Saturday Satire - The Anything for a Buck Rescue…..

I have been informed by several members of the New Humane Horse Culture, the times they are a changin and I had best learn to fit or get a real job so I can afford to treat my horses as they do theirs. I don’t know if I should be amused or insulted by this. Mostly I am amused. Sometimes I get a little pissy over it. It is automatically assumed my horses are treated badly since I am pro-horse business for profit. This profit motivation could have something to do with buying my own feed, paying for my own fuel, those pesky truck payments, and the fact I have developed a bad habit of liking to eat and sleep indoors. Like those who tell us horse people to get a real job, I feel I should be paid for what I took the time to learn and do relatively well. My horses don’t complain so things must not be all that bad here. I am the one with the feed bucket so they do tend to like me at least twice a day.
I’ve always jokingly referred to my operation as The Anything for a Buck Foundation but I must not be doing it quite right. I have to smarten up on this deal or I’ll be working, riding, and carrying on much as I have until osteoporosis sets in and I am swept up in little crumbly pieces from the arena dirt.
The Rescues Ready for Adoption Over $1,000 section on any internet horse forum rubs my fur wrong………on a lot of levels……..It’s been a long, long time since scale price was anywhere close to $1,000 for any horse. I assume the rescue had these horses donated or bought them from someone who “might” take them to the auction. You know what happens to all of them. I don’t care if you trade horses but stop skirting the issue and call it what it is. As I said I have been informed the times they are a changin’…….. I have decided the Anything for A Buck Foundation needs its own adoptions over $1,000 section……..It needs to become the Anything for a Buck Rescue……And please bear with me, although I have been selling horses a long time…… this is my first attempt at “adopting one out”……he is such sweet boy…..and his name is Blair. I didn’t take before pictures of Blair so as not embarrass him later on.

Blair’s Story… I was born in 1999.

The man owned my mother before me. I was sent away as younger horse to a person who sat on my back and asked me to do things. I thought this was kind of interesting but I didn’t get to stay long. My owner said something to the rider person about me not needing anything fancy since I was just going to be a stud and trail horse. He thought I was doing fine after the first month and took me back home. I am not really sure what a trail horse is because I mainly ran in the pen with his broodmares. We had several babies that were taken away and sold. I really didn’t care when they were weaned. Once they were gone, mares stopped snapping at me to stay away from the little rats. (Oops a little reality setting in) Back to the rescue mode…… I missed my young sons and daughters terribly. I worried about them and where they would go in the big world so young and untrained.
After a few years of this I heard the man talking to another man who smelled like drugs and blood about how horrible the market was. “Didn’t need a stud anymore, going to sell the mares, just keep me to ride”…….I had surgery. After that I didn’t care about the mares the way I used to. They were still fun to gather up and stand next to but that’s all. Winter came and we were cold and hungry….. The mares and I were loaded on a trailer then tied in a pen and taken into the ring one by one. There were lots of other horses there that day too. I have no idea what happened to any of them. The trader man who bought me talked to the lady who felt my legs in the pen after I was led out of the ring. She put me in a trailer out of the rain. I went to a place where I have had plenty to eat. I have been doing a lot of that riding thing again. She tells me I am smart and honest. She says I’m a good boy. I try hard to make her happy since I know she saved my life. I can only pray the same was done for some of my pasture mates and the other horses there that day. I am afraid not. I am ready to make some new cowgirl or cowboy a good forever friend for the adoption fee……….Over $1,000…..payable on approval of your ability to love and care for me as I deserve. Decisions of the Anything for a Buck Rescue staff are final in the matter…….

