing…my horse too will allow you to clip him without a halter like others.I never tried it in the pasture. Our horses are amazing creatures…
LikeLike
Gail, I know he knows the sound of your car from pretty far off. When I work at the rescue I could be interacting with the horses, giving them treats etc but when Audrey (the owner) is still a distance up the road all horses stop and turn towards the road. We tease her and call her the ice cream truck as she is the one who fills their buckets with their best treats, She even has 2 cars and they know each of them. There’s no fooling a horse, well at least not twice!
LikeLike
Alright…to get ya’ all started:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=241r2damd-s
LikeLike
one of those clips reminds me of when I was taking lesson and on the dismount my arm slipped and I dang near went right over Cooper and onto the ground. I struggled and caught my balance 1) because it would have been too embarrassing to get thru the whole lesson & then land on my head 2) at the stable if you fall off your horse (or ahem dismount not of your own accord) you have to bake a chocolate cake and it was too hot to bake.
LikeLike
What a RIOT RT! You really out-did yourself THIS Sunday…one of the best Feel Good Sundays I’ve seen! Although I have to admit, they’re all very encouraging and heart warming and I look forward to them each Sunday. (-: While knowing the anguish we all feel for our beautiful horses, your kind words and thoughts are always so refreshing and comforting and I thank you for that. BTW, I just have to tell you….your horse Moose is absolutley gorgeous! (-:
LikeLike
The famous Stallion of the Rockies “Cloud” has a new great-grandson. His name is “Cloud’s National Legacy” aka “Nation” for short. He and his mom Kelly now reside at Legacy Mustang Preservation in Louisa, Va.
LikeLike
What a cute video….they should have named him lighting! (-: His mom was so protective while trying to keep up…adorable video!
LikeLike
I adore this video. Yes, he is fast as lightning !! Are you sure he doesn’t have Thoroughbred in him ?? His poor Momma can’t keep up with him 🙂 LOL
LikeLike
http://youtu.be/BD63jirHcMw
LikeLike
Beautful. The beginning is such a terrible shock, in the book even more so.
LikeLike
I couldn’t exist with out horses in my life….they are true healers of our daily stress and problems…the connection is beyond any ability to express it………..Those who understand this are on a higer level of consciousness…
LikeLike
My all time favorite video:
In the video you will see the big bay Twin Peaks Stallion “ACE” and his palomino mare “Barbie” and son “CC” (short for carbon copy – he looks just like his dad!). This video was taken when they lived wild as nature intended. You can see the family bond among these horses and you can see the incredible strength and yet gentleness ACE has with his mares and foals. All was fine with the Twin Peaks WH&B world when this video was taken.
They were all captured by BLM in 2010 … but the good news is that ACE and Barbie and “CC” are all alive and well and live at DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in northern California.
More of ACE’s story:
https://rtfitchauthor.com/2011/05/01/captured-blm-wild-horse-gets-new-home/
LikeLike
Thank you Grandma Gregg, loved this story as I followed it through to the wonderful ending…
LikeLike
Robyn-
As with all of our wild horses and burros, ACE is YOUR horse and my horse and has always has been and always will be … but he belongs only to himself …
LikeLike
Dear Grandma Gregg, The Innocent wonderful beauty found with these Magnificent Beings is surely the most heartwarming !!!!! Ace is truly a beautiful wonder !!!!!!! Thank You for sharing !!!!Love and understanding come to us through many Plains but none more so real then how the Mustangs present it !!!!!! I was captured by their Presence 22 yrs ago on the Nevada Desert !!!!!! I have return there hundreds of times until 8 yrs ago !!!!!! What I found there with them is something that I have treasured throughout the years and I will always remember the grace, trust and beauty !!!! No one can ever take that from me or them !!!!!! I will fight for them on any level !!!!!! any time, any place …………… any where !!!!!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing Ace’s story, along with your very moving experience with him and his trip to his new home. The joy you and others felt must have been over-whelming and I can surely see why! What a gorgeous and magnificent animal with whom you and others provided a new life. Who knows, with the continuing will of the people and the compassion to right the wrong, maybe we can bring about the change that’s needed for their return to freedom. One can only hope that justice will prevail for them and the American people. Your story surely was a feel good Sunday addition to RT’s! (-: Thank you.
