Monday, January 31, 2011

Pictorial Essay of Obama’s Wild Horse Stampede at Antelope Complex « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Pictorial Essay of Obama’s Wild Horse Stampede at Antelope Complex « Straight from the Horse's Heart

I am, perhaps, guilty of over-working the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words” but this concept most certainly applies, as of late, to the unnecessary suffering and pain that is being rained down upon our, supposedly, federally protected wild horses by the Obama administration’s BLM. Long before the start of the stampede Laura Leigh was out on the Antelope Complex looking for horses, of which there were not many, and photographed those that she could find. Today, she has uploaded a very poignant slide show which displays the horses as they were before the roar of helicopter blades and what happens to them after the BLM’s contractor illegally removes them from our public land.

“Unsinkable Molly B” is the Luckiest Cow in the World « Straight from the Horse's Heart

“Unsinkable Molly B” is the Luckiest Cow in the World « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Five years after a cow dubbed the "Unsinkable Molly B" leapt a slaughterhouse gate and swam across the Missouri River in an escape that brought international acclaim, the heifer has again eluded fate, surviving the collapse of the animal sanctuary where she was meant to retire.

Montana Horse Sanctuary Giving In-Crisis Horses a Second Chance « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Montana Horse Sanctuary Giving In-Crisis Horses a Second Chance « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Recent cases of animal cruelty and neglect in Montana are enough to make anyone angry or upset but one woman and a large crew of dedicated volunteers are working to make a difference in the lives of in-crisis animals every day.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Renowned Wild Horse Expert Disputes BLM’s Flawed Math « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Renowned Wild Horse Expert Disputes BLM’s Flawed Math « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Thank you for this opportunity to give input. I have reviewed the E.A. and am disturbed by the repeated arguments that I have read many times before as concerns “wild horse overpopulation,” “multiple use,” “thriving ecological balance,” etc. The employment of these terms to justify what you are planning to do to the wild horses makes a mockery of their true meaning.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Nebraska Horse Eating Senator is “Out of Line” « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Nebraska Horse Eating Senator is “Out of Line” « Straight from the Horse's Heart

The bills related to horse slaughter introduced by Sen. Tyson Larson are way out of line, especially the one to require humane societies and horse rescues to accept and care for any horse that is presented to them, and to make it a crime, a class IV misdemeanor, if those groups do not have enough space or money to take in animals dumped on their doorsteps.

Obama Administration’s Animal Cruelty is Apparent in Wild Horse Stampede Video « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Obama Administration’s Animal Cruelty is Apparent in Wild Horse Stampede Video « Straight from the Horse's Heart

President Obama, remember the campaigning animal friendly guy, sat back idly last winter while his Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bob Abbey, directed his bunch of armed thugs and contractors to harass, stampede, capture and ultimately kill hundreds of wild horses both during and after the deplorable Calico Complex stampede and by God our country’s leader is doing the same blinking thing this year.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Montana Horse Breeder Pleads Not Guilty to Animal Cruelty Charges « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Montana Horse Breeder Pleads Not Guilty to Animal Cruelty Charges « Straight from the Horse's Heart

James H. Leachman of Billings pleaded not guilty to 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty Friday in Justice Court and said he will ask for a jury trial.Relaxed and joking with others in the courtroom, the 69-year-old Leachman appeared without an attorney before Justice of the Peace Larry Herman and was released without bail. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Airlift of Hay Underway to Save Starving Montana Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Airlift of Hay Underway to Save Starving Montana Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Billings Flying Service has donated use of a helicopter to airlift hay Thursday morning to some of the more isolated horses at the former Leachman Cattle Co. Home Place ranch east of Billings.

Rebuttal Against Horse Slaughter Propaganda « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Rebuttal Against Horse Slaughter Propaganda « Straight from the Horse's Heart

"In 99 cases out of 100, people have options," said The Humane Society of the United States president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. "Any time someone gets an animal, they have an ethical responsibility to care for that animal."

