Justice and Paul Blackburn

Here is how The Humane Society of the United States answers the question of why soring persists even though the Horse Protection Act outlawed it. "From the beginning, underfunding and political pressure from industry insiders have plagued USDA's enforcement of the HPA. Lack of adequate funding prevents the USDA from sending agency officials to every Tennessee and Racking Horse show. As a result, they have instituted a system that allows horse industry organizations (HIOs) to train and license their own inspectors, known as Designated Qualified Persons (DPQs), to examine horses at shows for signs of soring. With the exception of a few HIOs who are committed to ending soring, most of the HIOs are made up of industry insiders who have a clear stake in preserving the status quo" www.humanesociety.org/issues/tenn_walking_horses/facts/what_is_soring.html.To make matters worse, when perpetrators get caught, they seldom receive the punishment they deserve. Here is a case in point. Paul Blackburn, Jeffery Bradford, and Christen Altman were employed by Barney Davis at his Hidden Creek Farms in Lewisburg, Tennessee, where they sored horses and practiced other illegalities. In a seven-month investigation, a smart agent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture collected enough evidence to indict and convict them all. At the sentencing of Blackburn, he said, "I know what I done was wrong. I am very sorry for it." His attorney argued that Blackburn shouldn't go to jail because he is the father of six children and the family would suffer. The judge listened. Blackburn's final punishments were these: one year of probation, a $1000 penalty, and an assignment to write an article about soring to be published in the local paper. After the sentencing, Blackburn, as reported in a number of newspapers, said "he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."  In the wrong place to get caught? This doesn't square with his courtroom apology. Notably, both the judge and one of the two U.S. attorneys said they didn't know about horse soring before taking over the case. The judge even said that more people should know about soring. I hope that the February sentencing of the others will be as stringent as the law allows, seeing that video evidence shows a plate and bolt being inserted in a horse's foot.
And the future of justice for sorers looks dim. Bill Killian, U.S. Attorney, said that "the case, along with the government's 2011 case in Middle Tennessee against Chris Zahnd, 45, of Trinity, Alabama, who was sentenced in November to two years of probation, are the first criminal prosecutions of Horse Protection Act violations nationally in about 20 years."
To tell the truth, I don't expect the other three defendants to be sentenced severely enough for what they did. The Tennessee cruelty to animals laws are too weak. And some people claim that since horses are still classified in Tennessee law as "livestock" rather than "animal," the latter defined as "a domesticated living creature or a wild creature previously captured," those who torture gaited horses in the state will never be punished even adequately for what they did.
Special thanks to Bill Poovey, whose article I depended on for this posting, and which was reprinted in a number of newspapers.
Next posting: Friends of Sound Horses

Has Anyone Read Clarence Day?

Searching through my bookshelves for something cheerful to read, I found an old book I picked up someplace in my travels entitled The Best of Clarence Day. I don't suppose many students or their parents read Day's work today, seeing that he lived from 1874 to 1935. All his life he struggled with rheumatoid arthritis; that constant pain is reflected in his picture above. Despite R.A., he wrote beautiful, sweet, humorous essays, his best about growing up with his family in New York City. (Movie buffs may have seen the film made from his work, "Life with Father.") Every day, I read only one essay, to make them last longer. This morning it was "Father on Horseback," in which Day's intractable father meets a horse named Rob Roy who is equally as stubborn. I'll let you guess who wins. Although the essays make me laugh out loud, I'm also appreciating his word pictures of old New York. This morning, his description of what the eighteen-hundreds Elevated looked like held me at the breakfast table: "Soon a stubby little steam engine, with its open coal car piled full of anthracite, and its three or four passenger cars swinging along behind, appeared round the curve. White smoke poured from the smokestack. The engineer leaned out from his window." While Day's essays put me into a good mood for writing, they also make me a better writer, a fact which all authors know about reading other's works.

