Wall Street Journal reporters Douglas Belkin and Nathan Koppel are in good company. On May 4, they published an article on horse slaughter so eerily similar to articles appearing in a variety of unrelated publications, even ol’ Rupert Murdoch himself might be left wondering.
CORVALLIS, MT — His baby pictures are hanging on the wall at the arena.
There are plenty of other pictures too: photographs of him performing in front of the grandstands, some of him walking in a parade.
As nice as those are, though, they aren’t what catch your eye.
That’s reserved for the pictures of children with smiles that stretch wide across their faces. Some hoist blue ribbons. Others beam pure joy.
Horse whisperer Lauren Bode says she’s been telepathically communicating with Boot, a 16-year-old Belgian cross living at Centre Island’s Far Enough Farm.
Sunday Guest Post by Cheyenne Little of End Equine Slaughter Now “Today we dedicate “Straight from the Horse’s Heart” to Children Advocates who, at their very young ages, are trying to steer our country’s public towards compassionate management of our companion equine’s collective futures. My hat is off […]
Guest OpEd by Vicki Tobin ~ VP of the Equine Welfare Alliance “Oh Slaughterhouse $ue Wallis; How Sweet it IS!” Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to be in the middle of writing an editorial and having good news that eliminates the majority of my musings. I’ll save what’s […]
The prattle from the Horse-Eater’s camp has been quiet for about a week or so; only the constant drone of sharpening butcher knives can be heard across the trenches of the battlefield in the quiet of the night. The perverse dredges of society have suffered some pretty serious defeats over the past several weeks and they are all tucked under their rocks licking their putrid wounds. Let’s count their failures (not all but the biggest ones):
“It’s Sunday and it has been a good week for the horses with the dark-side suffering multiple defeats and currently in hiding collectively licking some very deep wounds. But as the lost and confused wander without clear direction we move forward with purpose, dignity and truth as our shield. It is important for us to look around and re-energize ourselves not only with the strength of our numbers and great diversity but with the clear knowledge in our heart of why we fight for those who cannot speak for themselves, the horses.
Below is a story that has been around for years and I have danced with it many times but each time I read it, edit it and tell it I am healed as it speaks to the core of why we are where we are in the battle to save the American equine, both domestic and wild. We speak from the heart, we speak for the horse and we speak in concert with each other. Keep the faith and thank-you for all that you do.” ~ R.T.
Once again I am proud to report that my wife, Terry, has several photos that have been selected by the nominating committee of the Equine Ideal: Winter 2012 Photography Contest as finalists in their annual online competition. In the past she has won honors for a head shot of a rescued horse (click HERE) as we, with Habitat for Horses, released him at Willie Nelson’s ranch on his first day of adopted bliss. Last year she won ribbons (click HERE) for a shot of the famed wild horses of the Pryor Mountains and this year she is up for ribbons on two different head shots of our very own Pele who was rescued from a slaughter auction through the efforts of Habitat for Horses. Pele is half quarter horse and from the neck up he is pure wild horse, we can see the beauty that heralds back to his wild roots as he glides across our pastures in play.
Several months ago, a young boy became agitated, frustrated and upset over the idea that the inhumane act of slaughtering companion animals (horses) for human consumption abroad could be returning to the shores of the United States. Growing up in a family that knew the difference between food animals and pets the young man decided to take things into his own hands and began a letter writing campaign to the members of Congress in an effort to head off the agenda of a few twisted alleged citizens funded by foreigner’s bloody money. His idea picked up momentum and through the support of the Equine Welfare Alliance and The United Federation of Teachers Humane Education Committee not only did the letter writing campaign blossom but lesson plans on the subject were developed and the young ones are now teaching their elders a thing or two about appropriate advocacy and matters of the heart.
A dark bay, nearly black, with a dramatic white blaze on her forehead, everyone thought Burma — the diva of the barn — was a beauty.
But, though friendly and affectionate, the 6-year-old thoroughbred was practically impossible to handle. High-strung and feisty, she swayed impatiently in her stall, chewed the wooden doors, got tangled in her harness, stuck her nose into any box or bucket she could find. She had proved hopeless on the track, despite having a distant blood connection to the great racehorse Man o’ War. She had ugly feet that required special shoes, and an alarming tendency to colic.
To 16-year-old Megan Chance, she was perfect.
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