Woman's Bid To Save Donkey That Resembles A Woolly Mammoth From Extinction

I cannot believe that people were good and ready to slaughter this endangered rare donkey! Thank you Ms. Annie Pollack for rescuing these wonderful animals!  ~Declan

Woman's bid to save donkey that resembles a woolly mammoth from extinction after their numbers drop to less than 1,000

• Annie Pollock began rescuing giant Poitou donkeys bound for abbatoirs
• Hampshire farmer has built up largest herd of Baudet de Poitou in the UK
• Loveable donkeys have shaggy coats and can grow to up to 8ft tall

By Kerry Mcdermott
PUBLISHED:06:57 EST, 8 May 2013| UPDATED:09:01 EST, 9 May 2013
As posted on Mail Online

A female farmer has dedicated herself to rescuing a critically endangered breed of giant French donkey after falling in love with the quirky creatures.

Annie Pollock, from Lymington in the New Forest, has devoted the past nine years to rescuing and nurturing enormous Baudet de Poitou donkeys - which resemble a cross between a woolly mammoth and Star Wars favourite Chewbacca.

Ms Pollock is now the proud owner of 22 Poitou - the largest herd in the UK.

Enormous: Farmer Annie Pollock, seen with giant donkey Izzy, has the largest herd of Baudet de Poitou donkeys in the UK

There are thought to be less than 1,000 of the 'mischievous' giant donkeys left in existence.

The lovable donkeys can grow to more than 8ft tall - bigger than most horses - and breeders have to keep them to a strict diet to prevent them growing too large.

 

Annie, 52, has spent the last nine years building up a herd of 22 Poitou donkeys, which originate from the Poitou-Charentes region of France and are known for their friendly yet mischievous personalities.

She and her small team of farm hands work round the clock to look after the rare donkeys, dedicating hours to grooming their unusual shaggy coats to stop them turning into dreadlocks.

Loveable: Poitou foals Charlie and Cadeau at the farm in Hampshire, where the farmer made a home for rescued donkeys that had been bound for the abbatoir in France

The breed were popular working animals until the mid 20th century when they were replaced with machines.

A survey in 1977 found just 44 surviving donkeys, and there are still less than 1,000 in existence.

Ms Pollock, one of only two Poitou breeders in the UK, said: 'In 2004 I phoned a lady in France looking to buy a llama, and ended up with two Poitou donkeys which I instantly fell in love with.

'I started looking into the breed and found out they were incredibly rare.

'Gradually I built up the herd, and then started rescuing them.

'I have rescued seven from France which would have otherwise ended up going to the slaughter house.

'Word spread I was rescuing them and I have since been approached by a lot of people about taking in their Poitou.

'The breed were to France what shire horses are to Britain and were exported all over the world,' Ms Pollock said.

'Then came mechanisation and they fell out of favour.

'There are still less than 1,000 in the stud book and we have 22 of them,' she added.

Critically endangered: There now are less than 1,000 Poitou donkeys like Izzy in existence

Mischievous: Ms Pollock said the donkeys are funny and friendly, but also 'a bit naughty'

The biggest donkey at Annie’s 120-acre Norley Farm is Verveine, dwarfing standard donkeys at a whopping 16 hands - or 5ft 4ins - measured to its shoulders.

Its huge neck and head add several extra feet to its overall height.

The largest in the world lives on a farm in Texas and stands at 17 hands (5ft 7ins).

The biggest donkey in the UK is thought to be at a farm in Lincolnshire, standing at 8ft tall when measured from the ground to the tip of its ears.

Annie added: 'Verveine is huge and will probably get a bit bigger still. At 16 hands she is quite a bit bigger than people like to ride horses.

'Most people tend to ride horses that are 14 or 15 hands.

'Historically they had very poor diets so we actually have to limit what they eat otherwise they will grow too big.

'I love their temperament, they’re so funny and friendly, and they teach you patience.

'They’re very intelligent and also a bit naughty. People often write-off donkeys but  I think they are just wonderful.'