How’s that? Remember it’s my first attempt at “rescue” dialog. I’m used to the simple horse dealer way of putting it. I bought this horse thin and riding green, covered with cheap tack, and stupid. I wasn’t really paying attention to the sale but kind of heard the top side pedigree and like his breeding. I asked Jimmy, I am on the first name basis with the killer buyer. I started colts for his uncle for many years…to see the papers, went outside, checked his legs and his teeth, (don’t want a cripple, cribber, or a parrot mouth), offered him the next bid, switched the horse over to my number in the office and handed Jimmy the $15 difference and the deal is done.
I wormed, fed, floated, clipped, and trimmed. He’s had a good education the last few months. I really like his mind and his work ethic. I bought him to sell and now he’s fit, legged up, broke to ride, and ready to go.
If I don’t get him sold at home he’ll go back to the auction but this time he will have a different sales position. It will be a reputation sale and instead of being worth $15 over scale he’ll be in the Adoptions over $1,000 category even at the auction. He’s not a rescue, he’s a cute little saddle horse, broke bay gelding ready to go to work. It ain’t rocket science, it’s horsemanship……anyone with a check book can do it……that is if you’re feeling frisky enough to take a horse from start to broke……..take your chances if he’s education deprived instead of suicidal and stupid……..it’s been done the same way for years…….different words………same game……. Or as we heard in another political whining match “a pig with lipstick is still a pig”.

written by R.H1

Taking the Left Turn - "Khadafy Skoal"

Taking the Left Turn
The AQHA shows SS Salty Dog as a 1983 blue roan gelding by Tom Micks by Micks Moon out of Steens Star by Steen Bob. A very respectable ranch horse/ performance horse pedigree. Breeding alone, Moon Deck and Three Bars on the top side, double Oklahoma Star with some Hancock on his dam’s side could have sent this good horse to the rodeo arena. His original owners/breeders, the Millers, may have had that in mind for this pretty colored athlete having raised some other really nice ranch and arena horses both before and since.
The AQHA records show no performance stats for him but he won 6 horse of the year titles and 34 major awards in 16 years of campaigning in his event. He went to the “world” all 16 of those years. A great performer, better known as Khadafy Skoal, SS Salty Dog decided early on in life he would rather work a different end of the arena than his pedigree said he should. His world show was the NFR. His talent was bucking, a bareback bronc specifically. A horse has to “qualify” to go to the NFR too, you know, they don’t let just any ole horse go.

