Thursday, July 26, 2012

Dance of the Seasons


Isn't it amazing that every thing just knows what to do? What was just dirt a month ago is now abundant plant growth. Flowers everywhere – bugs where there were no bugs. Birds with nests full of chicks – dragon flies follow the horses around feeding on the flies and mosquitos. Everything in it's place in time, programed to perform it's duties on schedule. Like a perfect clock, a choriographed dance of the seasons.
The horses are part of this dance. In February the geldings spar for dominance, though they can no longer be fathers, their spirits remember. They mess around over the fences and yank each other's halters off. At EOTS we try not to put the boys next to each other in spring and we just take their halters off. We are aware of their part in the dance.
The boys settle down by April or May and the mares come into season. It's their turn on stage. They get noisy and holler to each other. They perform for the boys and are generally juicy and frustrated. Their bodies are prepared to be impregnated. The boys have that “Gee you smell good, but now what do I do?” look on their faces. By July everyone settles down and just eats and doses in the heat of the summer.
In October the mares start again calling to each other, wanting to be together. Winter is coming and they know there is safety in numbers and their phantom foals will need to be protected by the”herd”.
And so it goes – every living thing goes through the cycles of life performing the dance. We humans watch, we are amazed – those of us who notice- without any help from us – it all endures. We are all just onlookers with no real control over anything. Without us, it would all go on.
There is a time for every season under heaven. - Ecc 3:1-8

What about those Tennessee Walkers?




Many of you have seen that appalling video of the vicious training of Tennessee Walker for the “Big Lick” class at shows.
I have been saying for years that the animal rights activists have been focusing on the wrong issues. The slaughter thing, the premarin industry. Etc. yah- yah -bad stuff. But the worse issues of cruelty are in the “show horse” world. Almost every horse that is shown in a “breed” class undergoes horrendous torture to get there. I can go on and on about each breed, but lets start with the Tennessee Walker. We have been praying for justice for horses and all the innocent beings in the hands of horrible people. We are so happy to see this vicious group of people finally exposed. The video of that savage, piece of crap, “trainer” crippling and beating that beautiful TW on the face with a 2x4 should be executed. What was the freaking purpose of that?? The caustic chemicals applies to these horses legs are poison. One of the favorites is Copper Tox (a thrush remedy that I don't even allow in our barn!) and DMSO!! DMSO carries everything it is mixed with through the entire body. It is one of the few things can pass through the blood/brain barrier and takes what ever it is mixed with along! How many of these horses end up neurological??
The appalling spectacle of these poor horses crouching on their hind ends and throwing their poor front hooves out in front of them to avoid the excruciating pain on their pasterns at anything touching them makes me so sick I want to rip those riders off their horses and take a hog shocker to them until they stop breathing. Shocking the horses on the face is also part of these vicious “training” methods – WHAT?! One of theses horses was so sore that he cantered on his hind legs, never even allowing his front legs to touch the ground, he just punched them out in front of him!
How can anyone love horses and do this – what about the freaking spectators? Don't they get it?!
Can you believe that people actually pay that torturing fool to “train” their horses? WHAT??
What on earth possesses people to do this?!
TW are a gentle, passive breed of horse. They are silky smooth to ride and are one of the best long distance horses because they are bounceless. You can ride for hours and never get sore or tired. They are spectacular for people with back problems and are extremely gentle, for the most part. So I don't understand. What was the first maniac “trainer” thinking when this “Big Lick” spectacle was created? Those ridiculous giant shoes are another thing that I just don't get – maybe I'm just stupid?
But this is one absolute fact – the creator of horses does not approve of this treatment of these most precious beings. We can not change the awfulness of most of the badness in the world. But we can change this – First of all – pray for justice for the innocent ones. Your prayers will be heard – then do something about it! The public is a very powerful influence. Exposure is important – make laws – make sure they are enforced – fire the judges that are pinning there horses – send them to jail! You have the power to do this.
Now our Creator Jehovah would not approve of me wanting to execute anyone but sometimes my old warrior heart just wants to handle it on my own. So forgive me. In this case – your prayers, and legal channels will work.
Another thing, what happens to these toxic horses when they die? Anyone who can do this I'm sure has no problem sending them off to slaughter. Who, or what is eating their meat? Maybe it is some form of bizarre justice if humans are eating poisoned horse meat, but I don't want our cats or dogs eating it, do you?