Horses are such wonderful healers!  ~Declan

In perfect harmony: horses as healers

Posted: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 12:02 pm on CalaverasEnterprise.com

By Judy Georgiou 

Dogs have long been valued in the medical world as indispensable companions for people with disabilities. They can see and hear for the impaired, move for the immobile and are better than Prozac in lifting the spirits of just about anyone, with or without disabilities.

But how about horses?

“Few people know the gifts horses bring with them,” said Tara Glessman, founder of Harmony Ranch, a nonprofit equine-assisted activities program in Mountain Ranch, where children and young adults partake in recreational therapeutic riding.

Glessman bridled her 10-year-old mustang Hadassah and led her through the barn doors toward the arena on the El Dorado Ranch property. The horse is one of six that Glessman uses to work with students who have emotional, behavioral and physical disabilities such as autism, post-traumatic stress syndrome, Asperger syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

“Horses changed my life in ways nobody could since I was 14. I wanted to share this gift with others,” Glessman said. “We provide a place where students can make a change in a very positive way.”

Her students have the opportunity to develop trust, self-confidence, and responsibility through mastering horsemanship skills. She builds a strong foundation by teaching them how to halter their horse, groom saddle, lead and ride. They discuss how horses think and how to be safe around them.

“Our goal is independence,” Glessman added.

Over time, students often learn to ride largely because they’ve developed strong communication skills with the horse, forging a trusting relationship that can be elusive with people.

“Horses teach kids empathy,” Glessman explained as she admired Hadassah. “They’re masters of communication without words, the perfect mirror of emotions. Sometimes a student can’t tell me what’s wrong, but it’s reflected in their relationship with the horse.”

“Eighty percent of human communication is non-verbal,” she continued. “A horse is honest. The way they respond to the way they are ridden tells a lot about the student’s energy.”

Glessman has seen dramatic changes in her riders. Three years ago, a student with Asperger syndrome began her program.

“He had intense hyperactive behavior. At first, he couldn’t even look me in the eyes,” she recalled. “Over time, he started to trust and connect to the horses, and controlled his emotional swings when he saw them reflected in the horse’s behavior. On a trail ride one afternoon, as he rode an Appaloosa named “Jellybean,” the peace and rhythmic movement of the trail provided a safe haven. He started to open up and trust me, too. Then he looked deeply into my eyes; I didn’t think it was possible.”

Glessman smiled quickly, as emotion caught her breath. “He’s finding himself. He’s getting comfortable in his own skin. It’s beautiful.”

Besides the soulful allure of galloping a white stallion down a sandy beach into the sunset, there are very real physical benefits to riding as well.

For example, at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Danish equestrian legend Lis Hartel became the first woman in the equestrian sports to win an Olympic silver medal. She accomplished this feat despite being paralyzed below the knees, and told the world how riding her horse, Jubilee, had helped her recover from polio.

“A horse’s stride is the closest to the human gait,” Glessman explained. “Moving in rhythm with the horse provides sensory input which is rhythmic and repetitive, very similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. This stimulates muscle memory.” Riding can improve balance, posture, mobility and function for people with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

How did Harmony Ranch begin? Three years ago, Glessman started teaching at Bridlewood Equestrian Center in Copperopolis. In January of 2012, she moved to the rolling green hills of El Dorado Ranch in Mountain Ranch, and became a certified trainer in horsemanship skills and safety training with the International Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International. She feels fortunate to see her vision blossom into reality with the use of a large barn, ten horse stalls, a round pen, arena and easy access to serene mountain trails.

As Executive Director, trainer and barn manager, Glessman is grateful for a group of dedicated volunteers who assist her.

“They are a huge part of our success. I’d welcome anyone interested in volunteering to contact me, so we can help more kids,” she added hopefully.

“We keep our riding prices very low and have a sponsorship program as well. I don’t want to turn anyone away. Everyone should have a chance to heal,” Glessman smiled as Hadassah seemed to whinny in agreement.

Glessman admits that meeting the expenses of Harmony Ranch is challenging.

“I just can’t let the kids down,” she said without hesitation. “I’m very lucky to have a great board of directors who share my passion and determination. This isn’t a job; it’s a mission.”