Like all great horses he had the help of good connections. When the newly formed Powder River Rodeo Company bought a broncy saddle horse from a ranch hand of Miller Livestock it worked out really well for both.
Powder River Rodeo has done “okay” too. Hank Franzen after spending his lifetime competing in the rodeo arena started Powder River Rodeo Company in 1986. This family run business has gone on to earn 135 awards over the years.
After the past couple of blogs I have to quote this from an article written about this legendary horse’s final year on the road. It’s a fine example of how these people feel about their stock, their sport, and each other.
This was written in September of 2004 shortly before Khadafy’s final Wyoming performance.
Lori Franzen of the Wright (Wyoming)-based Power River Rodeo Company said Chad Vivian of Ashland, Mont., has drawn the 21-year-old horse for Sunday's round at Harold Jarrard Park. "It's going to be more than emotional," Franzen said. Lori said her most memorable moment from Khadafy Skoal's farewell tour so far was the 90-point ride Aladdin native Marvin Garrett scored at the Belle Fourche, S.D., rodeo over the Fourth of July weekend."Marvin's on the end of his career, too, and that was pretty tough. I just cried," Lori said. "I was crying and Marvin's brother Mark came over and gave me a hug and he was crying."
Khadafy Skoal was retired to their ranch after the 2004 NFR in December that year. He was going home to live the rest of his life on the Wyoming range much the same as he started it. Trivia for the day…..I read while researching this blog, at the high point of his career Khadafy Skoal was valued at $100,000. Another article stated he was still sound but the Franzens felt he had done everything asked of him and had earned his retirement. Although they are best known for a horse they bought, they raise most of their own rough stock from their Born to Buck Program. Miss Congeniality is horse of the year product of their program.
Several other performance bred horses have turned their considerable ability to rough stock end of the rodeo arena and achieved long successful careers. The number of older horses still competing should be an indicator how well these animals are cared for and handled. Anyone who has ever hauled horses knows what kind of skill, attention to detail, and care it takes to keep them healthy, competitive, and sound going down the road. Maintaining and finding good stock is both difficult and important for these businesses. The majority of long running PRCA stock contractors have at least some version of their own Born to Buck breeding program.
Cotton Rosser of Flying U Rodeo Company of Marysville, California, owned and campaigned another well bred AQHA horse in his rough stock string. The horse (a grandson of Three Bars) bucked as Classic Velvet, was bareback bronc of the year in 1981, hauled 17 years and retired sound. A long time breeder of his own horses, his breeding produced Buckskin Velvet, saddle bronc of the year for 1982. This long standing rodeo family has two generations both operating and competing in rodeo. They raise 80 percent of their horses.
Bar T Rodeo of Utah has been operating for more than 50 years. Their bucking stock breeding program has produced many good and some great horses. It’s safe to assume this stock is serious business for Bud Kerby. He invested $24,000 in the purchase of War Paint at the 2002 Wrangler NFR Bucking Horse and Bull sale. This is another family owned rodeo company in its second generation of operation.
Barnes Rodeo Company of Iowa is yet another rodeo contractor passing the 50 year mark in operation. Bob Barnes has had livestock at the NFR since its inception in 1959, was 1984 stock contractor of the year, was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall Fame in 1994. He owned Crystal Springs, saddle bronc of year for 1977, his bull T Bar with Terry Don West aboard set the record 94 score in Houston. Another Barnes bull, Smokeless Bow Tie, carried Wes Stevenson to a 93 point ride and the second highest bull riding score in history. Not bad for a contractor operating out of a state not traditionally known for its cowboy heritage.
Andrews Rodeo Company of Texas run by Sammy Andrews is a third generation company who has had great success in the bull riding event of rodeo. Their great bulls include Skoals Outlaw Willie, Cat Daddy, Fender Bender, and of course Bodacious. Bodacious was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1999. When the great bull died in 2000 he was buried on the Andrews Ranch and Rodeo Houston donated a bucking chute head stone as a marker.
This is just a surface overview of some of the animals and people involved in rodeo. There are so many interesting stories behind the sponsor signs. The breeding programs, the stock, the people, and the specialty acts. It is impossible to scratch the surface in one column. I’ll come back to them from time to time.
I am particularly interested in the Born to Buck breeding programs. Livestock genetics and bloodlines interest me to begin with. Ones with an 80% rate of producing successful performers have to be doing something right in any discipline. Shoots the crap out of the theory these are ordinary animals tortured into performing.
As a matter of fact I feel it robs these great animals of their due respect as performers just as surely as saying Man O’ War was just a horse. Incidentally, Sipping Velvet traced back to Man O’ War. He was another bronc who bucked well into his old age and retired sound. He took the left turn, the road less traveled and the rest is rodeo history.