LikeLike
Had no idea that Ace was saved (literally) by you & your daughter, grandmagregg. I realize he is only one of many out there, but in my mind that’s a great accomplishment. Just think, if ALL of us were able to do something like that. As always, more people need to be made aware of whats happening to these horses & burros. Thanks, RT & grandmagregg for all that you do.
LikeLike
Thank you very much for the kind words but let it be known that I would give my eye-teeth to have ACE and his family back on their Twin Peaks land and running free as mother nature and the 1971 Congressional law intended. Since he is your horse … I know you agree.
LikeLike
Grandma Gregg that is so Wonderful to have saved “Ace”….what a feel good for you and everyone who was involved…..I am thrilled knowing he’s alive and well too……..I think
most of us wish the same for them all to be FREE on their lands…….
LikeLike
Thank you for the line dancing horse. It made me feel really good to see someone just enjoying their relationship with their horse buddy. I am so tired of the whole horse slaughter agenda. You put a little perk up in my attitude; and I really appreciate it. I’m gonna pass it on.
LikeLike
This a link to one of my favorite horse movies ~ In Pursuit of Honor ~ it is about the injustice to the horse when the government and man seem to think the horse has no more value ~ and what just a few honorable men did to save them from destruction. (sorry the link will not high light for me so you will have to high light yourself-it is on youtube and is the full movie)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVGO8hUyz8E
And like many folks here I do not own a horse – but my favorite equine experience happened when I was just a little kid – the horses name was Sandy and every week we would go to the Red Owl and there he would be waiting patiently for me with his big brown eyes and big smile – I would jump out of my dad’s truck with my penny in my little fat hand and run to him and throw my arms around his neck, just as my dad would lift me in the saddle – I would grab the saddle horn and reins, just as my mom put in the penny ~ and as Sandy started to gallop I would close my eyes and be transported to the Bad Lands where I would be chasing Indians and Wild horses. AHHHH —– what little girls dreams are made of.
LikeLike
How do you put into words what you know to the core of your soul about the horse and horses who’ve saved you? In which way can you describe with accuracy what being in the presence of a moment is? How is it expressed to others just how deep a bond a horse and his human make? And how do you explain how much is said without ever speaking a single word? All the good parts of me came about because those huge, wise eyes loved me for who I am and we keep no secrets. Thank you for all the videos and uplifting stories and comments. R.T. you’re right…..we needed a happy breather from all the slaughter business…..if only for a while! Happy Sunday everyone…….walk on :))
LikeLike
For those of you who do not have a horse, but wish to have one….
There’s no wasting time! Get out there and get one. Rescues are overwhelmed and looking for good homes, homes to love the horses. Last I remembered, this is the only Life one gets, so if you have a dream, make it happen. No one will make it happen for you but you! Buy that land, rescue those horses, live your dream.
I’ve never been happier than on my own acreage with my own horses, all rescued in various ways. All pasture pets; no, I do NOT think its a waste to have them and not ride!!!
LikeLike
Your so right Sue and well said……….I am living my dream with them and found happiness like nothing else…..I have a crew here with other critters….in the future my goal is to adopt
a Wild Mustang…I look at Ginger Kathren’s Wild Mustang she rides..Wow..What a Magnificent
Mustang…..I want one…………
Everyone must make life happen for themselves…………..
LikeLike
Cute. Thank you and shared..
LikeLike
Awesome dancing horse! I also love donkeys. When I was a kid, my neighbor had a donkey named Henry. Whenever they wanted to ride him, they called me over and said, “Where your pink sweater.”