While more studies are needed to show exactly what role horses play in health, Glessman sees firsthand the benefits of her program.

“We’re reaching those hard-to-reach kids,” she said as she led Hadassah back to her stall, stroking the horse’s soft mane gently. “I’ve seen how lives can change by working with horses. I just love what I get to do.”

For more information on Harmony Ranch, contact Tara Glessman at (209) 754-4299 or Harmonyranch@rocketmail.com.

Colorado sheriff opens wild horse investigation

By Dave Philipps Published: May 8, 2013 | 5:40 pm   As posted on The Gazette

After months of false starts, state authorities have opened a formal criminal investigation into Tom Davis, a southern Colorado wild horse buyer who admitted to breaking state laws while shipping hundreds of federally protected wild horses to an unknown fate out of state.

Last week, the Conejos County Sheriff's Office opened the investigation at the request of state brand commissioner Chris Whitney, who said Davis, of La Jara, admitted to the commissioner that he broke brand laws.

A ProPublica report published in The Gazette in September detailed how Davis, a proponent of horse slaughter, purchased truckloads of protected wild horses from the Bureau of Land Management. Davis said he then shipped the horses to what he called 'good homes ' all over the country. None of the horses has been accounted for. Wild horse advocates believe they illegally went to slaughter. Davis denies this.

Colorado law requires a state brand inspection when livestock is sold or shipped more than 75 miles. Brand records show Davis received more than 1,700 horses from the BLM, but shipped only 765. None of the horses is in his possession, meaning almost 1,000 were shipped or sold without an inspection.

Davis admitted as much to ProPublica in 2012, saying he did not want brand inspectors to know where the horses were going. When the reporter suggested that was illegal, Davis replied, 'Since when is anything in this country done legal? '

He could not be reached for comment last week.

Each violation of the brand law is misdemeanor punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

After the ProPublica report, state agencies dithered, unsure how to enforce the law. The brand commissioner thought it was the job of the district attorney in Alamosa. The district attorney said it was not. Nothing happened with the case until a Gazette inquiry in early April.

After being contacted by The Gazette, the district attorney, David Mahonee, referred the case to the Conejos County Sheriff, where it was seemingly forgotten again.

'We don't have any open investigations, ' Undersheriff Chris Crown said in late April. 'If Davis didn't get a brand inspection then you need to need to speak to the brand inspector. '

Brand Commissioner Whitney, notified by The Gazette that there was no investigation, said last week he called the sheriff's office and the undersheriff assured him he would open an investigation.

The undersheriff could not be reached for comment.

On Wednesday, the district attorney confirmed that the sheriff had opened an investigation. 'I can't say more than that, but I know they are working it, ' Mahonee said.

The federal government is also investigating Davis for allegedly selling wild horses to slaughter in violation of agreements he signed with the Bureau of Land Management.

Repeated calls to the spokesman for the Interior Department's inspector general's office regarding the investigation were not returned.

Horse Saved From Slaughterhouse When His Pregnant Mother Was Bought For Just $300 Beats The Odds And Wins

This story proves that slaughter bound horses are NOT worthless and that EVERY horse is at risk!!!  Thank you Ms. Gail Vacca for saving Lulu and  unknowingly saving her foal Magna Fortuna too!! ~Declan

Horse saved from the slaughterhouse when his pregnant mother was bought for just $300 beats the odds and wins Chicago race

By Associated Press  As posted on Mail Online
PUBLISHED:10:51 EST, 3 May 2013| UPDATED:13:58 EST, 3 May 2

He may never run for the Kentucky Derby roses, but Illinois race horse Magna Fortuna and his owners are celebrating a victory none-the-less — his survival.

The three-year-old gelding's name means 'great luck', and he was a long shot when he won a recent race at Hawthorne Race Course outside Chicago - one of the biggest race tracks in America.

His mother Lulu was purchased for $300 at an Indiana slaughter auction by Gail Vacca, founder and president of the Illinois Equine Rescue Center.