written by R.H1

One of The Good Ones

We've talked about spotlighting the good horses, so I'll start with mine.
I think he's a little unique because he's an example of how the auction system used to work and still could work if there weren't anti slaughter people screaming about the evils of the auctions and that horse traders are the devil themselves.
His name used to be Cocoa, and he came in with a string of 7 gaited horses with a dealer. The string was run through Sugarcreek auction on a Friday when they held one of their riding horse sales. I wasn't there, but my mother in law was. She came home telling me about this cute brown horse with an "apple butt" (she loves round horse butts:) that didn't sell. But I was looking for a palomino at the time.
The following week, I got a call from a friend of mine who also happens to be a horse dealer. C. had gotten a 16 hand palomino mare from the Sugarcreek sale, she was riding nice, and thought I'd like her. I'm not a mare person, but C. knew what I was looking for as far as temperament and ride, so off we went to try her out.
One of my favorite things about C. is her total honesty. If you see a horse at her place and ask how long she's had it, the answer you'll most likely get is "what time is it?". She's in the business of selling a horse, and hopefully getting repeat customers, and referrals, so she's not going to waste any time trying to rip you off, or lying about what she has there.
So, we tack up the mare, and ride her. I didn't really like her, and I was getting ready to head out when C. leads this cute little brown 15 hander by. I ask how long she's had him, and she gives the answer...."what time is it?".
Turns out he's the Sugarcreek gelding with the apple butt. And he was bought by C with the yellow mare who was also gaited. Something just clicks....and if you've had that happen with a horse, you know what I'm talking about. I tack him up, ride him, load him up, and take him home. My husband just shakes his head, saying, "that doesn't look like any palomino I've ever seen".
He doesn't look like a Cocoa to me, he's a gelding after all, and that seems like a girly name. He's a Rocky Mountain Tennessee Walker cross from what C was able to find out. Ridden by a little old man on the weekends.....aren't they all?:). He's a good age, 8 years old, and seems pretty laid back. He has a few quirks, but nothing I can't handle. And he has about the sweetest personality I've ever found in a horse.
He's 21 now, and still here with me. He's still about the sweetest guy in the barn, and anyone can ride him. He's still got his quirks, but so do I. I can't imagine life without him.
He is truly one of the good ones. This is the horse you can ground tie in the middle of a field and tack up. The horse you can handle from nose to tail and he won't do a thing. Stands for the farrier, loves a bath, loves attention, will try anything you ask him to do. And he's done a lot. He's trail ridden, done team penning, cattle sorting, barrel racing, keyhole, eventing, obstacle courses, taught newbie's to ride, even rode English a few times. He's the best horse I could have ever asked for.
I had been searching for 6 months for a Palomino, and would have probably found a horse I liked. Had this gelding not been bought by a dealer, gone to the sale in Sugarcreek, been bought by another dealer, I would have never found the horse that was truly meant for me. A horse I can say I love, and couldn't imagine being a better horse than he is.
Sometimes you just get lucky, and I was. But if the horses aren't there, you won't find them. The sale circuit offers a way for us to get to horses we wouldn't normally have access to. We need to keep the "good ones" in circulation.
Written By R.H2

Just an added note:
This post really says a lot about horse shopping too. Don’t set your mind on a certain color or you may just miss the opportunity to buy the best horse you have ever owned.
R.M.

Rodeo apologist? I think not....

there is nothing to defend or apologize for.

To Mr. Sherman, who was so kind as to leave comment and add a link to his newest article. We never apologized for the rodeo, there is nothing to apologize for. I did get a chuckle out of your article though, thanks for posting the link in our comment section. The conspiracy theory about court and criminal records was a lot of fun; I just love a good paranoid conspiracy theory.
Your remark in your article about us that “he won’t give his name”. First, so far, we are all women. Not that gender matters or plays any roll in a person’s stand on the issues in our equine and ag industry. Just thought since you like “facts” you would like to know that. Although I do believe we have stated that fact in our blog already. Secondly, with so many insane animal activists, animal rights groups, green peace, etc running around burning buildings down, releasing animals, killing animals, killing and threatening people, not many of us are all that thrilled about giving our real full names. Sorry I have a family, farm, livestock and other critters to think about and protect. I have not, however, REFUSED to give my name. I chose not to for the above mentioned reasons.
I suppose, as they say, bad publicity is better than no publicity. So THANK YOU for giving our blog a plug as well. So glad we could be of service to each other.
To All -
Isn’t it funny how we never hear of a pro-horse or pro-slaughter person burning down a PETA members garden, or a rodeo participant beheading a person on a public bus, or a restaurant owner killing dogs and putting the carcasses in a PETA members trash.
Yet those who support such behavior want to call the rodeo barbaric and abusive. Now there is some warped thinking!
We have some good posts coming up this week. I hope you all are enjoying and possibly learning from what we write, We have also had a couple of really good suggestions from readers for future topics. Thanks for sending those to me! We’re working on it.
Lets not forget to support those who are willing to go to bat for the equine and Ag industry! See my “lets show our support” at the top of the page. Thanks all, have a great day!!

R.M.

Steve Hindi- Shark? I say bottom feeder.....

We have an old saying in my part of the country: A man who lies to you once will lie as many times as you let him. Keep that in mind as we continue our discussion.