Because he would follow me anywhere when I wore that pink sweater. Otherwise, he was good at bucking the rider off… Good, Ole Henry.
LikeLike
Yes, having your very own horse is just something else!!! BUT – big but, as much as I know how great it is – one of our problems right now is people who got a horse, not realizing what is entailed in KEEPING one. The farrier, the vet, the board (if you don’t have your own place) – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Chico was with me for 16 years – I boarded him all of that time – and believe me, it was the best time ever. BUT the thought would cross my mind every now & then – what if I cant afford to keep him? I made up my mind that if that happened, I would have him put down & buried at the farm where he lived. I was fortunate that he was with me till he was 28 & it was time. So he is buried at the farm with his pear tree over his grave. (he LOVED pears) I would love to have a horse again or a burro at this point, but financially its out of the question, so these emails & articles have to do.
LikeLike
A number of years ago, I worked at a board/training facility as a groom, and working with young Arabians on groundwork. I had many favorites, but one I developed a bond with was Ellie (Falconn’s Elegance). She was sweet, trusting and SO smart.
One day, the boss told me we were going to put a saddle on Ellie as a next step (bear in mind – Ells was coming up on 3, and saddles are just plain scary…)
I decided to ‘dress’ her in the indoor arena, so she could take off if it was too scary, and the saddle was very lightweight; we just wanted her to get the ‘feel’ of it.
Step by step, I did the pad, then the saddle, then inched the cinch. Seemed like we were making good progress…I stepped away, and she followed me. But the cinch was an inch too loose, and it rolled under her.
Panic ensued, both for me and for her; she ran off like her tail was on fire, bucking for dear life, while – stupid me – I ran after her, hollering “HO!”
It came to me that “Ho” was not her name, so I stopped and hollered, “Ellie!” She stopped bucking and galloped straight to me, skidding to a dusty halt about a foot from me. She was dancing and snorting, plainly anxious but she trusted me so deeply, she was certain I could save her from this parasite on her tummy.
I took the saddle off, gave her and I a few minutes to catch our breath, then we tried again. This time, I let it roll under her on purpose, staying calm and talking her though it. We walked a bit til she relaxed, then I put it back on properly, cinching it up without incident.
She proved to be an incredibly easy girl to train, interested in every new step and she became a magnificent adult (I knew her for a number of years; what a great lady.) But I came away from that single incident with a full heart and complete wonder – that an animal like Ellie accepted and considered me both protector and friend.
That feeling? There is nothing on Earth quite like it. I deeply love my dogs and cats and there is nothing petty about our relationships. But there is something indescribably precious in knowing you are a valued member of a herd.
LikeLike
To think of that kind of trust being betrayed just about kills me. 😦
LikeLike
Beautiful story Lisa, to be accepted is amazing a wonderful feeling !!!!!!! One none of us take lightly but into our hearts and souls thats where they are !!!!! isnt that why we are all here…………………………
LikeLike
I wish I could do that well at line dancing. You know, I’ve never been lucky enough to have my own horse. But one of the most exciting horse adventures of my life was horse back riding on the beach and up into the mountains in Maui. And then there was the day in Wyoming with Ginger Kathrens and Linda Hanick. From dawn till dusk driving around looking for horses. Ginger just wrote about it. What a glorious experience.
We fight hard, we laugh, we cry, we want to hit someone but when all is said and done, it is so worth it.
Love to all – keep up the good fight. We WILL Win this thing.
LikeLike
Fav vid is the one of Mariska, the Houdini horse opening all the stall doors ( good for her as horses shouldn’t be kept in cages). The video is a hoot as she amazingly opens every door type on their place. It would be great to beam her into some of those holding pens to break out all the horses. I can just see it now with all the walkers running around trying to find their escaped meal ticket and yelling to the press about all the abandoned horses that Miss M let out.
