Horses on the Hill

Over the years I have received a multitude of emails asking what can be done to halt the slaughter of the symbol of our national heritage, the American Horse. Often I have felt helpless in offering no more than a simple letter to the appropriate Representative in Washington. Even the production and publication of our book, "Straight from the Horse's Heart " often feels as if we have fallen short of hitting the mark and stopping the madness.

But now there is something that you can do, action that you can take...

Equestrians and equine advocates from across the country will descend upon Washington, D.C. on Tuesday July 14, to pressure Congress to end horse slaughter once and for all. For way too long, America's horses have fallen victim to this brutal, foreign driven and predatory embarrassment.

Though no horse slaughter plants are currently operating in the U.S., the lack of a strong federal bill prohibiting their transportation to slaughter allows more than 100,000 healthy, sound and adoptable horses to be hauled over our boundaries to Canada and Mexico each year, where they are brutally butchered. Their meat is then shipped to Europe and Asia as a delicacy for human consumption. And as I type, state governments are researching and contriving ways to bring bloody horse killing into their states, Montana has already cleared the way.

It's time for this cruel madness to stop!!

Join leading equine advocates, veterinarians, trainers, riders, owners and artists from around the United States as we unite to end this brutal, murderous trade for good.

Horses on the Hill - 2009

Please mark your calendar and join us (Terry and I will be there) in Washington, DC on July 14^th to meet with your legislators and show your support for America’s horses and the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503/S. 727). The last Horses on the Hill was a huge success, let’s make this one even bigger and better!

As plans unfold for the daylong event you can start right now by signing up to attend. Please send an email to blair@awionline.org telling us if you plan on attending. Feel free to email if you have any questions.

Then follow these steps:

1. Visit AWI’s Compassion Index to find your US Representative and two US Senators. Enter your zip code and hit go.
2. Call their offices and ask to speak with their animal staffer, let them know you are a constituent. Schedule a meeting on July 14^th between 10 am and 4 pm. You will be scheduling a total of three meetings (one in US House, two in US Senate). You can ask to meet with your legislator, as well, but meeting with the animal staffer is very beneficial. Questions about calling Capitol Hill? Click here.
3. After you set your meetings, come back to AWI’s Compassion Index and fill out the form with your meeting information. This will help us both coordinate your meetings and follow up after you leave. We will provide specific information (brochures, fact sheets, etc…) that will help in your meetings.
4. Send this email to everyone you know and ask them to join us in Washington, DC on July 14^th for America’s horses.
5. Make your travel plans to join us on Capitol Hill. DC is a great summer destination. There are lots of things to do.

If you have any questions please email Blair at blair@awionline.org. We look forward to seeing you all on July 14^th. Be sure to bookmark http://www.horsesonthehill.org and check back often for updates and new information.

www.horsesonthehill.org www.awionline.org www.hsus.org

I have decided to put my money where my mouth is and attend this initiative...and if you knew me, and the size of my mouth, that is one TREMENDOUS commitment. Please join my wife, Terry, and myself in D.C. on the 17th and let's put this issue to bed one last and final time. I made a promise to an old Equine friend to "tell the story", maybe now is the time to "make it happen".

See you soon.

R.T.

R.T. Fitch

Author - "Straight from the Horse's Heart"

The Force of the Horse®, LLC

1-800-974-FOTH

www.rtfitch.com

www.rtfitch.wordpress.com

www.habitatforhorses.org

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

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