From Our Friends at Wild Horse Education

 Please help STOP this!!
(Photo by: Leslie Peeples)  

From our friends at Wild Horse Education.


The new documentary, Part 2 of the 3 part series, "Wild Horses: How Did it Get So Bad?" is now available.  


Hold Your Wild Horses Documentary: Part 2


It took a law suit to get a conversation started on "humane care".  This way of treating America's wild horses must stop and you can help!  To understand how to help, you need to understand how it all works.  This documentary will answer some of your questions and give you a better look into the history behind the Wild Horse and Burro Act and the BLM.  Some of the questions discussed are:


Does the Wild Horse and Burro Act of Congress mean anything?  


Why is the symbol of American freedom being treated as feral livestock?


What is the truth?


Choppers will be flying again soon and there is a lot of work to be done, including field work, and funding is needed.  People who have already watched the video say it's a MUST SEE and should be seen by everyone!    


Please watch Part 2, "How Did it Get So Bad?", of the 3 part series, to help support the work of "Wild Horse Education" - they do some AWESOME work for our horses and burros!!  Part 1: "The Horses Journey", will be added as a bonus!!


Hold Your Wild Horses Documentary: Part 2

Please donate if you can, but even more importantly, please watch, learn and SHARE the video!!


Part 3:" What Can We Do?" is coming soon!


Check out the "Wild Horse Education" website here: Wild Horse Education

And you can follow them on Facebook here: Wild Horse Education on Facebook




  

Happy Birthday Cloud!!

Today is Cloud's 17th birthday!!

In honor of Cloud's birthday, I would like to remind you that the BLM is planning a round-up of the Pryor horses using bait-traping, this summer.  They want to remove 30-40 horses in the Pryors ages 1-3 years old. That could include Cloud's look-a-like  grandson, Echo. Not only does he look like Cloud and have his spirit, Echo also represents a very rare color and has very rare genetic lines. This bait trapping could decimate the genetics of the herd. 

This is an AWESOME video about Cloud and his band that is on PBS Video.  You will really like it!! Cloud Video on PBS Nature  ~Declan


From Ginger Kathrens, volunteer Executive Director of the Cloud Foundation

17 Years and Going STRONG!

Cloud, May 23, 2012 ~ courtesy of the Cloud Foundation

Today, May 29^th, we celebrate the birthday of Cloud, son of the stunning, black stallion Raven and Phoenix, the palomino mare, who is 21 years young this spring.

Seventeen years ago today, Anni Williams and I were on Tillett Ridge in the Pryor Mountains engrossed in filming a young stallion trying to breed his father’s newly won mare. His father, Opposite, was off playing with nearby bachelors. The filly had successfully fought off the two year-old when his father returned to sniff his son, and I guessed that this young son would soon be “asked” to leave the family.

That’s when I noticed a flash of white in the trees to my left and had the presence of mind to pan my camera just as Phoenix led her newborn, nearly white son in front of us. The band followed close behind with Raven protectively pulling up the rear. As the newborn colt tottered by I whispered to Anni, “Do you know how special this is?” At the time I had no idea that the fragile colt would become an ambassador for all mustangs in the West.

Last week, Lauryn and I were elated to find Cloud and his family (Aztec, Jasmine, Breeze, the Black, Dancer, Agate, Ingrid, Lynx, Feldspar and her foal) in intermittent rain and snow.  All 11 were looking fabulous. The gray colt at Feldspar’s side instantly won our hearts. As we watched him play with Ingrid’s yearling son, Lynx (son of the deceased stallion Ferdinand), I sensed a band stallion in the making—if he survives. Cloud’s only living son is Bolder, but he was not raised by Cloud. The gray colt represents a chance for Cloud to raise a son. We laughed when the colt tried to mimic his father. Cloud had defecated on the spot where one of his mares had urinated. The gray colt sniffed the area and tried to urinate on the same spot. He missed the mark by about three feet, but he tried nevertheless!

Cloud himself looks grand as you can see. We watched him drive the band stallions Mescalero and Morning Star away. At 17 years of age, he has not missed a beat and still moves with the easy grace of his father and the fierce determination he first exhibited as a bachelor stallion. Cloud tried to start a family at the tender age of four and nearly died trying. At five, he succeeded in winning a mare in a most unorthodox way. Since that time his family has grown, and he has consistently led one of the largest bands on the Pryor Mountains

We hope you’ll share with us a birthday wish that Cloud might remain a powerful leader in his mountain stronghold. You go big boy! PBS is celebrating his birthday too with a short video update we just completed before heading up to Montana last week. Check it out on PBS Nature’s site.

Happy Trails!
Ginger

P.S. Cloud’s legacy includes his lookalike grandson, Echo, who could be removed in the upcoming summer bait trapping in the Pryor Mountains. Please send a message (or an additional message if you have done so already) to BLM asking them not to remove Echo, or any of the young 1-3 year olds that have been identified as genetically critical to the future survival this small, vulnerable population of Spanish-style mustangs.