What To Do
Absolutely never put yourself in harms war. Get pictures, videos if possible. Confronting individuals will not help the greater cause. Seek out these shows as a spectator, be discreet. All these TW breeders and show people are aware of this, though they cry innocence, obviously they themselves have not stopped this horrible “Big Lick” class. It is usually the last class after the reputable people have left. There is no point in reporting it to local authorities, they've heard it all before and these “Big Lick” people are good at evasive action. Just try not to cry, get pictures and submit it to the media. Let the whole world know what you have found – then watch your prayers be answered!
There kinds of cruelties take place in many different breed shows, not just TW, so wander around, play stupid, take pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, in this small way, you can change the world. This is a cause to fight for!!

Observations
As I forced myself to watch that “Big Lick” Tennessee Walker video, I noticed many things. These horses can't talk – I will be their voice. First of all, no horse on earth naturally moves that way. In almost all cases I saw heavy riders sitting way too far back, just in front of where the horse's hips where there is no support of the rib cage but directly on the one part of the back that has only muscles and digestive organs under it. Perhaps that is why these horses crouch so low on their hind legs. Their tails are carried high and unnatural, in many gaited breeds they put ginger in their anus to burn them so much that it hurts to carry their tail against their body, perhaps that is why they move like they're being goosed. People in the ring run along side the riders for some reason. Perhaps after being hit in the face with a board and shocked on the nose with a hog shocker while cross tied in a stall with a wall at their backs and no where to escape, has taught them that a side walking person with something as small as a twig in their hand is enough to cause them to throw back their heads and rise off their front end as they were “trained” to do. After all exagerate “head bobbing” is part of the show, though you'd think being tortured and mutilated on both front legs would sufficiently cause enough head bobbing.
I wonder if horses ever break their ankles falling off these “shoes”. Years ago I went to a barn that showed TW. Two beautiful horses were in very dark stalls. They dragged heavy chains about 3 feet long that were attached to their pasterns. Even then this was seriously against the law. But I was a child and though I told the people there that it was wrong, all it got me was thrown out of the barn and 'No Trespassing” signs were hung.
So after polishing and shining and grooming the poor hideously tortured horse has light little bracelets made of wooden beads or decorative chains placed around his pasterns. Tacked up and mounted by it's rider. I don't think these horses can even stand still with the pain – I'm sure the mounting experience is just awesome!! And off they go careening around the ring. When the little bracelets tap the back of their pasterns they throw their legs straight up and out to get the beads off the horribly painful areas, you see only the rear of the pastern is poisoned, so while the leg is in the air only the unpainful front are touched by the beads. But now the other leg hurts so up it comes too. Unfortunately the front leg has to come back down only to be yanked back up gain. The one horse that figured out that he could avoid some of the pain by remaining on his hind legs and was able to handle the pain a bit better by not letting his fronts touch the ground probably got the ribbon that day. The most tortured one wins I guess-
Back at the barn, I'll bet the losers paid the price for not being “good” enough. Imagine living through years of this torture. At what point do their minds just break? The author Diana Gabaldon said it all when she wrote”you can make anyone do anything if you are willing to hurt them enough.”
What has happened to these people that makes them so willing to do such horrible things. They are no better – maybe worse than dog fighters or bull fighters. At leadt for those animals the fight is short and they usually die. But these horses live with this for years and years and years. Every day of their lives they must be in pain and so afraid, no espace – except death.
Pray for justice – to the creator of horses, pray for his kingdom to come – when no one will ever suffer again. Amen
Nina