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Congressman Dan Burton Speaks Out Against Obama’s Mismanagement of Wild Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Congressman Dan Burton Speaks Out Against Obama’s Mismanagement of Wild Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Mr. Speaker, last week, at the request of a lady named Madeline Pickens, I met with Mr. Bob Abbey, who is the head of the Bureau of Land Management, to talk to him about dealing with the wild horses, the mustangs that roam out west in the western States. The Bureau of Land Management has somewhere between 35,000 and 40,000 of these mustangs in pens around the country; and the cost of this is estimated to be as much as $2,500 per horse per year. The Bureau of Land Management just last week started rounding up another 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 of them to take them to holding pens and move them to Oklahoma.

Ask President Obama to Support Protection for Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Ask President Obama to Support Protection for Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Today, Tuesday January 25 at 9 p.m. EST, President Obama will deliver his 2011 State of the Union Address, which will be streamed live on YouTube. We have submitted a question to President Obama for an exclusive YouTube Interview that will take place just two days later, on January 27. Votes are needed in order to have this question considered and addressed.

We want to know...

"Will you support a ban on slaughter of American horses for human consumption and begin protecting wild horses by ordering a moratorium on round ups and a full investigation and reform of the Wild Horses and Burros program?"

Monday, January 24, 2011

1,200 Animal Montana Rescue Drawing to a Close « Straight from the Horse's Heart

1,200 Animal Montana Rescue Drawing to a Close « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Fourteen hours after leaving Missoula, Montana, my plane landed in Houston’s Hobby Airport. None of the locals thought the 50 degree weather they were experiencing was warm, but I stood happily outside in shirt sleeves waiting for the shuttle. I doubt that I will ever complain about the cold weather of South Texas again, even on the rare day that it reaches freezing. Walking through frozen pastures at -10 is enough to convince me that the South is a place to call home.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Legally Troubled Wyoming Politician Slapped Down Twice This Week « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Legally Troubled Wyoming Politician Slapped Down Twice This Week « Straight from the Horse's Heart

HOUSTON (SFTHH) – Wyoming House Bill 51 sponsored by Rep. Sue Wallis, currently under investigation for alleged fraud, ethics violations and battery charges, died a quiet death in the house committee last Wednesday. Dubbed the “Industrial and Energy Development Protection Bill” it would have required taxpayers and organizations that wanted to question an industrial or energy development permit to post a bond to satisfy any delays or loses that the defending company might incur during the legal challenge.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Obama Administration Names Wildlife Rookie to Sensitive Wild Horse Post « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Obama Administration Names Wildlife Rookie to Sensitive Wild Horse Post « Straight from the Horse's Heart

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The federal Bureau of Land Management has named a 30 year agency bureaucrat with virtually no wildlife management training to head the delicate Wild Horse and Burro Program. Karla Bird has drawn fire in the past for her support of secret closed door BLM meetings where the press is excluded.

Doing Our Part – And Being Dismissed « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Doing Our Part – And Being Dismissed « Straight from the Horse's Heart

In the past few years, on government web sites and in newspaper op-eds, a large portion of the failure for the Wild Horse and Burro Program was laid on the overwhelming populations of wild equines on the ranges and in holding, then at the feet of the Public, for lackluster performances in adopting thousands of animals removed in the face of a poor economy. Yet, according to information published by the Bureau of Land Management, the Public has participated, to the best of it’s ability, even in the leanest years, 2007 – 2009.

This One Stallion « Straight from the Horse's Heart

This One Stallion « Straight from the Horse's Heart

A tall, charcoal maned gray stallion living in Twin Peaks has, through no intentional actions on his part, accrued a small fan base.

Twin Peak's "BraveHeart" ~ Photo by Lisa LeBlanc

He is stunning, though years of defending his family and his territory have left his black skin visibly scarred, a common testament to a fiercely protective nature. First observed during a ‘mixer’, a Wild Equine version of speed dating, he pawed the ground, trotting, snorting, kicking up dust in a frank display of masculinity.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Pro Horse Slaughter Politician Suffers Another Stinging Setback « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Pro Horse Slaughter Politician Suffers Another Stinging Setback « Straight from the Horse's Heart

HOUSTON (SFTHH)-This past Tuesday the Wyoming House agriculture committee shot down Rep. Sue Wallis’ “Wyoming Food Freedom Act”.