My two rescued TBs are such a gift…my loves …my heart…..always
LikeLike
When I was a kid, my father gifted my brothers and I summers of life on a ranch of friend of his. It gave us a chance to sleep out doors and watch stars we could only imagine were there from our house back in San Francisco. We learned to work on projects, building, watching plants grow, creeks dry up in summer. There was a string of horses that were broke and trustworthy. One, Red, was our favorite. Big and RED and not above taking a load of kids into the pond after a dusty bareback ride into the back 40. One day, a new horse fell with a rider coming down a hill into the arena. The child was stunned and lay still. The wrangler told me to take Red and go out on the ranch and find the owner. I had no idea how we were going to do that, the ranch was thousands of acres big. Red stood there as I tried to get my pre-teen leg up to his stirrup. Red was 16 hands. But just as I jumped and caught a toe, got my foot into the stirrup and a hand on the horn, he started prancing in place, tossing his head and looking at me with his eye encouraging me to get ON! I swung my leg over and a feeling came over me that I had never felt before. It was a feeling that Red had hugged me and he was off. Trotting like a cloud to the arena gate, safely passing the small crowd of people around the fallen child and as we got to the edge of the trail out, I gathered up the reins and said, “We’ve got to find Loren, Red!” as if he needed the encouragement! Off we went, flat out galloping. the sound of his hooves on the dry packed trail will always be with me. I bent down to avoid the beating of his head and neck, his mane flashing past my face. We came to a “fork”, three trails branched out. I sat up and Red stopped. Red stood there, his ears flicking and I sat as quietly. In the blink of an eye, he knew where to go and with a gathering, he lept into a flat out gallop again. I know I used my reins to turn him into the trail we went up, but to this day, I think it was just a reaction to his decision. The trail turned and dipped, Red composed himself and changed leads as we went, feeling me shift as we came into the turns. We came around a turn and there was the “work” crew and Loren all standing because they had heard us coming. Loren virtually jumped from the ground onto Red when I vaulted off and took off back down the hill to the ranch. The child was okay, just shaken up. I believe to this day, Red was completely aware of the emergency and what he had to do. And I know for sure that he cared.
I had a few more summers with Red before he passed. I still have a strand of his tail, pulled on a nail in the fence. Bright red with a few black strands, still vibrant.
LikeLike
Lovely story Janet! May there still be young girls out there having such fine experiences to grow on.
LikeLike
I will always love this. Be sure to find the You tube write up where PAm finishes the story and tells us the foal was returned to the mother by this stallion.
“The Stallion and the Foal” for those who have not yet seen this.
LikeLike
R.T. thank you for all these interesting horse videos. I really love the line dancing horse.
LikeLike
Thank you so much for “FEEL GOOD SUNDAY”… It helps us to recover from all the horrible stuff… And makes us feel more focused and determined to fight for the innocent ones. And….. As Jimmy Buffett says….. “Come Monday”……We are always on to the next chapter at hand… UGH! Many thanks to you, RT & Terry, & everyone else involved with the welfare of our beloved, innocent ones!!! ” BELIEVE & IT WILL BE” Together, we do make a difference!
LikeLike
And let us NOT forget our “braying buddies”:
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing my family with everyone, Grandma Gregg. These lovely, rare, and nearly extinct wild burros are living at our ranch under protection of our rescue. TMR Rescue, Inc, home of Wild Burro Protection League. Our hope is to protect these rare genetics until they can run free again. We have Chocolate Mule Mountain burros, and Cibola/Trigo burros. We have Twin Peaks jennies from 2010 roundup, all here waiting…..
LikeLike
Your family is lovely. i never forget their Plight either I include them with the Mustangs , they are as precious as the air we breathe………. We must find and give them all the Freedom that belongs to them !!!!!! This is not a wish but a promise !!!!!!!!
LikeLike
They are all beautiful souls – how anyone can not feel that – I don’t understand.
You do a wonderful thing & I’m grateful as are many other people who care about them.
LikeLike