Wild Horses: Ted Williams Takes on the Issue

Photo courtesy of Colin E. Braley, http://www.wildwest-media.com/

In Audubon magazine of January to February 2011, Ted Williams, a longtime conservationist, takes on the explosive issue of the wild horses, In his article "Saddle Sores," he describes his trip to see the BLM's October 2010 roundup of the horses, known as a "gather." There is definitely a war on words in the struggle to take care of these horses; the word "mustang" as applied to them evokes the proud conquistadors riding gorgeous, equally proud horses, to which the modern wild horses are supposedly related. In reality, says Williams, "these  are mongrels, descended from livestock owned by everyone who ever dumped or lost horses in the West from 1540 to 2010." This romanticization of the horses' background is irrelevant. There are too many of them. Many are sick and dying.  They neeed help right now. The word "gather," used by the BLM in obeisance to those who fight against its practices, is a euphemism for "roundup." It is widely said that the wild horses are frightened by the helicopters used in the roundup and may injure themselves; Williams said that when he watched the process, the horses were "nonchalant" about the whole thing. They didn't stampede, they mostly trotted, they ate and drank contentedly in their holding pen. The helicopter stayed about a mile behind the horses as it herded them. The cliche "Wild and Free" is hardly true either, since they are quite grimly, free to get sick or die in a habitat that cannot sustain them.
As you can see from the picture above, their habitat is fragile. Williams describes it vividly: "I hiked across badlands of shale and polished stones, over sparse shrubs, thin, widely spaced clumps of grasses and forbs, and dry dirt that crumbled and sailed aloft. Ancient, scraggly junipers dotted the hills. Pronghorns and mule deer browsed the valleys. Less than seven inches of precipitation a year isn't unusual here, and that precipitation may come in two rainstorms, so it doesn't do much good." He explains that since horses have solid hooves and teeth that mesh, they are very destructive of all native vegetation. The horses wander over the range eating anything they can find--"horses stomp the shrubs into the dirt to get the last blade"--but drive away other animals, people, and grouse from the area.  More nutritious grasses are dying out, due at least partially to this overgrazing. When there is drought, this ecosystem becomes even more unsustainable. And with too many animals on this impoverished land, the problem looks unsoluble.
Can anything be done? Secretary Salazar suggested that the horses be transported to other, more fruitful lands but Williams says that he had to drop this idea because of the outraged reaction to his remedy. Even if they were transported to other habitats, the costs of maintaining these herds increases all the time.There was hope for a while that people would adopt the wild horses; that has proven a vain hope. People today are getting rid of their horses due to our depressing economic problems. How about euthanizing the excess horses? Few people want to even consider this as a solution. Surgical sterilization is a possibility as is injecting mares with an anti-fertility drug; Williams points out that the latter drug, PZP, isn't alway dependable and may wear off after several years.
It seems there is a stalemate here. But I believe that if people who want to save the wild horses, people who are fair-minded and willing to listen to many schemes and even try some, could sit down and talk about it without the hyperbole, bitterness, bias, and lack of common sense so often present when coflicts are approached, something could be done.
Williams suggested that all people who are interested contact Secretary Salazar and urge him to use every tool at his disposal to control wild horses. Keep track of what is happening in Congress about this issue. Contact your representatives about it. And above all, learn the truth about the wild horses and their terrible dilemma.

Wild Horses: Ken Salazar's Plea for Action

Photo courtesy of Colin E. Braley, http://www.wildwest-media.com/

Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, announced in 2009 that wild horses were out of control. In replying to many animal advocates who claimed that rounding up the horses was unnecessary and cruel, the Secretary said the following, quoted in the Los Angeles Times of January 14, 2010. I include the whole excerpt here because it states the problem clearly and succinctly without emotion fogging the issue, and calls for action on the part of everyone who cares about the horses.
"Though an American icon is again flourishing, the job of restoring the health of wild horse herds is far from complete. Without natural predators, wild horse populations have grown beyond the carrying capacity of the sensitive and sparse lands on which they live, causing damage to ecosystems and putting them at risk of starvation. As a result, federal managers must move thousands of wild horses each year off the range to pastures and corrals, where they are fed, cared for and put up for adoption. The current situation is unsustainable.
The American people expect the health of their lands and watersheds to be protected, and it is unacceptable to allow wild horses to be malnourished on inadequate ranges. Yet no one wants to see them gathered and moved off Western ranges. Moreover, the status quo comes with a steep price tag. The federal government spends more than $60 million a year on the wild horse and burro program, of which $35 million goes to the care and feeding of the horses. A broad range of animal rights organizations, conservationists and Western communities agree that we cannot continue down the current path. We must change course. I agree.
However, if we are to succeed in restoring the health of wild horse herds, we must choose our new path wisely. To allow wild horse herds to grow beyond the limit of the range--as some wild horse advocates and celebrities are arguing--is not realistic, humane or environmentally responsible. Instead, we need a comprehensive and balanced approach built on new partnerships, new thinking and new courage to tackle an issue that, unfortunately, has no easy solution."
Now Secretary Salazar lays out specific suggestions to effect control of the herds.
"First, we must control the growth of wild horse herds by humanely applying fertility control to wild horses on the range. We can do so responsibly and at a reasonable cost. We must elevate the stature and care of wild horse herds that will sustainably live on Western ranges for generations to come. As Interior secretary, I am examining ways we can better showcase special herds in signature areas of the West to provide eco-tourism opportunites and provide them greater protection. We must identify and restore new habitat where wild horses could be returned. Some of the prairies and ranges outside the West--places where forage is rich and where wild horses once wandered--could become sanctuaries for the animals. I have proposed that through partnerships with the private sector, stakeholders and local communities, we establish new sanctuaries in the Midwest and the East, where healthy horse herds could return. Finally, we must recognize that the federal government alone cannot restore the health of wild horse herds. We need citizens to help. We want Americans to visit their public lands where horses roam, to help us care for these magnificent animals, to share their ideas with us and to help us find citizens and animal lovers across the country who will adopt wild horses and provide healthy, happy homes for them. ...Preserving the health of our land and wildlife requires collaboration, patience, and courage. Demonizing others in the ways that some advocates have recently demonized federal land managers is neither reasonable nor productive. ..Let us find common ground and humane, environmentally sound solutions on our public lands."
Next post: Ted Williams

