Remember That Slippery Slope We Have Mentioned about 589 Times...

Well, Here It Is…

and in true NAHSC fashion the damage inflicted by their cause to your lifestyle is all YOUR fault. Your fault for thinking you knew what you were doing and how to do it. Your fault because you chose that business in the first place. Your fault because….well just because…

Representative Kirk (IL), with Co Sponsors Rep. Cohen (TN) and Rep. Whitfield (KY) introduced a bill (H.R.305) to ban hauling horses in double deck trailers on January 8, 2009. Congressman Kirk said he was prompted to introduce this legislation by an accident in Wadsworth, Illinois in October, 2007 involving the overturning of a double deck cattle trailer carrying 59 Belgian draft horses. Eight horses died at the scene and ten were later euthanized. Currently, several states including New York and Pennsylvania have laws prohibiting the transport of horses in double deck trailers, additionally federal regulation prohibits hauling horses to slaughter plants in double deck trailers.

This information was taken from an article I ‘googled’ researching this bill. I assume the Belgians must have been yearlings. Fifty-nine one thousand pound saddle horses would be over -weight. 59 adult Belgian horses in a cattle pot??? I did not research the wreck and the senator said it was so, so I’m gonna accept it, okay???

THE BILL

The bill, titled the ‘Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009', was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed out of that committee on July 29, 2010.

Partial text of the bill:

`(a) Prohibition- No person may transport, or cause to be transported, a horse from a place in a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States through or to a place in another State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. Complete information on the bill: http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:1:./temp/~c111XPp1GF::

Aimed at slaughter horse transport and using research gathered from same, the bill, if passed, will also apply to transport of all horses in all double deck trailers. Contractors, veterinarians involved in rodeo, and other interested parties are calling for opposition to this bill. The *NAHSC internet bully squad showed up to let everyone know this is never an acceptable way to haul horses. As always the comment sections of articles disagreeing with THE CAUSE, are a lesson in hypocrisy. You know, the peace, love, and harmony for all living things mantra stated using verbal abuse and personal insults. The cheap bastards can haul their stock right or go out of business. Never mind the contractors who have spent several hundred thousand dollars modifying trailers to keep the horses safe and comfortable. Never mind rodeo depends on the condition of the horses to stay in business. Never mind most proven rough stock animals are very valuable. Never mind the contractors have been hauling large groups of horses, long distances for many years SAFELY. The idea of actually researching how any of these contractors handle their horses or what the double deck rigs being used really look like inside or out was obviously not an option and never done.

This is a modified rig Flying U Rodeo Company uses. It is specifically designed to haul cattle in the top deck and horses on the lower one and in the front. Head height in the lower deck is 82”. That’s a skid over 6’ 8” or taller than the average 6’ 6” private stock or horse trailer going down the road to the average rescue.

Another custom built trailer. I would guess this photo was taken at the Merritt factory for promotional reason. Don’t these horses look upset, crowded, and mistreated?

Below are some interior photos of Korkow Rodeo’s double deck trailer modified to keep their horses safe and comfortable.

Wood shavings on the floor for bedding? How careless…

I know what my F-250 Super Duty and 7’x 16’ stock trailer cost. Care to estimate what one of these custom made big rigs run? So much for the ‘cheap bastard/greedy ass hat’ angle.

The factual side of this argument? ??

The only prior research studying transport of horses in double deck trailers was compiled at slaughter plants in the late 90s. The problems cited in this research as leading to injury are not applicable to rodeo horses and the methods used to handle them.

The contractors have obviously taken great care to insure the trailers are modified to be safe and comfortable for the horses. The photos and measurements given above are proof of that. The stock bios page at www.prorodeo.com has photos and statistical information about several top broncs the youngest foaled in 2000 the oldest 1993. I may be going out on limb but I am going to guess they have received fairly good care and hauling to remain competitive for that many years.

Rodeo horses are familiar with their hauling mates. They live together as well as travel together. The horse fights sighted as the main cause of slaughter horse transport injury in the research data are not an issue.

