Feel Good Sunday: Hay – The Final Frontier

Story by Johnny Oleksinski as published on NYPost.com

“I must say that Capt. Kirk and I share several mutual passions regardin our feelings for our brother/sister equines friends. But his celebrity status aside, we do differ on one glaring obvious issue: he has hair and I do not…sigh.” ~ R.T.

Shatner rode a horse alongside Patrick Stewart in the 1994 movie “Star Trek: Generations.”

William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk on “Star Trek” for three seasons and seven movies, is peeling back yet another layer of his complex personality: He’s come out as an equestrian.

Hollywood’s jack-of-all-trades, Shatner is a Shakespearean actor who’s starred in “Henry V,” a musician who’s recorded trippy spoken-word covers of “Rocket Man” and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and a prolific author who’s written or co-written more than 30 books.

Now the 86-year-old opens up about his love of horses — a passion so…

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State Experiments with Legal Advocates for Abused Animals in Court

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Story from Fox News.com

“Every state has the problem of overburdened courts that understandably prioritize human cases over animal cases in allocating resources,”

niversity of Connecticut law professor Jessica Rubin, left, and law student Taylor Hansen prepare to present arguments as animal advocates in a dog fighting case on May 30, 2017, in Superior Court in Hartford, Conn. (AP)

Many states have victim’s advocates or child advocates, people in the judicial system who represent those affected by crime or abuse. Now, one state has created legal advocates for abused animals, an experiment being watched across the nation for signs of success.

There are eight approved volunteer advocates across Connecticut — seven lawyers and a UConn law professor, working with her students. It’s up to a judge to decide whether to appoint one, but they can be requested by prosecutors or defense attorneys. In the first six months of the…

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A Plea to Save our Wild Horses & Burros from advocate Bonnie Kohleriter

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation photographing members of the Cold Creek Herd, Sept. 2012 ~ photo by R.T. Fitch

by Bonnie Kohleriter

PLEASE CONSIDER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS ALLOWED ON

29 M ACRES OF OUR PUBLIC LANDS IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THEIR CONTINUED VIABILITY

CONCURRENTLY PLEASE CONSIDER TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF ALLOWABLE LIVESTOCK IN

THOSE SAME AREAS TO PRESERVE THE RANGELANDS

THESE STEPS TAKEN WILL PROVIDE A COST SAVINGS TO THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS

The BLM manages 245 M acres of our public lands and the USFS manages 191 M acres. Wild horses and burros (WHBs) are limited to 27 M acres on BLM land and 2 M acres on USFS land. Only 26,600 WHB are allowed on the BLM 27 M acres and only 2000 on the USFS 2 M acres. In addition, some 400,000 livestock are allowed on the same…

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The Shocking Truth About What Happens to ‘Surplus’ Zoo Animals

Straight from the Horse's Heart

by Corrine Henn as published on One Green Planet

“These surplus animals are often sold and traded through an online database…”

photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

When we capture animals from the wild and put them in zoos, these animals become commodities. They are stripped of their ability to display natural behaviors and lead a stilted existence filled with stress and boredom. Despite the harm that life in captivity does to zoo animals, both mentally and physically, many zoos run captive breeding programs. As such, zoos can sustain their captive animal populations and the draw of a new baby animal is a great way to get paying visitors in their doors. The only downside to captive breeding is the occurrence of “surplus” animals.

Unlike the many sanctuaries that take in abandoned and abused animals to live out the remainder of their lives, zoos don’t…

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Speak Up Against BLM’s Plans to Decimate Wyoming’s Red Desert Wild Horse Herds

Straight from the Horse's Heart

by Carol Walker as published on Wild Hoofbeats

“The BLM should raise the Appropriate Management Level for the Red Desert Complex wild horse populations…”

Red Desert Wild Horses at Risk of Removal and Slaughter

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning a massive roundup and removal of 2,096 horses, or 80% of the 2,620 horses in the Red Desert Complex that includes Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek, and Stewart Creek Herd Management Areas. BLM wants to end up with a low Appropriate Management Level of only 524 wild horses on 753,000 acres of public land.