My Heroes: NYS Racing and Wagering Board

On October 12, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board acted like heroes for all of us worried about the drugging of racehorses. Richard Dutrow Jr. was finally barred from New York's racetracks for 10 years. His name is well known in racing circles for almost 70 violations at 15 racetracks in 9 states. Consider this: Dutrow hid illegal workouts of his horses, used strong painkillers including butorphanol found in winnning horse Fastus Cactus, kept 3 syringes in his desk loaded with xyzaline, a muscle-relaxant. John Sabini, chairman of the Board, said: "His [Dutrow] repeated violations and disregard of the rules of racing has eroded confidence in the betting pubic and caused an embarrassment throughout the industry." It is hoped that Dutrow will not be licensed in other states to race. Those who drug horses to win are not only guilty of greed. Veterinarians believe that using both legal and illegal drugs on race horses is account partly for the fact that the United States has the world's highest rate of thoroughbred mortality.
But Dutrow has the right to counsel, and they managed a win when at a hearing, Judge Richard Giardino upheld the stay. If he hadn't, Dutrow would have been refused entrance to all New York tracks right away. One wonders how much the judge knows about the years on end of drugging horses and how many people have tried to get rid of this widespread horse abuse. With this stay, Dutrow can go on training horses until his appeal is heard; lawyers can delay this process easily. Dutrow said of Giardino's ruling, "I'm glad I still get to go to the barn. I got a very positive attitude here, no negativism at all. It's easy for me to get up in the morning and go to the barn. Everything else comes so naturally for me there." Unfortunately we all know what comes naturally. We congratulate the Board, and wish that Dutrow had been barred for life.

The Artist Jane Walentas

Over twenty years ago, Jane Walentas saw a battered old carousel from the 1920s. It had 48 horses and two chariots. The horses' bodies were covered with multiple layers of varnish that defaced their original bright colors. Jane was determined to restore it and then put it in Brooklyn Bridge Park on the East River. Twelve years ago, Jane and a team scraped away all that varnish and found the real horses underneath: their superb carving, their colors. The horses are resplendent, now, with gold leaf, their saddles and reins newly decorated. On September 16, Jane's Carousel opened to the public. The now-glorious carousel will be maintained and operated by a non-profit charitable organization, named, what else, but Jane's Carousel. I am indebted to its web page for the image of the horses. Why not visit the site yourself at http://janescarousel.com where you'll see more of the carousel?

Wisdom from President Reagan

"There's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse."

The only change I would make in this little gem of wisdom is "for the inside of a man or woman."

Can Breezes Hurt Two-Year Olds?

Horse people are taking another look at breezes and the danger they pose to two-year-olds who are forced to run them. Breezes, according to a new article in The Wall Street Journal by Dionne Searcy, are exercises that these young horses are put through at sales events to show off their ability. These sprints are 1/8 of a mile and "are typically run in less than 11 seconds." Sometimes, the running horses have undeveloped bones and muscles, which can't withstand the intense stress of a breeze, and thus cause injuries. And if you think these horses automatically turn out to be Derby winners, you're wrong. Sometimes they don't even win a race. Among other other concerned activists, PETA has taken up the cause, pursuing animal cruelty charges against two auction houses where two horses died in breezes; urging auction companies to let young horses just gallop or accelerate gradually, which is done at some European companies; requesting auction houses to bar horses younger than two-years-old from the exercise; and last, to postpone breezes if the the track is in bad condition or the temperature is too high.What do you think? My facebook page has the whole story.