Loading and unloading, another leading cause of injury in the slaughter horse study is not a problem for rodeo horses. Not only have the contractors modified the ramps in the trailers to accommodate horses but the horses are taught to load and haul as youngsters. There is a youtube video link provided and much more information in this in depth review at http://prorodeo.com/community/pdfs/2010_double_deck_truck.pdf

I know if I were going to ask advice on how to haul horses I would certainly trust the knowledge and experience of Hank Franzen, Cotton Rosser, or Jim Korkow over that of The Friends of Barbaro crowd. Just my humble opinion but….

If transport safety is the real aim of this bill why is no mention made of any other form of livestock being transported in double deck trailers? I can think of two cattle pot accidents both less than 100 miles from me in which all the cattle died or were killed by law enforcement at the scene. Not one senator is pushing for safer legislation for them.

The slippery slope? If the equipment and knowledge of these long standing rodeo professionals is outlawed and condemned, how much longer until my stock trailer is outlawed? Featherlite did not design it specifically for horses. It is only 78” in height and who says I know how to load and haul horses safely in it?

By RH1

Where's Steve and the Shark truck with all of this stuff going on?

Okay, we've had a run of these stories, and I'm pretty sure I can find more if I look. Where's the shark truck when we need it?

Dead, malnourished horses, dogs found in South Kitsap; woman arrested

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012495467_animals31.html?prmid=obinsource

What floors me about this one is that they let her out of jail to care for her mother. If I was mom, I'd be very nervous right about now.

By RH2

The Rest of the Story…Simple Horse Keeping Economics…and Be Careful What You Wish for…

Like RH2, I come from a family with some colorful but often crude country sayings. “Even a blind sow finds an acorn every once in awhile” is an old standby used to describe a situation that turns out well on luck alone. My deal with Tim and his traveling partner discussed in the “I Didn’t See You There” blog is one of those situations.

I bought both horses on April 27, 2010. The picture above is how Tim looked on April 28. He is hobbled eating grass in the barnyards at my place. It’s common supplement for thin horses at my house in the spring and summer. The point I am trying to make? The feeding part of ‘rehabilitation is nothing special, just worm ‘em, feed ‘em, keep the stronger bossier horses from using them for chew toys, worm ‘em again and feed ‘em some more. Feeding horses back into condition has been made into something that takes a long time to do and only very special people can do it or so we are led to believe by the NAHSC. It ‘s the standard excuse for all thin horses housed at any rescue according to the ABR enablers as RH2 calls them, maybe yes, maybe no.

Back to Tim…. Tim got fat, slick, and the fatter and slicker he got the cuter he got. My only regret about how he left here? I didn’t get an after picture to prove the point I made above. Tim just didn’t tolerate prosperity well. The fitter he got the harder to get along with he became. Please note: when I say “get along with” I mean ride and ride with a purpose. Quite possibly the reason this cute and very athletic little gelding, which obviously had a lot of breeding somewhere, ended up at Deliverance North with no papers. On the third day of impromptu and unwelcome attempted bronc rides I simply unsaddled him, walked to the house, called my favorite auction and got him a place in the next sale and a barn rider. I don’t like to drive a 150 miles for one horse but then on the other hand especially in a tight market I don’t like to represent a not so honest horse while trying to represent a good one who came in the same trailer. Matter of fact I don’t like to represent a not so honest horse period. I called the auction owner, told him the whole story, got a number, arranged for a barn ride, and made plans to drop my cute little horse, clipped (no easy job) and clean, off the evening before the sale. The staff and I discussed his pretty color, cute head, soundness, and how he could be talented for someone who wanted to work harder at riding him than I did. We decided he would probably bring somewhere between $500 and $700 depending on which traders showed up. I headed my empty trailer home to spend my Saturday riding good colts who wanted to learn while the auction staff sold my less than honest gelding. This was July 17, 2010. Tim went from pretty pathetic to pretty darn cute in that time. Tim presented me with a net check of $1,389, even though, according to my auction owning friend, the little rat was trying to buck his man off in the ring. To put it mildly we were all very pleasantly surprised. Can’t speak for the trader who ended up with him but he was free and over the age of consent.