Click (HERE) to see photos of Cloud and his family!!

For more information, you can go to The Cloud Foundation Website and "like" their page on Facebook.

The Cloud Foundation Website

Cloud the Stallion on Facebook

Sgt. Reckless

This story was posted on my friend, R.T. Fitch's blog, and I thought you would like it.

It's a super cool story about a horse who became a hero during the Korean War.  Reckless was a true hero and received many awards for her bravery and loyalty.  Reckless didn't even resist when she was sold to the US Marines, by her owner, a young Korean boy, who used the money to buy a prosthetic leg for his sister.  Reckless was an amazing and brave horse and our hero!

You can go to to R.T.'s blog here: Straight From the Horses Heart

~Declan

Sgt. Reckless – The Real War Horse

Posted: May 27, 2012 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News 

Information supplied by sgtreckless.com and realwarhorse.com

A Four-Legged American War Hero

Click Image to Visit the Sgt. Reckless Website

The story of Reckless is not only remarkable – it is unusual.  And once you learn about her, you will see why the Marine Corps not only fell in love with her – but honored her and promoted her every chance they got.  And it wasn’t just the Marines that served with her in the trenches that honored her – her last promotion to Staff Sergeant was by Gen. Randolph McC Pate – the Commandant of the entire Marine Corps.  You can’t get higher than that in the Marines.

Reckless joined the Marines to carry ammunition to the front lines for the 75mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon of the5th Marines – and she quickly earned the love and respect of all of the Marines that served with her.  Lt. Eric Pedersen paid $250 of his own money to a young Korean boy, Kim Huk Moon, for her.  The only reason Kim sold his beloved horse was so he could buy an artificial leg for his older sister, Chung Soon, who lost her leg in a land mine accident.

Kim’s loss was the Marines’ gain.

It was not only Reckless’ heroics that endeared the Marines to her – it was her incredible antics off of the battlefield.  You will not believe her antics when she was being ignored, or if she was hungry – let’s just say you never wanted to leave your food unattended.  As legendary as she was for her heroics – her appetite became even more legendary.  This horse had a mind of her own – not to mention, being very determined.

Reckless had a voracious appetite.  She would eat anything and everything – but especially scrambled eggs and pancakes in the morning with her morning cup of coffee.  She also loved cake, Hershey bars, candy from the C rations, and Coca Cola – even poker chips, blankets and hats when she was being ignored – or if she was trying to just prove a point.

One of Reckless’ finest hours came during the Battle of Outpost Vegas in March of 1953.  At the time of this battle it was written that, “The savagery of the battle for the so-called Nevada Complex has never been equaled in Marine Corps history.”  This particular battle “was to bring a cannonading and bombing seldom experienced in warfare … twenty-eight tons of bombs and hundreds of the largest shells turned the crest of Vegas into a smoking, death-pocked rubble.”  And Reckless was in the middle of all of it.

Enemy soldiers could see her as she made her way across the deadly “no man’s land” rice paddies and up the steep 45-degree mountain trails that led to the firing sites.  “It’s difficult to describe the elation and the boost in morale that little white-faced mare gave Marines as she outfoxed the enemy bringing vitally needed ammunition up the mountain,” Sgt. Maj. James E. Bobbitt recalled.

During this five-day battle, on one day alone she made 51 trips from the Ammunition Supply Point to the firing sites, 95% of the time by herself.  She carried 386 rounds of ammunition (over 9,000 pounds – almost FIVE TONS! — of ammunition), walked over 35 miles through open rice paddies and up steep mountains with enemy fire coming in at the rate of 500 rounds per minute.  And as she so often did, she would carry wounded soldiers down the mountain to safety, unload them, get reloaded with ammo, and off she would go back up to the guns.  She also provided a shield for several Marines who were trapped trying to make their way up to the front line.  Wounded twice, she didn’t let that stop or slow her down.

What she did in this battle not only earned her the respect of all that served with her, but it got her promoted to Sergeant.  Her heroics defined the word “Marine.”  She was BELOVED by the Marines.  They took care of her better than they took care of themselves – throwing their flak jackets over her to protect her when incoming was heavy, risking their own safety.

Her Military Decorations include two Purple Hearts, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with star, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, all of which she wore proudly on her red and gold blanket, along with a French Fourragere that the 5th Marines earned in WW1.

There has never been a horse like Reckless, and her story needs to be honored.

www.realwarhorse.com

www.sgtreckless.com

Patriotic Horses

Here are a whole lot of horses all ready for Memorial Day!  They are so cool - I wish I had a horse and could do that too!!!!!!!  