Wallis, currently under investigation for fraud and ethics charges, has publicly claimed that she supported the act to encourage the sale and consumption of homemade foods outside of the scope of standard government inspection. In reality the act is alleged to be a thinly veiled attempt to circumvent federal law regarding the inspection of meat so that Wallis can profit from her planned horse slaughter plant. This would also allow Wallis to slip around the issue of carcinogenic drugs which are used upon American Equines as horses are not considered a food animal in the United States. The European Union has banned U.S. horse meat unless it can be verified that it is drug free.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Americans Do Not Eat Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Americans Do Not Eat Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

I recently attended a conference called the Summit of the Horse in Las Vegas. This was billed as a group of concerned horseowners, ranchers and breeders led by Sue Wallis, Wyoming State Rep, who were seeking solutions to the “unwanted” horse population in the U.S.A. to “benefit the horses”. Their solution to their own practice of overbreeding was SLAUGHTER, of both domestic and wild horses, for human consumption to the “poor”, prisoners and school children.

DOI/BLM Dupe Public and Congress in Covert Wild Horse Land Grab Scheme « Straight from the Horse's Heart

DOI/BLM Dupe Public and Congress in Covert Wild Horse Land Grab Scheme « Straight from the Horse's Heart

During a Grass Roots Horse research project looking into the FY2011 Budget for the Department of Interior which oversees the Bureau of Land Management, the agency entrusted with the management and protection of America’s wild horses and burros, it was discovered that the Interior has received 445.4 million dollars which is an increase of 106 million dollars for federal land acquisition through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

BLM Wild Horse Boss Glenn to Retire « Straight from the Horse's Heart

BLM Wild Horse Boss Glenn to Retire « Straight from the Horse's Heart

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The controversial head of the federal Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Program has quietly announced his retirement. Horseback Magazine learned through wild horse advocates that Don Glenn will be stepping down. There was no official government announcement.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Nebraska Takes Lead in State Anti-Animal Welfare Legislation « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Nebraska Takes Lead in State Anti-Animal Welfare Legislation « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Chicago (EWA) – Each year, as state legislatures start their new sessions, there is a rash of new state bills. Invariably, many of these are ill advised, unconstitutional, or even irrational.

Early indications are that this year will prove to be record setting. Not only does much of the proposed animal related legislation violate federal law but it is a clear message from extremists in the Agricultural community of a total disregard for animal welfare and a deep vitriol for organizations that promote it.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Stop Horse Slaughter Bill in Nebraska « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Stop Horse Slaughter Bill in Nebraska « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Nebraska state Sen. Tyson Larson was a speaker at the discredited "Summit of the Horse" held earlier in Jan., 2011 at a Las Vegas casino by Wy. state Rep. Sue Wallis, who is under investigation for possible ethics violations and fraud.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Drive-By « Straight from the Horse's Heart

The Drive-By « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Once upon a time, on a small one-acre paddock in rural central Texas, there resided several horses; unfortunately, not in the best of conditions. It was a mean enclosure, boarded with barbed wire and natural cut poles whose bark had been eaten off long ago by the horses held captive within.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Montana Sanctuary Rescue: Part Three – The Cattle Drive « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Montana Sanctuary Rescue: Part Three – The Cattle Drive « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Back home in South Texas, when the thermometer reaches fifty degrees, the ice, if there ever was any ice, disappears off the roads. Back home at fifty degrees, folks are wearing heavy coats and gloves, shivering before they walk into the mall. Western Montana is different. For two days now, with close to fifty degrees by mid-afternoon, the roads up in the mountains have turned into thick slush ice, the pastures are the same, and every step of man and beast is threatened with the possibility of a major fall, but the people are showing up without coats and in a few cases, in shorts. Things are different up here.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Slaughterhouse Sue Wants Multi-Species Slaughter Plant in Wyoming by 2010 « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Slaughterhouse Sue Wants Multi-Species Slaughter Plant in Wyoming by 2010 « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Land near Guernsey is looking "very promising" as the location of a multi-species processing facility that would likely be in operation by 2012.

This multi-species processing facility would slaughter horses, cattle and bison.

Sue Wallis, the Republican state representative from Recluse - who has publicly stated the United States has taken a valuable asset and turned it into a very expensive liability - is proposing the facility.

Horses Rescued from Montana Large Animal Sanctuary « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Horses Rescued from Montana Large Animal Sanctuary « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Hot Springs MT (SFTHH) - Eighty horses are receiving much needed veterinary care at a foster location while volunteers continue to move 650 llamas, two camels, several pot bellied pigs, donkeys, bison, cattle, goats, and sheep to safe locations for veterinary evaluation and future adoption campaigns.

