Article by Pete Ramey ~ Forward by R.T. Fitch
“‘Feel Good Sunday’ brings us to a link that was submitted by our dear friend and contributor, Grandma Gregg. This is an older story, 2005, but it’s message resonates in our hearts and souls perhaps even stronger today than it did when it was written in and in keeping with the ‘feel good’ of the day I will not beleaguer why that is so. As I travel I did not have the time to make contact with Pete Ramey so as to obtain his permission to publish this story in it’s entirety so it is introduced, here, with links to his site to finish the rest of this very interesting tale. But when it all comes down to it we are kindred spirits as like Pete, I share the emotion and enlightenment that is captured in the highlighted sentence below. Keep the faith.” ~ R.T.
“…after two minutes with the wild ones, I knew that I had never seen a true horse”
After all these years, my family and I made our first trip to see the wild horses of the western United States. My work has been dramatically influenced and inspired by the study of these horses and their hooves. The reason I waited so long to go there and see for myself, was I thought that by studying the works of others I had picked up most of the information I needed.
I was first, and most influenced by the work of Jaime Jackson. He paved the way for an overwhelming number of us to learn how to forge healthy bare hooves and dramatically improve the health and performance of domestic horses. With this came the ability to unlock the mysteries of founder, navicular syndrome, white line disease, and hoof wall cracks. I later studied the wild horse research of Gene Ovnicek and Dr. Robert Bowker. I picked up more information from their work, and valuable confirmation of what I had already learned from Jaime.
So, I walked into wild horse country thinking that I was on a tourist trip; confirming what I already knew. I could not have been more blind. I could not have been more wrong. They were much, much more than I had ever imagined. What I write here, will probably sound very similar to what my predecessors have written. I don’t know if anyone’s words can get the point across to the world, but I have to try. I thought I was ready, but what I saw literally blew me away. I have worked on thousands of horses, all over the world. I spent six years of my life in the saddle from daylight till dark. I’ve had the privilege of working on some of the finest horses, for the finest horsemen in the world. Understand that after two minutes with the wild ones, I knew that I had never seen a true horse. I literally had no idea of their potential…(CONTINUED)
Click (HERE) to read the story in it’s entirety
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Categories: Horse Health, Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This was AWESOME. I’ve been a huge fan and follower of Pete and his barefoot trimming method for years, so reading something like this is a real treat. I almost felt like I was there, watching with them. Our wild horses are certainly spectacular, aren’t they? They are indeed perfection! It’s a shame so many horse owners feel compelled to lock their horses up to keep them safe and beautiful, and put metal shoes on their feet to keep them rideable.
Thank you, R. T. for sharing this, and for doing what you do.
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Absolutely—‘-a great article–Grandma Gregg–I felt like I was there, a part of their experience.-the BLM holding reference says it all——-Shadows of their former selves, the Magic was gone. So very sad.
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This article SAYS IT ALL and this is the reason that we are all here and the reason that we stay:
“So, I walked into wild horse country thinking that I was on a tourist trip; confirming what I already knew. I could not have been more blind. I could not have been more wrong. They were much, much more than I had ever imagined. What I write here, will probably sound very similar to what my predecessors have written. I don’t know if anyone’s words can get the point across to the world, but I have to try. I thought I was ready, but what I saw literally blew me away. I have worked on thousands of horses, all over the world. I spent six years of my life in the saddle from daylight till dark. I’ve had the privilege of working on some of the finest horses, for the finest horsemen in the world. Understand that after two minutes with the wild ones, I knew that I had never seen a true horse.”
“How has the horse world ignored the remarkable lessons the natural horse has to offer us? Only a few people have noticed them and very little time has been spent studying them.”
“The true wild horse is an endangered species, because true wild horse country is almost gone. We had better learn to treat them as such and get all of the answers we can from them before it’s too late.”
http://www.hoofrehab.com/WildHorses.html
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Great article – went on & looked at all the pictures – the feet on these horses are just beyond beautiful. Never have seen feet like that before. Have heard lots about Pete Ramey before, but this article really tells it like it is! No true horse except for the wild ones!!!
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“The true wild horse is an endangered species, because true wild horse country is almost gone. We had better learn to treat them as such and get all of the answers we can from them before it’s too late.”
Groups want wild horses declared endangered
Friends of Animals and The Cloud Foundation say the mustangs are native and need protection.
BY SCOTT SONNER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://www.pressherald.com/2014/06/29/groups-want-wild-horses-declared-endangered/
The petition says that mustang habitat has shrunk 40 percent since President Richard Nixon signed the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act into law in 1971.
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What Mr. Ramey wrote is exactly what I remember i saw when My Mother took me see what she referred to as a real Horsesto her they were the Ones that Thundered across the Nevada desert, at the exact Ripe age of 5 Yrs Old she took me there to see a Real Horse as she said ,, it is and still is the Most Awesome event I have EVER Witnessed in my entire Life and i am sure it will remain so embedded in my mind as if it happened yesterday , it replays every detail in my mind Nightly………….if i could have been able to write back then I would have written much the same as Mr. Ramey just did…………. But one thing that stays first and foremost in mind is when they thundered right past me what I felt inside the only way i can explain it to you is para -sailing there is a point at which the entire worldgoes silient and a wonderful heavenly silience recreated by a herd of thundering Wild Mustangs …………..At this point you know you were as about as close to heaven as you can be !!!!! And the Mustangs brought you here to show you , they are truly Magic !!!! The Mustangs caputured my Heart and my Soul that day !!!!
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What a wonderful piece, I loved it.
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Wow, such an interesting article RT… thank you for sharing. His thoughts, descriptions and feelings of excitement were so genuine and heartfelt, he made you feel you were right there with him! He couldn’t have said it any better…”a true horse” indeed. (-: All the more reason they need protection, now more than ever!
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There are some comments here that need to be addressed.
The Last Wild Horses
By John Christopher
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/blog/the-last-wild-horses/
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I have been to some of Pete’s clinics, back when he used to to them. Almost everything we know about the function of horse’s feet has been learned by studying wild horses since the 80’s. Treatment of founder, navicular and many other problems has been improved in that time. The studies have improved both trimming and shoeing practices. Add to that, the whole “natural horse” training industry is based on studies of wild horses. We don’t know everything, and we need to let horses live in the wild and be what they are.
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