We all go through times in our lives when, for one reason or another, we evaluate what we stand for. Maybe return to things we thought we left behind. Interests we put on a back burner while life made other plans are renewed and we remember what they meant to us. Such is the case for me and rodeo.
The total lack of interest in Dually’s ordeal by PETA started this project. I am not a barrel racer by profession but the feel of good barrel horse shutting down to rate the barrel and leaving a tight corner is pretty far up there on my list of “reasons we raise nice horses” and even though I have no desire to ride one, I love to watch a good bronc work…..so I kind of got back to rodeo…….started researching some stock and stock contractors…….trying to find information on some great stockman and great bucking horses…….this led me to a new (new to me) friend and champion of our maligned and maltreated livestock.
STEVE HINDi:
Mentioned in this article pulled from the (you guessed it) Steve Hindi web site http://www.sharkonline.org/ . Writing for this blogspot has been a learning experience for me. I have learned to ALWAYS give the website who supplied in the information used in my opinions. I don’t want anyone to think I am making this up as I go. I suspect that’s true of some the head cases in this article but…………
This entry is made in response to a comment referring to another article “exposing" the horrors of rodeo originally titled Godless in Chicago, As in Rodeo Animals Haven’t Got a Prayer. The commenter on that article asked why, if rodeo cruelty existed in such common rampant style, why it was never documented on TV and in newspaper articles. Here’s the explanation.

The Corrupt Economics of Rodeo By Rob Sherman Chicago Now Blog

Rodeos buy lots of newspaper ads in the days before an event to promote the event to attract a crowd. There is a "professional courtesy" that says you don't mess with your advertisers or they won't be your advertisers any more.
Indeed, that's precisely why rodeos buy lots of newspaper and TV ads: Insurance against getting exposed for engaging in animal abuse for huge profits.
It's no different than why so many large corporations, such as Comcast, Commonwealth Edison, and unions, such as teachers unions and firefighter unions, "sponsor" incumbent legislators in Springfield (the capitol of Illinois for those of you who wrote in from elsewhere) with campaign contributions literally in the tens of thousands of dollars. They know that legislators have the power to end unfair policies and practices which unjustly enrich these groups and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars each year. They are simply, and literally, buying protection for their unfair practices.

So there you have it…… rodeo has everyone in the media on the take ……..Except our smiling friend(pictured above) Steve Hindi … And while the sport of rodeo has been buying off the media they have also been infiltrating charities with money to keep them and the communities they work within quiet too………

In addition, rodeos are often the vehicle used by major local charitable organizations as a fund-raiser event. The Wauconda Chamber of Commerce states, on page 11 of their June newsletter, that "The annual rodeo is the Chamber's largest fundraiser." If any newspaper were to criticize the Wauconda Rodeo as cruel and unnecessary, the charitable organization would complain.
Finally, most people, particularly most people in the rodeo audience and, quite frankly, most journalists, simply don't realize that rodeo is animal abuse for entertainment and profit. It never occurs to most people that what they regard as an entertaining and fun animal performance is actually animals squirming and writhing in agony from abuse and torture that has just occurred but been cleverly concealed from the audience, and that when the animals are racing across the arena, they actually are simply trying to run away to escape further mistreatment. That's why we need people like Steve Hindi and SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness) to expose what's going on, for the eventual protection of animals, and to inform journalists like me so that I can inform you.

So Mr. Sherman ends his glowing although poorly informed tribute to this special man.
Did I mention researching this blog has been a learning experience for me?
Well it has. Here is what else I was able to learn about Steve Hindi….No comment from me…..I’ll just post a little……let you go visit the sites if you desire……..read a little or lot…..I think you can form an opinion……

This site goes into Steve Hindi’s personal life as well as the personal lives of several other prominent animal activists. http://www.theharryrowellfamily.org/stevehindi.htm . It is interesting reading if you feel the personalities and private lives of these people have bearing on their credibility and motives as I do.
This web site lets us in on the mind set of this man’s peers and supporters http://www.hedweb.com/polipris.htm Kind of an interesting list don’t you think???

Jacob Kenison
#06329-081 Yuma Unit
37900 N. 45th AVE, Dept. 1700
Phoenix AZ 85027-7004
*Sentenced for $300,000 arson damage caused to Tandy Leather store

Clinton Colby Ellerman
c/o Salt Lake County Jail
450 S. 300 E.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111-3207
USA
*Released minks from Holt Mink Ranch

McHenry County Jail
Attn: Inmate Steve Hindi
2200 N. Seminary Ave
Woodstock IL 60098
USA

*Steve Hindi - 6 month sentence for his activities against a hunt in Illinois state.