Lucky: Magna Fortuna, with jockey Julio Felix up, rides to a 9 3/4-length win during a horse race at Hawthorne Park in Cicero, Chicago

Dark horse: The three-year-old gelding whose name means 'great luck' was the longest of long shots when he won the race

Vacca found out later that Lulu was pregnant when purchased.

When the foal was born he was first named Taxi - that was until Vacca traced his lineage back to an impressive sire — a $2.58 million career stakes winner called Magna Graduate.

Speaking about the race, Vacca said the horse - who was the number six spot in the seven horse race - led the entire way.

'He was out for a joyride,' she said afterwards. 'He didn't even look back.'

Magna Fortuna's 'biography' explains the moment Vacca rescued the horse's mother Silver Option from slaughter: 'Ms Vacca was at the auction looking for any thoroughbreds that may have come from the tracks in Illinois when she spotted a smallish bay mare that was in obvious discomfort from being severely lame in both front feet.

'Unfortunately the mare was already in a "kill pen" just waiting to be loaded onto a trailer for the grueling ride to slaughter in Canada.'

After being taken back to Illinois, Silver Option soon gave birth to Magna Fortuna, who was originally named Taxi until his routes were traced back to his race-winning father.

It was then that Vacca decided he would be trained to race.

Since the victory, offers have flooded in to buy the horse but so far they have been rejected.

Rescue: Gail Vacca, center, the founder and president of the Illinois Equine Rescue Center, purchased the horse's mother at a slaughter auction and later found out the horse was pregnant with Magna Fortuna

This story is awesome and gives proof that there is no such thing as an"unwanted horse"!!  Thank you Karen Bander for giving these horses a second chance and a new life with a wonderful job!  When I look into a horses eyes, I see the healing hands of God and I am so thankful that these horses get to help heal these children and adults.  ~Declan

Abandoned Horses Helping Children and Adults Facing Challenges

Throwaway Ponies is giving horses a new leash on life

By Tammy Mutasa

|  Thursday, May 2, 2013  |  Updated 5:03 PM CDT

Tammy Mutasa, NBC 5 Rockwall Reporter

Some ponies once abandoned by their owners are now helping people facing serious life challenges, thanks to Throwaway Ponies in Rockwall, Texas

Ponies once abandoned by their owners have a new lease on life; helping children and people facing serious life challenges.

Sometimes healing can come from an unlikely companion. For 13-year-old Rachel Papson, her horse Flaminca helps ease the crippling pain in her feet caused by Lyme disease.

"She would just protect my heart if I gave it to her. She is just amazing," said Papson. "It's just a pure blessing from God. I just don't know how to express it; just a new world and I don't know what I'd do without her."

Throwaway Ponies are animals nobody wanted, but they're getting a second chance as therapeutic riding horses for children with physical and emotional disabilities.

"The horses help them learn. If they can handle a 1,000-pound animal, they can handle what life throws at them," said founder Karen Bander.

The organization started nine years ago as a backyard operation with three horses. Now it has more than 70 horses being used for therapy riding and hundreds more that have been adopted out.

The group said with the economy, it's about 30 percent more expensive to feed horses, making the number of abandoned ponies skyrocket. Now, they are receiving help from business executives who've also been laid off.

They call themselves Executives in Action and they help the organization with strategic planning and fundraising.

"So many have lost their jobs, through no fault of their own; now they can give back to the community by helping us," said Bander.

It's a safe haven, helping horses, while healing minds and bodies and healing hearts.

"These horses are a blessing," said Wendy Papson, Rachel's mom. "I truly believe they are a blessing from God to help her, because she is in pain every day and when she is with horses it is a time when she is at peace."

Throwaway Ponies is always looking for volunteers. They can be contacted at 214-202-1390.

More: ThrowawayPonies.org

It's so good to see organizations out there giving racehorses a second chance and a new life and saving them from slaughter.