Not hardly a rescue but I’ll guarantee the horse is better off now than he was last August. Kind of makes me wonder why I spent all day representing a legitimately good gelding started on cattle a month before at what was supposed to be a ‘better’ sale to get $1,900. Guess the old saying is really true????

No, I did not donate one penny from the sale of either to anyone except the Anything for a Buck Foundation.

Next subject:

Simple horse keeping economics don’t own more than you can feed. Against my better judgment I went to the ABR thread about The Winding Road Rescue. I couldn’t help but notice much concern for the poor horses and very little for the child whose life had been torn apart because of his mother’s crazy ass obsessive rescue/hoarding. What he has been through couldn’t in any way affect his future relationship with not only animals but people as well could it????? But annnyyywaaayyyy……

All who claim there is no way to monitor these situations BEFORE the point of legal intervention. WAKE THE F*** UP! Trot yourselves down to the local feed store and read the back of the feed bags. Note the recommended pounds to feed per 100 pounds of body weight for a mature horse. Consult the calculator app on your I-phone, do the math. Total pounds of feed per 100 pounds of weight times the average weight of the average horse times 80 horses times 365 days. Next divide by the number of dollars sent in an average PayPal trick/donation to come up with how many menopausal neurotics it takes to feed that crowd every year.

Time is another factor I can’t come to grips with. Does that NAHSC Kool Aid make time stand still for ya’ll or what? I know without thinking one person is NOT capable of managing 30, 40, 50, or God forbid 80 horses in a confinement situation.

Lecture aside…on to the economics. I usually keep about 10 horses at home in the barns and lots. I rent pasture for 5 to 8 others. The number of horses both places can vary 3 or 4 either way but these are the average numbers. I rent a total of 20 acres of pasture. I estimate at the very least 3 acres per horse for summer grazing and I TRY to err on the side of having too much grass. Cost to me, $800 a year. The Kansas Flint Hills has some of the best grazing in the country but 80 head on 40 acres equals no grazing even in Kansas. I was through that part of the country recently and the pastures look great from all the moisture. Great everywhere EXCEPT at the rescue. Pasture management is obviously not a required course at Rescue U.

I figure 100 square bales a month, 12 months a year for the horses at home. Sometimes it’s less, sometimes it’s more, but that’s a good average to start with when lining up hay for the winter. I am about half way to my 800 bale goal now to see me through until first cutting is in next May. Hay costs this year look to be roughly $4,800 for the year. I feed a bulk grain ration delivered from a local feed store/elevator. It usually runs around $225 a ton. I use about a ton a month. Adds another $2,700 and that adds up to around $7,500 a year for 10 in the barn lots. It takes one whole customer horse tab and about one fifth of another to keep feed in front of the whole pack. If I spend an hour and a half a day, six days a week riding to pay for the feed, 3 hours a week hauling hay, and 1 hour a day doing chores more than 20 hours a week is shot to heck. I’ve kept two horses exercised/training and 8 others have been given basic care. Let’s not forget the other annoying details like fuel for the truck, rent on the building site, tack, salt and mineral, wormer, bedding for the few I choose to keep stalled, and shoeing. For the most part I do my own trimming but again that takes time too. Is this registering to anyone who reads those 10 paragraph essay posts from the ABR saviors? No matter how well people write, no matter how good their intentions are, there is a great big logistics/economics discrepancy going on here. The basic constants of horse keeping do not cease to exist or change in any way simply because the rescue has pure non-profit thoughts and I don’t.

Now, careful what you wish for…Several years ago in the beginning, the idea of ‘humane euthanasia stations’ was passed around. The ‘profit’ only rewarded the bad people to keep raising horses, blah, blah, blah…..In other words you can kill them just don’t pay the owners to get them to kill. Well, here ya go folks… I am quoting directly from an Iowa Farmer Today (July 24, 2010) article by Bob Boshart sent to me by a friend.

A state board agreed to invest $25,000 in a feasibility study for a proposed Iowa City project exploring a humane way to euthanize (that means kill by the way) horses and process the meat for animal consumption. The Economic Development Board (DED) gave unanimous support for a grant to Responsible Transportation, LLC to ‘consolidate unwanted horses across the Midwest’ and put the animals down free of charge, according to DED documents. The company, which pledged nearly $31,000 for the study to be completed in July 2011, has used innovation to improve animal handling practices.