Ryan Z. Durfee BA03 c/o Oxbow Jail
Inmate Mail
3148 South 1100 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
84119
USA
*Sentenced to 1 year for arson
(do not send news clippings or other or other items or letter will be sent back)

Mark S. Klein AA45
c/o Oxbow Jail
Inmate Mail
3148 South 1100 West
Salt Lake City, UT
USA
*Sentenced to 1 year for arson attempt to McDonald's
(do not send news clippings or other items)
items or letter will be sent back)

Jason D. Troff
Section 9040
c/o S.L. County Jail
450 South 300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3207
USA
*Sentenced for attempted arson against McDonald's

Rod Coronado
03895-000
FCI Unit SW
8901 South Wilmot Rd
Tucson AZ 8570
USA
*for publicizing ALF campaign to destroy the fur industry in the 80's \

Trev Poulson 9375
Housing Unit: Wasatch A West / 215
Utah State Prison
PO BOX 250
Draper, UT 84020
*Two year sentence for alleged fur farm mink liberation
The website authors are asking you to send help and correspondence to encourage these “martyrs”.

I’ll just leave you with Steve Hindi’s rendition of the Cowboy Prayer….His comments are in bold. Political debate, difference of opinion, or questioning the accuracy of one’s facts is one thing but demeaning an act of religious respect (whether you agree with context or not)…….well you be the judge…….

Our Heavenly Father,
We have paused in the midst of this Rodeo, mindful of you and all the blessings you've bestowed upon us.
Lordy yes! Where else could we get a deal like this? We get to wrap ourselves in the American flag, kick the living hell out of your creatures and still pretend to be fine Christians at cowboy church. Don't that beat all?
You see, Lord, there is no need for you to bless us with compassion for your creatures.
We pray Lord that you be with each of us and especially with the contestants in this arena as we pray that you will guide us in life's arena.
Guide us to ever more tame domesticated victims that we can taunt, maim, injure and kill in our fantasy of being little "John Waynes."
We don't ask you for any special favors Lord.
But of course, if you would let us get away with just a little more cruelty and corruption we'd be much obliged.
We don't ask that you always make it rain when we need it, nor do we ask that you always let the sun shine.
No sir. We just ask that you keep public officials corrupt enough to hand over tax dollars and have a blind eye to criminal abuse and let us get away with whatever we want. Can anyone spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y?
We don't always ask for the calf that runs straight, nor do we shun the one that won't lay.
Nah, we'll just kick the crap out of them to make 'em run like hell the next time.
We don't ask to draw round the chute fighting horse nor condemn the ride not bringing pay.
Nope. No need to condemn them because we can spike them, shock them, twist and rake their tails, and choke and drag them. We figure that if we nail 'em a few dozen times before they go out again, they'll buck just fine!
We just pray Lord that you help us, so we may live our lives in such a manner, that when it comes time to make that last ride to the country up there, where the water runs, cool, clear and deep and where the grass grows stirrup high, lush and green, that you will tell us, as our last Judge, that our entry fees are paid.
Oh yea, oh yea. Nothin' but rodeo up there in the heavens. Endless supplies of calves and steers and horses and bulls to harass and mutilate and shock and spur and spike. Glory be on high!
Amen.
And be sure to visit his website dealing with the sex slave trade (the use of the Brokeback Mountain theatre posters is a nice touch) http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000890

Warning: if you have any sentiment toward the western lifestyle or pride in the culture that gave us the root of stock horse breeds and the stock seat style of performance horsemanship as well as rodeo this website and the “literature” it contains may be very hard on your blood pressure. As most true “animal people” eventually do Mr. Hindi has indeed proven he is not an experienced horsemen of any sort……..I’ll let you form you own opinions on what sort of man he really is…….
I will get the great stock and stock contractors a little better next week……….I had to vent a little first……it makes it easier for me to be happier next time….

R.H1