<CLICK HERE> to flip through all the pictures of OTTB's (Off the Track Thoroughbred's) waiting to be adopted and in their new jobs.  ~Declan

Former racehorses get a second chance at life

By Ashley Strickland, CNN

updated 8:48 AM EDT, Fri May 3, 2013

Once considered an unlikely candidate for adoption because of his injuries incurred on the track, ex-racehorse Watson (formerly Wooden Phone) is now enjoying a new life with owner Suzanne Minter. She adopted him while working at LOPE Texas, a thoroughbred rehab and adoption farm. 

Click through our gallery to learn more about how ex-racehorses are enjoying a second chance:

HIDE CAPTION

After the race, a new life

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

When a racing or breeding career ends, thoroughbreds quickly lose value
Organizations are working to provide adoption and retirement options
Thoroughbreds can be retrained as gentle therapy and family horses


(CNN) -- Wooden Phone was never asked whether he wanted to race. Born in 1997, the dull-brown thoroughbred didn't show initial signs of greatness, but the horse would net more than $800,000 in winnings during his career.

A warrior on the track, he kept coming back from severe injuries to beat likely champions. His temperament wasn't suited for the highly stressful industry -- trainers called him "difficult," a diva.

After his racing career ended at age 9, retirement didn't suit him either.

Easily agitated, Wooden Phone would pop his lip -- the equivalent of a child sucking his thumb. He was nervous just leaving the pasture.

Anyone who has been around thoroughbreds will tell you that these horses love a job, and now Wooden Phone's duties were outsourced to younger, stronger workers. Intelligent and sensitive with a drive to please, racehorses like him also crave human attention and care.

Unfortunately, when a racing or breeding career ends, thoroughbreds can quickly become useless to their owners. The injuries compound and when money and options run out, convenience leads them away from the stables and into the slaughterhouse.

"We have to improve the likelihood that a racehorse has more value alive after it is finished racing than dead," said Alex Brown, former jockey and author of "Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and his Legacy."

The racing industry has worked to provide retirement programs and track policies that prevent slaughter. But Brown wants to see even more accountability: transparency of medical records from owner to owner, as well as support for programs that rehab ex-racehorses.

Thoroughbred Charities of America and the ASPCA's Rescuing Racers Initiative have collectively awarded millions of dollars in grants and funding to these programs.

"I think all of us who make our living with horses have an obligation to give something back and provide for the welfare of these horses," Dan Rosenberg, head of Thoroughbred Charities, said.

Horsemanship teacher Michael Richardson demonstrates the sensitivity and responsiveness of Santo, a former track horse at LOPE.

HIDE CAPTION

After the race, a new life

LOPE Texas is just one of hundreds of organizations across the country dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating ex-racehorses for new homes and purposes.

Suzanne Minter, an experienced rider volunteering her time at LOPE, first met Wooden Phone two years ago. His personality captured her heart.

LOPE founder Lynn Reardon was surprised by Minter's soft spot for the horse -- Wooden Phone was not an adoption candidate after his many injuries. And then, there were the stress issues.

Ex-racehorses get a bad reputation for being aggressively energetic, although their "bad manners" come from training gaps. With the right rehab techniques, they can be gentle enough to work with veterans who suffer from PTSD and children with autism.

Wooden Phone and Suzanne Minter quickly bonded.

Minter was dedicated to rehabbing Wooden Phone, although it became more sporadic when she had unexpected abdominal surgery. She wasn't able to ride, but she would sit on his back as he gently stood still. As she had helped him, he took care of her in return.

"He fell in love with her. He just melted every time she came around. It was a match that was so clear the moment he met her," Reardon said. Minter adopted him.

Over a two-year period, the 16-year-old horse, once known for the foamy stress sweat on his neck, is now the gentlest horse in the barn. Together, Minter and the newly named Watson are training for dressage events.

The lip popping has evolved into quirks, such as holding one brush in his mouth while Minter uses the other to groom him, grabbing people's jackets with his teeth for fun or curiously following his new obsession: ponies.

"Ex-racehorses get overlooked sometimes because people just think they are fast, but they have a lot of heart," Minter said. "I think they are all looking for a person of their own."

David and Ace of Hearts, which is waiting for adoption, share a moment. "Every time I go to the barn, I can tell someone has changed by being around these horses," Tucker said.

