Source: Pegasus Equine Guardian Association
In light of recent events regarding the Fort Polk Horses ending up at the Thompson horse lot by way of a suspected shadow organization posing as a rescue, Meridian Falls Ranch, the following letter of concern, dated August 3, 2018, was sent to all parties involved the in horse removal program at Fort Polk.
Recipients of the letter include key decision makers, contracting and ethics authorities for agencies or entities involved.
This letter has the support from Presidents and Directors of state and civilian organizations. In addition to emailing, 7 Certified letters went out Friday afternoon to key individuals and decisions makers.
We are building a coalition of signers and that coalition continues to grow today!
The following letter of concern, dated August 3, 2018, was sent to all parties involved in the horse removal program at Fort Polk. Please take a moment to read the entire letter by clicking the picture below or on this link below.
Letter of Concern Regarding Fort Polk Horse Removal
The US Army Corps Awarded Texas State University 1.75 million for Cultural Resource Management in 8 States. Part of this money was apparently allocated to something the Corps refers to as “Horse Capture and Maintenance” (nothing about removal)
See the Federal Grant Agreement for “Horse Capture and Maintenance”
“The INCRT is an interdisciplinary team of specialists from departments and programs across the university led by Dr. Todd Ahlman, the director of our Center for Archaeological Studies. The Texas State team will conduct archaeological surveys and support the management of cultural resources at U.S. Air Force bases and training facilities in eight states” https://mailchi.mp/4d5d103101aa/news-from-the-hill?e=0d5b7510e3
Texas State University then subcontracted Jacob Thompsons Cattle aka Thompson Horse Lot. See document titled “Scope of Work for Thompson Horse Lot & Co. Horse Capture and Maintenance Project Joint Reserve Training Center at Fort Polk“.
** side note: Interesting how the scope of work document uses the wrong definition for JRTC acronym .. which really stands for Joint Readiness Training Center not “Joint Reserve Training Center”
Recipients of the Letter as follows:
JRTC – Fort Polk Officials: BG Commanding General Patrick D. Frank, Fort Polk Public Affairs Officers Troy D Darr. Members of Range Control or Fort Polk Officials directly involved including; Milton W. Fariss, William W. Lassiter, Ken D. Brown, Allison M Cedars, Matthew M. Stevens, Mark S. Leslie, Milton K. Lavalley, and Howard A. Thrasher.
Fort Polk/ Texas State University / Army Corps of Engineers Contract Signers: Kali Evans, Kathy S. Mitchell, Stephanie A Rostermundt, Matthew M. Stevens, Maria E Rodriguez, and Kay Beauchamp.
APHIS and LDAF Officials: Matt Traylor, Brent Robbins, Dr Myrick, John Walter, John Roberts, Diane Stacey, and Mike Strain.
Texas State University Officials: Todd Ahlman, Dr Elizabeth Erhart, Dr Denise M Trauth, Sean Rubino, Monica Gonzales, Becky Northcut, and Kay Beauchamp.
Learn more about the genetic significance of Louisiana’s Wild Horses
Learn more about the historical and cultural significance of Louisiana’s Wild Horses
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
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OUR MILITARY is made up of America’s SONS and DAUGHTERS
We do NOT teach them to abuse Animals OR People
From THE HILL
Outmoded military training hurts animals and soldiers
BY STEPHANIE KENNEDY
I’m an Air Force Reserve staff sergeant and medical technician, and when I tell people—service members and civilians alike—that I also work to stop the military’s stabbing, shooting, blowing up and killing of live animals in archaic medical training drills, they often ask whether these things really still happen and wonder aloud, “What kind of people would do that?”