As reported earlier (click HERE) Jerry Finch, President of Habitat for Horses, has been organizing the rescue of hundreds of animals from the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary and Rescue after being contacted by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) to spearhead the operation. The lives of 1,200 animals were put at risk when the large animal sanctuary and rescue lost funding from it's major contributor. According to Finch it appeared that the animals had been fed but other required care had been withheld for an extended period resulting in the deaths of many of the sanctuary's residents due to lack of foot/hoof maintenance and other untreated medical disorders.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Renowned Wildlife Ecologist Responds to Biased Audubon Anti-Wild Horse Ranting « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Renowned Wildlife Ecologist Responds to Biased Audubon Anti-Wild Horse Ranting « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Often times it is best to let bad news and glaring stupidity simply slip away into the night without any notice and that was exactly what I intended to do regarding the Audubon Magazine’s recent article about wild horses. Written by Ted Williams, no not the famous guy, the article is riddled with misinformation and tainted with a leering overtone that leaves a bitter taste in the reader’s mouth. Poor journalism at best for such a highly regarded conservation publication.

Humane Groups Urge Feds to Save Tax Dollars and Postpone Massive Wild Horse Roundup « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Humane Groups Urge Feds to Save Tax Dollars and Postpone Massive Wild Horse Roundup « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Washington, DC (January 11, 2011) . . . As Congress grapples with federal budget shortages, a group of prominent environmental, horse advocacy and humane organizations has joined forces to urge the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to postpone a large-scale wild horse roundup scheduled to begin next week in the Antelope Complex, a 1.3 million acre public lands area in northeastern Nevada.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Horse Slaughter Just The Beginning « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Horse Slaughter Just The Beginning « Straight from the Horse's Heart

I have concluded it’s a good thing Sue Wallis isn’t a welfare department director or superintendent of public schools. Wallis is a Wyoming rancher, state legislator, and the vice president of a group called United Horsemen.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Cloud Foundation Demands BLM Call Off Massive Winter Mustang Roundup « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Cloud Foundation Demands BLM Call Off Massive Winter Mustang Roundup « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Reno, NV (January 10, 2011)—The Cloud Foundation opposes spending millions of taxpayer dollars to wipe out America’s wild horses. Currently the BLM plans to roundup and remove up to 2,228 alleged “excess” wild horses from the 1.3 million acre Antelope Complex in northeastern Nevada. The Foundation asks that all roundups halt until the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) completes their study and new Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs) are set to prevent the American wild horses and burros from being managed to extinction. This dead of winter roundup is scheduled to begin January 20, 2011 and last for 40 days.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Immodest Proposal « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Immodest Proposal « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Swift wrote the Modest Proposal as a political satire. His goal in suggesting that the solution to poverty was eating the children of the poor was to point out that the problems of poverty were a consequence of the political and economic system of his time. In writing the proposal, Swift intentionally utilized agricultural terms to describe the poor of Ireland in order to make a political statement about the current political system that created the poverty than found its victims deplorable. In contrast the pro-horse slaughter activists utilize non-agricultural terms in an attempt to create a positive connotation of horse slaughter. Slaughter becomes the humane processing of horses. If we substitute the word horses for children then the analogy between Swift’s proposal and horse slaughter becomes all too apparent.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Las Vegas Police Investigating Allegations of Battery at Summit « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Las Vegas Police Investigating Allegations of Battery at Summit « Straight from the Horse's Heart

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – A spokesman for the Las Vegas Police Department confirmed Friday that it had accepted a complaint of battery from an Arizona wild horse advocate against Wyoming State. Rep. Sue Wallis. The investigation is active, a police spokesman said.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Sanctuary Lost: Death in the Montana Mountains « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Sanctuary Lost: Death in the Montana Mountains « Straight from the Horse's Heart

To look at the website – http://www.mtanimalsanctuary.com you’d almost think that these animals found a little piece of heaven, and I’m sure those who sent their animals here believed it also. Beautiful mountains, a flowing river, forever views and it what now seems like a far too typical caretaker – employees that flat out don’t give a damn about animals in pain.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Update: Court Admits Error in Clearing Convicted Wild Horse Killer « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Update: Court Admits Error in Clearing Convicted Wild Horse Killer « Straight from the Horse's Heart

LINCOLN — A Nebraska Court of Appeals ruling issued in the case of a Morrill County rancher Tuesday was in error.
The court acknowledged Wednesday its mistake in a statement on Wednesday regarding 3-Strikes Ranch owner Jason Meduna.