HIDE CAPTION

After the race, a new life

Turning hope into help

"There are so many places for these horses other than slaughter," Cindy Gendron of the Homes for Horses Coalition said. "Now people are using them for therapeutic riding, equine-assisted psychotherapy, show events and family horses."

The Homes for Horses Coalition aims not only to end horse slaughter, but to promote growth and collaboration in the horse rescue and protection community. Supported by the ASPCA, the Animal Welfare Institute and the Humane Society of the United States, this coalition in Washington is an umbrella for 240 organizations.

CANTER, a member of the coalition, was one of the first groups to create an online showcase of ex-racehorses in 1997. It's an all-volunteer organization with affiliates across the country, where people scour the "backsides" of racetracks every weekend and document the horses up for sale, executive director Nancy Koch said.

"The racetrack is quite a closed-in world. Not everyone can wander into the backside, you need to be escorted otherwise. We broke a lot of barriers that way," Koch said.

Other CANTER affiliates in "phase two" have taken in horses and provided rehabilitation so they can find new homes. They placed more than a thousand horses in 2012, according to the Homes for Horses Coalition.

Volunteer-based adoption farms, such as Kim Smith's Second Stride near Churchill Downs, follow a similar model and work to connect owners and horses. Like LOPE, an extensive adoption process ensures that each new home is a good fit and requires follow-ups in the months and years ahead. If the home doesn't work out, they take the horse back.

These farms also make thoroughbreds available to people who may not have five figures to spend on a horse but have the time and resources to care for one, administrative manager Leslie Pratt said.

Life after the track

"In the horse adoption world, ex-racehorses are seen as the equivalent of pit bulls," Reardon said. "People think they are edgy, so you have to do a lot of myth-busting."

Retraining can ease the issues that create negative stereotypes about ex-racers. And helping these horses can help heal the trainers, too.

The James River chapter of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation pairs men at a correctional facility with ex-racehorses. The horses are cared for by men who work through and graduate from a groom elite training program, which trains them for a job once they are released.

Anne Tucker, the foundation's president, likes to tell the story of Happy and Will. Happy, a nervous thoroughbred, was kicked in the face by another horse while trying to assert her authority after arriving at James River. Will was the insecure young inmate taking care of her.

Will and Happy's bond helped them to heal each other.

"It's hard to say whether Will gave Happy confidence, or Happy gave Will confidence," Tucker said. "Horses look at everyone on even footing. The men have made some mistakes, but they aren't bad people. They just need someone to confirm that, and that's what the horses do."

The pair bonded and healed one another. Happy was adopted after a full recovery, and Will has been released and is working on a local thoroughbred breeding farm.

The golden years

"Some of these horses are like your best athletes -- they gave everything to the sport, and they got banged up in the process," said Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center. "To me, this is like having Larry Bird in my backyard."

Formerly with the Boston Globe, Blowen had racehorses at Suffolk Downs. He quickly learned that when the horses couldn't race anymore, they weren't "going to a riding academy in Maine" as he was told -- they were going to slaughter. He decided to dedicate the rest of his life to offering ex-racehorses a retirement paradise.

Old Friends' locations care for more than 130 horses across three states, located near racetracks so fans can come visit the "retired athletes" in big paddocks.

"It is the equine equivalent of retiring and living on a golf course, except they eat the greens," Blowen said.

Gallery: Click the image to the left to view a collection of Kentucky Derby hats created to benefit retired racehorses.

One resident, Clever Allemont, earned $316,329 during his eight wins. In 2009, he ended up in a kill pen in Kansas, deaf with one eye set in a graying face. He seemed to know he had reached the end, according to Kristin Chambers. Chambers and Diana Baker saved himfrom a trip to the slaughterhouse.

Now, he is living out his golden years at Old Friends, gleefully rolling in the dirt and inspiring the groups of deaf children who tour the farm to see him. But not every thoroughbred that gave their lives to racing has the same happy ending.