An Air Force surgeon wrote recently that “[w]e have entered into an age where artificial simulator models are at least equivalent to, if not superior to, animal models. … [T]he military should make the move away from all animal simulation when effective equivalent artificial simulators exist for a specific task. For emergency procedures, this day has arrived.” This is why Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have introduced the common-sense Battlefield Excellence Through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act, which would replace animal laboratories with simulation that DOD researchers agree is effective.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/245327-outmoded-military-training-hurts-animals-and-soldiers
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BILLBOARDS
Billboards Take Aim at Animal Use for Military Medic Training
SAN ANTONIO-Three billboards surrounding U.S. Army Medical Command and sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a national nonprofit of more than 12,000 physicians, criticize the Army for using outdated medical training methods. The ads depict a goat in an Army combat uniform, chewing on blades of grass, and state “Goats make lousy soldiers. End animal use for military medical training. TroopsDeserveBetter.org.”
https://www.pcrm.org/media/news/billboards-take-aim-at-animal-use-for-military-medic-training
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From AMERICAN PRESS
Rescued horses sold to kill pen
Pamela Sleezer
Aug 5, 2018
Volunteers at Meridian Falls Ranch did not immediately respond to requests for comment by the American Press. All areas to contact the group through its website have been removed.
http://www.americanpress.com/news/local/rescued-horses-sold-to-kill-pen/article_b16e3d82-99a1-11e8-ba45-e76b1d63f712.html
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From LEESVILLE DAILY READER
Wild Horses Embedded in Peason History
“See that horse over there?” Peason historian Rickey Robertson asked as he pointed to a black mare. “It looks just like the horses that the Spanish brought to this area well over a hundred years ago.”
Horses were among the items the Spanish used in trade with Native Americans who lived on the Anacoco Prairie at Peason Ridge.
The Native Americans followed buffalo that migrated to Peason during the winter. With milder winters in this area, the buffalo could graze until spring.
“It’s hard to believe, but buffalo used to graze right out here where those horses are,” Robertson said.
Artifacts from Native Americans who lived on the Great Plains have been found on Peason which indicates that they followed the buffalo migration.
“Mr. L.C. Curby killed the last know buffalo in Louisiana right over there in Kisatchie around 1871,” Robertson said. “He asked to be buried right in the spot where he killed that buffalo. And he was.”
As two stallions on top of a hill fought for the dominance of a herd, Robertson pointed out the different breeds and their significance to area history.
Some of the horses on Peason Ridge are descendants of the animals used in the lumber industry which thrived in the area from 1918 to 1935.
http://www.leesvilledailyleader.com/news/20180407/wild-horses-embedded-in-peason-history
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This is a very poorly written and understood history of horses in America.
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Opposing Thompson’s Feed Lot Facebook
Sign & Share! Protect the Ft. Polk horses
https://www.facebook.com/pages/biz/community/Opposing-Thompsons-Feed-Lot-392138524469487/
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Last Chance for Animals’
http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/investigations/investigations-in-the-field/prior-investigations/horses-blm
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Among others, the Coggins test requirements not being observed should be a red flag for everyone, since the law is in place to control a highly transmissible, untreatable and fatal disease. Every one of those untested horses being hauled on US highways is exposing others along the way. It only takes one fly or mosquito to carry the disease to any others it finds.
It’s also disturbing that legitimate adopters or rescuers are required to follow the law, spending funds ($35-50 per horse) for the test and they must wait several days for the results before moving them. This makes buying horses at a kill barn nearly impossible since they have to be moved out the same or next day, and this is often on a weekend, delaying getting both tests and results. The kill buyers seem to be getting a pass here, saving money, saving time, and exposing the rest of our horses to a fatal disease.
A wild, isolated population like these, in a southern climate, is a perfect reservoir for many diseases. They should not be randomly moved and dispersed without significant testing and veterinary observation. Every state can demand no transport be allowed without legitimate coggins tests and papers — though as we know these are often forged. Since it’s an election year everyone reading this can and should press those running to strengthen their own state laws to prohibit such transport.
Regular horse owners must by law carry proof of Coggins test results when hauling their own horses, and the penalties can be enormous, including confiscation of horses, vehicles, and trailers. Kill buyers should not get a pass when the rest of us must follow the law.
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Question re: “Regular horse owners must by law carry proof of Coggins test results when hauling their own horses, and the penalties can be enormous, including confiscation of horses, vehicles, and trailers.”
Who, when and where are the Coggins test proof actually checked?
I realize that in theory they should be checked at state lines but having crossed state lines with my two adopted mustangs, I can verify that although we had all the required paperwork, the state inspector was not at all interested in our paperwork or even what we had in the trailer and honestly, we could have had Bengal lions in that trailer and the inspector would not have cared.
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