Responsible Transportation, LLC requested technical assistance funding for third party research that will allow the company to conduct a feasibility study, plan for the development of a processing plant, perform an export analysis, and design a website and building design.

The activity will facilitate the company application for a USDA guaranteed loan to further the business operation, according to board documents.

And there you go…. All done…No profit for the horse owners. No EU restrictions. No more “from stable to table”. I plan on trying to learn what ‘innovation to improve handling' is but right now I have to get back to work, refer to the economics paragraph.

BY RH1

Another Day, Another "Rescue"

Eleven horses seized

7/20/2010

http://empiretribune.com/articles/2010/07/21/news/doc4c461aff598c9802350714.txt

I know a lot of people want to continue to work on ending Slaughter in America. But what do we do about this trend? Another "Rescue", more starving horses, and we haven't even gotten into Winter. What can we do to stop the hoarding and enabling? How can we educate those who continue to support these "Rescues" even after criminal charges are filed against them? How do we point out the "Rescues" headed down the same road when there are those who will support them no matter how many horses they take in, or how high their maintenance bills for those horses rise? How do we learn that saying "NO" is sometimes kinder than the "save"? Sorry, I'm just so tired of seeing walking skeletons-made with "love".

BY RH2

Owner of seized horses tells her side

7/21/2010

http://empiretribune.com/articles/2010/07/21/news/doc4c476950b7c86102516289.txt

Two arrested in case of alleged animal cruelty

7/22/2010

http://empiretribune.com/articles/2010/07/23/news/doc4c48cb4c083d0175918340.txt

From what I am reading in message forums there may well be much more to this.

http://forums.delphiforums.com/dreamhorse/messages?msg=121869.1

Winding Road (to hell)

As you know RH2 recently wrote a piece on a horse seizure in KS resulting in the arrest of horse rescuer Kristin Chambers for the neglect of at least 80 horses in her care.

Here is some additional reporting and Video on the Winding road horse seizure and arrest.

http://www.wibw.com/localnews/headlines/100485054.html?storySection=story

Aren’t They The Coolest Thing You Ever Did See????

While Fugly and Team *NAHSC are scanning the globe or at least Craig’s List and the North American continent for things in the horse world to bitch about we miss things like this. They are on Craig’s List too, but we didn’t hear about them. Even though they are on Craig’s List I’m going guess they are not in need of rescue. In other words I’ll bet they ain’t cheap. According to the ad they come with the harness, wagon, and all the gear, the ponies range in age from 8 to 15, and are one of only five in the U. S.. I don’t know about that but I think they are the cutest things I’ve seen in a long time. You tube video under Crazy 8’s Ponies.

Sometimes we need to stop bitching and remember why we all give a crap about what happens to the horses and the horse industry. We need to celebrate the good. What a well trained and turned out set of ponies. Think how much effort has gone into matching and training them not to mention the financial outlay for their gear.