Ferdinand, winner of the 1986 Kentucky Derby, died in a Japanese slaughterhouse in 2002, according to reporting by "The Blood-Horse" magazine. National Racing Hall of Fame's Exceller met a similar fate in 1997. After Ferdinand, Old Friends asked Japanese breeders to let them know when the horses have peaked and have since rescued Creator, Sunshine Forever, Fraise, Ogygian and Wallenda.

Old Friends has also inspired others to save ex-racehorses.

Sally Steinmann, who grew up dreaming of having her own horse, became a milliner known for her derby hats. And now some of those hats are created in honor of Old Friends and auctioned off to benefit the horses.

"I feel like these hats are little ambassadors and if anybody can learn about these horses, what we are trying to do and how much we all feel a responsibility to take care of them, then it's a really great thing," Steinmann said.

She studies photos and old racing film to craft hats that represent the horses, translating their legacies into silk dupioni with vivid trims. While the hats are extravagant pieces of wearable art, they are also creative pieces of awareness.

The art of Kentucky Derby hats

"Michael said we each get a dot, and this is his," Steinmann said. "I just want to connect our dots. We all have something we wish more than anything else that we could change in this world."

Inside and outside the racing industry, ex-racehorse welfare is a world of slowly connecting dots.

These retired horses are returning the favor by enriching the lives of the humans working to save them.

"People connect well with horses because they are gentle, instinctive creatures," Gendron said. "Just to lay your hands on a warm, powerful horse that puts his head down and looks you in the eyes is an amazing feeling, especially for someone who is in physical or emotional turmoil. Horses seem to sense that, understand it and take care of people."

Agent Alex, adopted in 2012 by Sarah McCullough from Second Stride, before adoption, left, and after adoption. He is just starting his eventing career.

HIDE CAPTION

After the race, a new life

Horse Deaths At BLM's Palomino Valley Facility More Than Twice As High As Reported

Why is the BLM not reporting all these deaths? What are they trying to hide?  ~Declan

Horse deaths at BLM's Palomino Valley facility more than twice as high as reported, rendering receipts reveal

12:43 pm, May 1, 2013 | Written by Mark Robison  As posted on RGJ.com

The number of horse deaths at the BLM’s Palomino Valley wild horse facility is vastly underreported, according to rendering receipts uncovered by a Freedom of Information Act request made by the farm animal advocacy group Animals’ Angels.

Animals’ Angels sought the Palomino Valley facility’s rendering receipts for the services of Reno Rendering, whose legal name is Nevada By-Products. Rendering is when animal carcasses are hauled away and processed into other usable materials. (Possible uses: Cartilage, tendons and hooves are turned into gelatin used in such products as Jell-O and Altoids; stearic acid is used in car tires; blood and bone meal can be used for fertilizer; and some tissue is used as “byproducts” in animal feed.)
Animals’ Angels found:

According to the contract paperwork, Nevada By-Products was chosen over landfill disposal due to cost effectiveness and the fact that “Due to the sensitive nature of the public to the wild horse and burro program, it is necessary to dispose of these large animals as quickly and discretely (sic) as possible and Reno Rendering fulfills these requirements."

In addition to the contract itself, our FOIA request obtained all records of deceased horses and burros sent from the BLM holding facility to the rendering plant from January 1, 2010 through May 31, 2012.

During that timeframe the BLM itself reported in the official Palomino Valley Mortality Detail Report that only 241 horses and burros died at the Palomino Valley facility and 50 at the Fallon facility. However, the records from the rendering plant tell quite a different story. According to the Nevada By-Product invoices for that same time period, a startling 577 dead horses were received from the Palomino Valley Facility. This is a shocking difference of 286 animals (336 horses if Nevada By-Products does not render the horses from Fallon), a number simply too large to ignore.

The BLM’s Heather Jasinski was asked for comment. She responded:

As for Animals’ Angels and their posting about the discrepancy of numbers of deaths: as stated in my earlier response, the National WH&B Program is currently reviewing its reporting procedures for all aspects of the program and will modify them to correct any identified discrepancies. Until any modifications are identified as being needed, we will continue to respond to any requests based on the current recording procedure.