Please also consider that any horses currently in short and long term holding, as well as any removed from their homes on public lands this year will be in jeopardy of being sold without limitation and may end up at slaughter if the Trump Budget is passed.

There is no…

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Wall of Faces ~ Vietnam Memorial

VVMF virtual wall

Source: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall of Faces

Remember the Horse Cavalry This Memorial Day

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Reprint from Saratoga Stalls

Thank and pay respect to a horse and donkey as you remember our amazing fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance that echoes throughout the United States. Families, friends and loved ones often gather in celebration of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The last Monday in May, and the weekend beforehand, is a much needed break in our routine. Some families take this moment to teach about our country’s history and past relatives who laid down their lives while others simply enjoy the long weekend off of work. If you view Memorial Day as an opportunity to revisit the sacrifices that have made our country great, don’t forget about the amazing horse cavalry of the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I and World War II.

Though there are still small examples of horse regiments in modern day warfare…

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Feel Good Sunday: Men hold exhausted horse’s head above floodwaters for hours to save it from drowning

Straight from the Horse's Heart

As published on AccuWeather.com

“No words required…” ~ R.T.

Click Image to view video of event.

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Horses We Can’t Forget on Memorial Day

After doing some research on military horses in WWI, and the HUGE number of animals killed in battle we would be remiss to not honor not only the horses, but the military K-9.
All gave some … Some gave all … Billy Ray Cyrus

Straight from the Horse's Heart

by Jocelyn Pierce as published on Equitrekking.com

“Throughout the United States’s military history, the horse played an indispensable role. “

Memorial Day is a day of reflection and remembrance to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives while serving in the military. Perhaps the most largely unrecognized, and sometimes altogether forgotten veterans are the horses that served alongside man.

Since the domestication of the horse, humans and horses have shared a partnership that has been integral to the thriving of civilizations. Horses were essential in agriculture, transportation, and warfare, not to mention companionship in some of history’s darkest hours and in the face of humankind’s brutality.

Throughout the United States’s military history, the horse played an indispensable role. In wartime, the horse was used to transport cavalry troops, supplies, and artillery weapons as well as for charges, scouting, raiding, and communication. While serving man and country…

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Boise BLM wild horse adoptions on hold due to equine distemper | KBOI

By KBOI Staff

Members of the public interested in adopting a wild horse or burro should contact the BLM Boise District Office at (208) 384-3300 to provide their contact information.

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) – The Bureau of Land Management has temporarily suspended wild horse and burro adoptions at the Boise BLM Wild Horse Corrals due to strangles, or equine distemper, in several horses.

Strangles is an upper respiratory tract infection in horses and although usually not fatal, is highly contagious.

While the symptomatic horses are quarantined and being treated by a veterinarian, the BLM has decided to close the corrals to adoptions and public visitors as a precaution until further notice.

“Our priority is the safety of the horses at our facility and the potential of the disease being transmitted to privately-owned horses,” said Raul Trevino, BLM Boise Corral Manager. “We just don’t want to take any chances while we wait for the disease to run its course. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will resume adoptions.”

Horses showing sickness were first observed on May 17.

Lab results later confirmed the presence of strangles in one horse, with six others being symptomatic.

All of these horses are presently stable or showing signs of improvement.

Strangles cases are not rare and have happened at other private and wild horse facilities throughout the country.

Members of the public interested in adopting a wild horse or burro should contact the BLM Boise District Office at (208) 384-3300 to provide their contact information.

They will be contacted to schedule an appointment after the corral reopens for adoptions.

For more information, contact the Boise District Office at (208) 384-3300.

Source: Boise BLM wild horse adoptions on hold due to equine distemper | KBOI