Horses are a symbol of freedom, and they sacrifice themselves to help us every day.  Horses have won battles for us, they have helped build our communities, they have also give us companionship, and have done many other things.  That is why I really wanted to make this blog post.  Horses are not just things we use, they are living breathing creatures that have feeling like us.  Without horses I would crumble!  I love horses!!!!!!!!!  ~Declan

Firefighter Keeps Horse She Rescues

This is a really terrific story about a firefighter who saved a horse and then adopted it!  This story is so cool because another horse is going to be treated humanely and now has a home!  I love reading these stories!!!!!!  ~Declan

Firefighter adopts pony she set off to rescue

By Horsetalk.co.nz on May 26, 2012 in News

Firefighter Louise Ayley set off to help rescue a collapsed pony. Before the animal had even left the scene, she had offered to adopt him.

Ayley was among firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s Animal Rescue Unit called in March to help British RSPCA staff lift the emaciated pony back to his feet in a West Kingsdown, where he had apparently been dumped.

RSPCA inspector Vikki Dawe said: “The skewbald pony, thought to be about a year old, was in a very poor condition, malnourished and full of worms. He had clearly suffered for some time and it was so sad to see an animal in such a sorry state.

“The brown and white pony was unable to get to his feet without support, yet appeared to be bright, alert and was clearly a fighter. So I asked for the fire service’s help to lift the stricken pony to his feet.”

Ayley and her Animal Rescue Unit colleagues from Faversham were quickly on the scene and used their specialist equipment to help. Before he was safely in the horse box, Ayley asked what would happen to him and promptly offered to adopt the pony once his rehabilitation was complete.

Rodney, as he is now named, spent two weeks being treated by a vet before being moved to an RSPCA rehabilitation centre.

Until recently, he did not have enough muscle mass so had to be helped up and supported, but Ayley was then able to take him home to Faversham to join her other horse, Zarby.

Ayley said: “I’d originally planned to call him Del Trotter, but he has such lanky long legs, so Rodney seemed more appropriate.

“He’s incredibly sweet, full of character and very cheeky. Rodney is still feeding four times a day, but getting much stronger and beginning to fill out. Everyone loves him, although he only has eyes for Zarby, despite the fact he only comes up to her belly”.

Notinrwildestdremz

I like this story because it says that the owners did not race their horse until it was 4 and did not use drugs, even though they knew it would mean she wouldn't finish as well.  I wish the family that rescued the horses did not have to because then that would mean the horses were not abused in the beginning of their lives.  I am thankful for the people who own her now and how their barn is called 5R Race Horse Stable - Rescue, Rehabilitation, Racing, Re-training, Retirement.  ~Declan



May 18, 2012 10:07 AM

"Notinrwildestdremz": Abused horse, rescued, runs in race

By

Erica Hill of CBS News


Full CBS News Story Video Here

(CBS News) In the stands of Belmont Park Wednesday, Sean and Angelika Kerr were nervous.

Their four-year-old filly was about to run her first race.

The expectations for the rookie were admittedly low - in so many ways, her name, "Notinrwildestdremz," pronounced: not in our wildest dreams, said it all.

"I don't know if you remember the news, where some of these horses looked like Holocaust victims," recounts Sean.

In the spring of 2009, police and a local humane society raided an upstate New York breeding farm, where they found deplorable conditions: 177 horses close to starving, their bodies ravaged.

The animals were confiscated and put up for adoption.

Among them, two young fillies and a gelding - each of them severely underweight and in desperate need of care.

"So we drove up," recalled Angelika, managing partner of the 5R Race Horse Stable, "looked at them, and the decision was to be made which one we take. ... So, we said, 'Let's take all three of them."'

With that, Captain Crime Scene, Driving Miss Dixie, and Notinrwildestdremz suddenly belonged to the Kerrs.

With three recovering horses now in their care, the couple knew they'd need a little help.

They created 5R Stables, and sold shares to finance their new mission.

What are the five Rs?

"They stand for rescue, rehabilitation, racing, re-training and retirement," says Angelika.

More than 100 people have a share in 5R, whose goal it was to rehabilitate the three horses.

For two of the horses, the focus was on rehab - physical conditions as a result of their time at that breeding farm in upstate New York meant they'd never train as racehorses.

But Dremz - that's her nickname - stood out.

"She came out of the barn with this confidence. I went, 'Oh my God, she's a racehorse!"'

Through careful nurturing and rehabilitation, Dremz's potential began to emerge, and the Kerrs went looking for a trainer.

They found Billy Turner, who has a rich pedigree of his own. Turner trained 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. And though nobody imagines that kind of success for Dremz, Turner agrees there's something special about this horse.

"I must admit," he says, "I've been amazed at the progress that she's made."

Two weeks ago, on the muddy main track at Belmont, Dremz impressed during a training run. The Kerrs and Turner knew she was ready to compete.

Which brings us back to the nervous couple up in the stands and Wednesday's sixth race.

In the end, Dremz did not win. In fact, she finished dead last.

But that's OK, because the race itself was a victory. She'd already beaten the odds.

As Sean and Angelica hugged, he said, "She did it. She did it!"