The discrepancy seems to come about mostly from the counting of baby deaths. They aren’t tracked because they haven’t reached the age where they would be branded and enter “the system.” A controversy is over whether their deaths should be counted in general but also whether they should be counted as negative fallout from roundups, with the thinking being that they may have survived if born in the wild and their mothers hadn’t endured the stress of roundup, confinement and unfamiliar food.

Finally, as cited in another blog post today, here’s an excerpt from a different email by Jasinski:

How many horses have died at the facility since Jan 1, 2013? According to the Wild Horse and Burro Program System, the number of horses that have died at PVC from Jan. 1, 2013 through April 1, 2013, is 37. This number does not include stillbirths (aborted fetuses, animals born dead and newborn animals found dead) and young foals that died before they were freeze marked. Foals are freeze marked when they are weaned. This varies with the size and condition of the foals and the mares, but usually occurs sometime between three and six months of age.

See the Animals’ Angels report here. It includes the rendering contract and rendering invoices.
The photo was taken last month at the BLM's Palomino Valley facility last month by the RGJ's Tim Dunn.

I would LOVE to be a horse whisperer - it sounds like just the sort of challenge I need! Watch the videos at the bottom of this post to see Mike Branch in action!!  ~Declan

Horse whisperer that breaks wild mustangs shows Russell the ropes

12:27 PM, May 1, 2013 | By Russel Biven As posted on WBIR 

The wild mustang saddles a mystique that few American animals carry. Its muscular body and relentless spirit have been used by millions of United States soldiers in war, and it continues to roam the western plains today.

But while its population grows, the land around it does not.

Mike Branch of Grainger County has been hired by the Federal Bureau of Land Management to help.

"There are roughly 35,000 in captivity that need good homes," says the expert horseman.

Branch gentles several dozen mustangs each year. Then, he tries to get them adopted, but it's the way he does it that's brought him worldwide attention.

He's one of an elite group of horse whisperers, much like the character played by Robert Redford in the movie by that name.

"You have to develop a relationship so that the horse is willing to trust you with its life," says Branch, who does countless demonstrations at horse shows across the country.

Members of the royal family even invited Branch to England a few years ago to teach his techniques.

"As far as the horse world goes, this is why I'm here," says Branch.

Now, he might have his toughest challenge yet, teaching 10News anchor Russell Biven to break and ride a wild mustang using his techniques.

"Well," jokes Branch, "if he gets bucked off it should help ratings."

To learn more about Branch's efforts to help the mustang, go to
www.mikebranchhorsemanship.com.

Horse Whisperer Mike Branch

Horse Expert Mike Branch offers some advice on taming wild mustangs.  (32 Minutes)

Russell Biven breaks a wild mustang

For the past three days, Russell Biven has been sharing the incredible work done by local horseman Mike Branch-- taming mustangs. (3.5 Minutes)

I wish I was with these AWESOME kids, "IT'S NOT COOL TO BE CRUEL"!!!!!!! ~Declan

Award for young rescuers of stranded pony

By Horsetalk.co.nz on May 01, 2013 in News

Several of the students with the pony they rescued from a sticky situation.

A group of Queensland high school students who rescued a pony stuck in mud beside a creek have been honoured with an RSPCA award.

One of the students swam the shetland pony to safety.

The nine Noosa High School students received Meritorious Awards from RSPCA Queensland for their efforts. The award recognises care and compassion shown to an animal in need.

The students were returning from a canoe expedition in the Noosa Everglades as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards program, when they spotted the small horse stuck in mud beside a steep bank in Kin Kin Creek on the Sunshine Coast.

“The pony would almost certainly have died if it hadn’t been rescued,” RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said.

“Not only that but they showed real ingenuity and courage to save its life.”

The boys first had to dig the pony out of the mud and then swim with it downstream for 200 metres to an area where it could be helped ashore.

“These days we see a lot of cruelty to animals and sadly this is often committed by young people,” Beatty said.

“So it’s really important that we recognise the actions of these students and the courage and tenacity they showed to save the life of this animal. We applaud them!”