By RH1

Down The Road Again

http://forums.prospero.com/alexbrown/messages?msg=50049.1

My dad had a saying-"How many times do you need to get kicked in the ass before you know it hurts?" A little crude, but I think you get the message. And I wonder with some people, how many times they do need to have it happen. Take the latest EPONA drama. I know, will it ever end? The answer is no. I recently wrote a blog about a Rescue failing and the part enablers play in these things. You'd think people would at the very least think long and hard about who they are helping. Not so much, in some cases. here's the gist of this one- Lin of EPONA posted that she was notified of a large team of Belgian mares that bolt under harness. The bail for these horses is $1000. There are 7 days to save them, then off to the Kill Buyers they will go. No other options-Lin or the Kil Buyers (stop it, I know what you're thinking!) Now, since she works 50 hours a week, has just taken in 2 (10) horses, and has 2 new babies with more on the way, Lin herself does not have time to actually bring these drafts to EPONA. Lucky day for the drafts! BUT- with all she has to do, Lin has found a foster home for these mares, as well as a trainer! She never ceases to amaze me, our Lady of EPONA. And, on top of this, she's on her way to work at the fair for a few days. I think Lin has missed her calling. Instead of running a Rescue, she should be writing a book on successful multi-tasking. WHERE does the woman find the time to take on yet another fund raising task? Oh-sorry, I got ahead of myself here. Lin is going to need that full grand raised from the wonderful FOB's. The person with the mares isn't going to contribute, and the new home isn't either. The trainer isn't going to. But don't worry, we can count on Lin's spotless reputation as an incentive to send in that money. Apparently, we're going to need to count on that, since Lin does not have pictures of the team, or contact information for the seller, the new foster home, or the trainer. As with all things EPONA, we are expected to go on blind faith. And in truth, you'd have to be blind to continue to buy her bullshit. After all, when she "saved" those two mares recently, she DID neglect to mention the other 8 horses she purchased. But that's Lin-half truths, if you get the truth at all. I was feeling pretty proud of the folks over on ABR-the donations and "Bless you's" did not come flooding in. Of course, Lin wasn't real happy with this. In one of the most interesting posts I have ever read from her (#35) Lin herself states how she is being compared to the Rescue that failed and had charges filed against it. Of course, Lin feels she is nothing like a Rescue that takes in too many horses, fabricates stories, and continues to take in more horses despite the fact that they can't even pay for the care of the ones they have in house. And she goes further. She states that there will be blood on the hands of the "emailing hate mongers and liars on other forums" who apparently are now poisoning the EPONA money well. Needless to say, that does not go over well with everyone. In post #40, it is explained to Lin that in light of what has just happened with the other Rescue, ALL Rescues (yes, even you, Lin) need to be more accountable. It is further stated that people SHOULD question a request for donations to horses there are no pictures for going to a foster there is no information for, and that it is wrong for Lin to place the blame on those who donate because they are being a little more cautious. Lin is asked about her numbers-she has 48 now, but wants to get down to 30 by Winter. That must be the reason she recently purchased 10, some in foal. She was asked about her outstanding hay and vet bill, since she was asking for help in paying them. Lin replied she always carries a balance with her vet, and that the hay bill has been paid. In post #53, Lin is asked why the new Foster home can't contribute to the purchase price of the horses, and more importantly-how is the trainer going to get paid? It is also asked if Lin checked on the status of the Foster's health insurance, as large horses that bolt will definitely pose a safety risk. In post #59, there is a link to a Craigslist ad posted. Two well broke Belgian mares for sale for-you guessed it-$1000, and Lin is asked if these are the mares she is trying to get. Of course, right now, Lin is at the fair, so her enablers step in and help out by answering. In post #76, the Craigslist ad is brought up again. Lin does answer in post #87, stating "her" mares are in Nebraska. The owner of the mares on Craigslist posts to assure everyone that these are NOT the mares Lin is buying (sorry, folks, I'd still be calling the number in the ad). The enablers continue to push this along. I guess they haven't learned anything yet. I guess that despite what is right in front of them, they prefer the Fairy tale of EPONA to the reality. I think my favorite part of this whole thread is Lin's insistence that this person will work with no one else but her, because of her sterling reputation. As I have said before, if you do your homework, and read between the lines, the truth is always pretty easy to see. Lin states in post #1 she was notified of these horses-so she does not have any prior knowledge of the owner or the horses. Now, suddenly, Lin is the only person this person will sell to? I would not forge that kind of bond unless I have met that person. And then, I'd have to visit their facility. Otherwise, they're just a broker I'm working through. If Lin went to meet the owner, why didn't she take pictures of the horses? Lin further states that the Foster home and trainer do not want their names on a public forum. Why is that? They are obviously doing a wonderful thing here, taking in two very dangerous horses. IF I was going to donate, I would want to know how the training was going on these two very challenging mares, wouldn't you? And, given the Phoenix Rising situation, I'd sure as hell want to know exactly where they were actually going once paid for. Hey, EPONA fans, I've got some lovely beach front property for ya. I don't have any pictures, and there's no deed for the house, but trust me, it's there. I'll post my paypal addy so you can send me your cash......When will this ever end?

By RH2