Sue Wallis Legal Woes Come Home To Roost « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Sue Wallis Legal Woes Come Home To Roost « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Campbell County prosecutors have launched an investigation into whether state lawmaker Sue Wallis has abused her power by promoting horse-slaughter legislation.

The probe stems from an ethics complaint filed last month by an animal-rights advocate from Cody.

Simone Netherlands: Horse Summit Destroys Promoters Credibility « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Simone Netherlands: Horse Summit Destroys Promoters Credibility « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Well they tried their best didn’t they? They had hoped that they could find ways to convince the American public that horse meat is delicious and won’t give you cancer at all, and they had hoped to convince the media that they are doing it because they love horses so much, and they had hoped that Mr. Bob Abbey would say sure, good idea.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Head Horse Eater Loses Cool at SlaughterFest « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Head Horse Eater Loses Cool at SlaughterFest « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Today, during the afternoon session of the much beleaguered pro-horse slaughter summit in Las Vegas a free-lance reporter and benign horse trainer was strong armed out of the conference room by the Bloodfest’s lead supporter, Wyoming State Representative Sue Wallis, currently under investigation for fraud and ethics charges.

Convicted Nebraska Wild Horse Killer Wins Appeal To Own Animals « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Convicted Nebraska Wild Horse Killer Wins Appeal To Own Animals « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Houston (SFTHH) – The Omaha World-Herald has reported, today, that convicted wild horse killer Jason Maduna cannot be barred from having animals after he allowed 70+ wild horses and burros to starve to death on his property in Morrill County Nebraska during early 2009.

Horse Eater Party Turns Into Record FLOP « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Horse Eater Party Turns Into Record FLOP « Straight from the Horse's Heart

After months of hype and frantic email promotion fewer than 200 traveled to snowy Las Vegas the first Monday in January to talk about saving the horse industry by reigniting the contentious issue of horse processing likely for human consumption in foreign markets.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Let the Trouncing of the Truth Begin « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Let the Trouncing of the Truth Begin « Straight from the Horse's Heart

While under investigation for fraud and ethics vilolations Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis and her dubious appendage Dave Duquette kicked off their rip roaring “BloodFest” last night to an un-packed room of a several dozen people. Empty chairs were the theme of the evening as Wallis and Duquette stumbled through introductions of non-present people while waiting for their much heralded master of ceremonies Trent Loos, known for cattle rustling and stalking, to appear out of LaLa Land.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Wallis’ Wyoming Horse Slaughter Plant Plans Turn Flaky « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Wallis’ Wyoming Horse Slaughter Plant Plans Turn Flaky « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Chicago (EWA) - In an interview on January 1st with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, horse slaughter promoter Sue Wallis announced yet another change in plans for her proposed Wyoming horse slaughter plant. The plant will not use facilities in Cheyenne. It also won't sell horsemeat for human consumption, it won't be designed by Temple Grandin and won't open this year as previously announced.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Year’s Day Horse Eater Attack Backfires « Straight from the Horse's Heart

New Year’s Day Horse Eater Attack Backfires « Straight from the Horse's Heart

True to form and working along their “assbackward” philosophy “Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis and Dave “Doink” Duquette’s trumped up Native American complaint on Madeleine Pickens Rose Parade float totally blew up in their faces with the net result of garnering the Wild Mustang float an easy 10 times the publicity that it would have received if they simply would have stayed beneath that slimy rock that they live under.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Sue Wallis and Dave Duquette Show Their Butts at the Rose Bowl Parade « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Sue Wallis and Dave Duquette Show Their Butts at the Rose Bowl Parade « Straight from the Horse's Heart

“Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis and Dave “Doink” Duquette pull out all stops in an effort to prove that they truly are the most uninformed, uneducated and unethical individuals that live within the borders of this great land. With Wallis under investigation for fraud and ethics violations she and Duquette have launched an 11th hour attack upon, of all things, a Rose Bowl Parade Float. It just doesn’t get any better than this.