R.T. Fitch’s life has been anything but ordinary. Straight out of high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force Band during the Vietnam era, and while stationed in Hawaii, he spent weekends at Sea Life Park training penguins, sea lions, and whales. His path through life has taken many unexpected turns—including more than a few lessons in love—until meeting his wife, Terry, brought a lasting partnership and a shared passion for animals.
Over the course of his adult career, R.T. worked internationally in multiple countries, gaining a broad, global perspective that colors both his worldview and his writing. Now rooted in Texas, he and Terry live on a small farm surrounded by four-legged companions with paws, claws, and hooves. Together, they have devoted years to equine rescue and wild horse protection.
An ordained volunteer chaplain and professional Santa Claus for a local historical society—with Terry by his side as Mrs. Claus—R.T. brings warmth, wisdom, and joy to every season. His work reflects a life of service, wonder, and connection to both people and animals.
He is the author of Straight from the Horse’s Heart, a moving collection of true rescue stories and spiritual reflections, and Fangs of Light, a supernatural tale steeped in symbolic and metaphorical storytelling. The first in a planned trilogy, Fangs of Light blends myth and mystery to explore themes of identity, redemption, and the power of empathy—offering readers not only suspense and intrigue but a deeper look at the light and shadow within us all.
A wild burro round up effort recently wrapped up after Bureau of Land Management officials successfully captured 57 burros north of Lake Havasu City — in 11 days.
“We’ve stopped for now,” said BLM wild horse and burro specialist Chad Benson. “The last burros were captured on Oct. 11.”
Contracted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a two year study the National Academy of Science (NAS) with it’s National Research Council (NRC) will be kicking off their first public meeting in Reno on October 27th-28th, 2011. The public is urged to attend for comment.
“Horse slaughter supporters are apologists for cruelty and deceptively lay claim to being defenders of animals rights”
In a strongly worded attack on the horse slaughter lobby, Wayne Pacelle, the society’s president and chief executive, says it is an inescapable conclusion that the horse slaughter industry is disreputable and predatory.
Sadly, if you have been unfortunate enough to be around the issue of predatory horse slaughter, for any length of time, you have had no choice but to run into the name of bloody, pro-slaughter extremest Dave Duquette the witless sidekick of equine terrorist Wyoming State Rep. “Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis. With Wallis leading the way down a path of blind lies, self-serving statements and threats against the horses of the United States Dave “Doink” Duquette has been right behind her picking up on scraps and never coming forth with an original thought, the veritable “lap dog” of all that is sick and perverse with American society today. Allegedly a horse trainer, Doink would brag and extol upon the pleasures of brutally killing and eating the very companion animals that he is said to earn his income through breeding and training. If you ever wanted a nasty email, sprinkled with expletives and uneducated rants, simply write to ole Doink and your wish would be granted but then…he disappeared.
Memories and photographs are all that remain of Rhapsody Rhose.
Jaime Cowan, who rode the purebred Arabian since childhood, clings to these as if grieving the death of a family member.
“I can still smell her,” she said. “I can still feel her breath in my hair.”
Rhapsody’s demise is layered with betrayal by a friend and indifference by others. It also is an economic treatise shaped by America’s prevalent view of equines as companion animals, the overseas desire for horse meat and the buyers, packers and shippers seizing opportunity.
Last Friday, while the BLM concluded their farce of an Advisory Board meeting in D.C. and their helicopter stampede contractors fired up to end the free lives wild horses and burros in Nevada, Terry and I spent the day surrounded by loving, rescued equines at the Todd Mission Ranch only 15 miles from our farm. Marjorie Farabee, ranch equine Manager and Director of Wild Burro Affairs for Wild Horse Freedom Federation, had kindly asked us to stop by and check out the local four legged inhabitants, some 100+ which does not include the rescued dogs and cats. I must admit, it was a moving experience.
OpEd by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/President of Wild Horse Freedom Federation Lack of Interest, Qualifications, Concern Permeate Wild Horse Adversary Board Once again, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) special interest “Advisory Board” meeting is over and the fat lady has sung…won’t divulge her name but she IS […]
Well, it’s that wonderful time of year, again, where hand picked hunting, cattle and grazing interests sit around and listen to BLM representatives spout erroneous numbers, rumor and innuendo while concerned American tax payers get kicked in the teeth when they attempt to articulate the facts on wild horse and burro issues. Ain’t it sweet? Nothing like being called a lier while you watch and listen to the real government paid liers smearing the truth and painting any picture that they deem fit to paint, usually the planned extinction of the last of our wild equines on public lands.
Last spring, the Butterfield Canyon Wild Horse and Burro facility, in Herriman Utah, gained worldwide attention when wild horse advocate Lisa Friday video taped and uploaded to YouTube through the Cloud Foundation a heart wrenching recording which documented the local wild horse prisoners so mired in mud and manure that they could nor did did move during her four-hour visit. Friday’s calls for assistance went unheeded until the video went public and only then did the BLM launch another of their infamous internal investigations where it was determined by the BLM that the BLM was, of course, not at fault but it was noted that an excess of mud and manure had accumulated but it was the fault of local weather conditions.
Gov. Rick Perry — who’s bragged about gunning down a coyote on a morning jog (to save his daughter’s dog, he said) — is steering clear of a controversy over the shooting of burros in Big Bend Ranch State Park by Texas government workers.
Click-on book cover to learn more
Terry & R.T. Fitch Featured
Follow R.T. on Facebook
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Most Recent Comments