Equine Herpes May be Spread by Stressed Show Horses

When horses like those beauties above leave their peaceful pasture and are taken to the show ring to compete, the equine herpes virus most adult horses carry can spread due to the stress of competition. In an article by Jennifer Viegas of Discovery News, we read that Dr. Philip Johnson, who teaches equine internal medicine at the University of Missouri points out that "most adult horses are infected with the virus....[That] infection leads to a life-long association between the virus and its host. In most healthy horses most of the time, the host's immune system prevents the virus from going active and being especially contagious." But, he goes on, there are times when the virus overcomes the immune system and becomes active. An example is the April/May National Cutting Horse Association's Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah: 32 cases of infectious equine herpes resulted, with those infected spreading the disease to other horses. Dr. Johnson says, "Congregated horses coming together to compete are stressed, adversely affecting the immune system's function." Dr. Johnson adds that it may be that show horses, that are commonly exposed to intense confinement and a lot of transport between shows, neither of which they may be used to, may become carriers of an activated virus. And the grouping of show horses closely together in temporary, strange stabling, is another factor. Once the virus is active, formerly unaffected horses can breathe in the virus, and are infected by horse workers' hands, equipment, tack, and food.

The virus appears in two strains. One is more likely to cause neurological problems. The symptoms of the latter are fever of 102 degrees F or even higher; nasal discharge; fatigue; weakness; urine dribbling; leaning; tail loss of tone; and problems with standing. Dr. Bruce King, state veterinarian of Utah, says that an infected horse should be isolated, his temperature taken and recorded twice a day. Dr. John Hunt, Acting Arizona State Veterinarian, says further that this procedure should continue for 28 days after the initial symptoms are seen. If the sick horse has secondary infections, doctors may use anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and anti-viral drugs. If the horse can't stand up, body padding and slings may be used; intravenous feeding and a catheter may also prove useful.

Viegas concludes that "some vaccines provide protection against the less debilitating form of the virus, but they do not appear to protect against the neurological syndrome."

Swamp Fever: No Vaccine, No Cure

Maybe you've read about the fatal horse disease currently raging in the west called equine infectious anemia. Many horse people know it as swamp fever. There is neither a vaccine nor a cure. The sick horses suffer from intermittent fever, they are depressed, they grow progressively weaker, they lose weight, and they have anemia and edema. For a more technical description, go to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/horse/v1195w.htm. Let's think of those horses and their desperate owners today, and hope that veterinarians find a solution soon for this terrible scourge.

Read the Prologue to My New Book Now

If you would like to read the Prologue to my new book, He Trots the Air, go to my web site at www.mmfisher.com, and click on the very small image of the book's cover. There you'll also find me musing about writing the book and what I wanted to accomplish.

Connie Holt's Newest Case: He Trots the Air

At the beginning of He Trots the Air, Connie has a string of good fortune, leading her to believe that this year will be happy, vastly different from a year ago when she had to investigate the tragic deaths of three horses. For one thing, employer and friend Cary McCutcheon has acquired Darkling Lord, a Thoroughbred of dazzling pedigree, and plans to run him in the Gold Cup International Steeplechase in October. The colt will train at Fayence in Albemarle County, and Connie looks forward to visiting the horse often to watch his progress. Earlene Collins, who breeds Arabian horses, finds what could be an original Henry Stull (1851-1913) painting hidden in the attic of her pre-Civil War home. Busy with her work, Earlene asks Connie to find an art expert to work with the painting, a task Connie welcomes. And in Denver, where she meets with restorer Patrick Laurent, she reunites with a man whom she has never forgotten.

But on her return from Colorado, things turn dark and dangerous. No one but the reader knows that from the beginning of the novel, a plot has been underway to drug Cary's colt for reasons that have nothing to do with financial gain. Someone has hired three desperate people to commit the crime. Just thirteen days before the Gold Cup, Connie and Cary learn that something is going to happen to the horse. They start a relentless, time-starved investigation complicated by too few facts to go on, the continuing frustration of speculation without foundation, and the strong possibility that they won't be able to solve the puzzle and save Darkling Lord from harm. As both the conspirators and Connie and Cary move closer and closer to race day, tension and worry grow almost unbearable. The climax comes in front of the colt's stall on the day of the race--and no one is ready for what happens.

If you would like to read He Trots the Air, just click on Contact Me Directly (under the book cover to the left) to order an early autographed copy. I'll tell you how you can get it now, and at a substantially lower price than after June 15.

Connie Holt Back with Another Mystery

I'm happy to say that my second Connie Holt mystery will be officially published June 15th of this year. Connie has put up with a lot of grief from me, first in The Case of the Three Dead Horses, and now in her newest adventure, He Trots the Air. And by the way, since the story is about the steeplechase this time, I think Shakespeare's lovely words about the joy of riding a horse fit the story very well: "When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk; he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it . . . "

Keep your eyes on this site, and you'll read more about Ms. Holt and her adventures as an equine insurance investigator. I'll also tell you how you can get the new book right now!