tCmag_October 2012_Selia Hansen

magazine october 2012

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Rounding up the AdvocatesRounding up the AdvocatesRounding up the AdvocatesRounding up the Advocates

Wake up call!Wake up call!Wake up call!Wake up call!

Our October Our October Our October Our October Buckle BunnyBuckle BunnyBuckle BunnyBuckle Bunny

SeliaSeliaSeliaSelia HansenHansenHansenHansen

www.rosenthalestatewines.com

Photo courtesy of Bristol MacDonald www.bristolmacdonaldequinephotography.com

FEATURES

8 Herd roun’ the waterin’ trough...Calamity Cate

10 Thundering hooves, flying manes...Tamara Gooch

20 Rounding Up the Advocates...John Holland

24 Resilient Souls...Alise Lamoreaux

28 Wake Up Call!...Patricia Kelley

34 Our October Buckle Bunny...Selia Hansen

42 Prairie Rose ...Buckaroo John Brand

46 The Mustang Myagi & me...Chris Vilmer

54 Good Reads...Carol Upton

55 Cowboy ??...Jeff Hildebrandt

61 Mercantile Madness

\\

Publisher Equine Angle Marketing & Publicity California, USA

Editor in Chief ~ Director “Calamity” Cate Crismani

Buckle Bunny Cover/Pictorial Photographer

Olesja Mueller www.olesjamueller.com

Contributing Photographers Christopher Ameruoso * Terry Fitch * Tamara Gooch

Alise Lamoreaux * Bristol MacDonald

Contributing “Wriders” Buckaroo John Brand * Cate Crismani * John Holland

RT Fitch * Tamara Gooch * Jeff Hildebrandt Alise Lamoreaux * Carol Upton * Chris Vilmer

Advertising Posse Rich Richardson 760.696.6304

“Calamity” Cate Crismani 818.642.4764

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All rights reserved. No portion of tCmag may be reproduced without written consent. tCmag has the right to final edit of total magazine content inclusive of articles,

ads and photographs. We reserve the right to refuse or accept any advertisement and content. Gracias & besos, tCm.

Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your Please take a moment NOW and make your taxtaxtaxtax----deductible donation to www.ispmb.org deductible donation to www.ispmb.org deductible donation to www.ispmb.org deductible donation to www.ispmb.org

Show the horses you care! Show the horses you care! Show the horses you care! Show the horses you care!

herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough herd roun’ the waterin’ trough From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate From the desk of Calamity Cate

Howdy Amigos, I LOVE this time of year, cool, colorful and full of randy horses. So at my barn, in the name of fun, all the horses get cos-tumed for Halloween who then become zebras, lions and super hero’s...its very sweet really. The wonderful horses simply tolerate us dressing them up, splashing them with glitter and going on a trail ride. THIS is a good life for a horse. Unfortu-nately, a majority of these beautiful crea-tures serve their owners loyally for years and, then, through no fault of the horse, their lives end horribly in the slaughter

Lets make a promise to our horses...to love, care for and be responsible for them till death due us part (or a safe home found with good people who will return your horse to you if they can no longer care for it.) My girlfriend, Tanii, had a “return” clause in her sales contract when she re-homed her equine friend. Then, many, many months later, the horse came back to her. Tanii was thrilled to have him back. She had taken the necessary steps to secure his future and life. This is one horse who will now have a long, happy life back with Tanii. I know for a fact, some of you treat your designer handbags better than your horses...no names...you know who you are. A grand Gracias & Besos to all the courageous folks, despite the economic challenges of these days, who make their lives work with their horses... happy, healthy and loving.

Vivo Los Mustangs! Besos Calamity

plants of Mexico and Canada. Sad but true. And there is no horse to blame, only owners and breeders. Folks, there is nothing humane about slaughter.

www.buckarooleather.com

Tamara Gooch has always been drawn to horses and the

west, its history, the romanticism and the vision of wild horses

galloping across the landscaped has enthralled her. Tamara first

got serious about photography when she began

photographing her daughters at horse shows, some 20 years ago.

Gooch’s overwhelming urge to share the beauty and grace of our

wild horses with others finally compelled her to leave her

corporate roots and journey into a world influenced by nature and

the land... a world full of inspiration. She has dedicated years to

learning the behavior and habits of our wild horses in their natu-

ral environment and is actively involved in preserving a place for

mustangs in the wild and improving on the range management.

“Pictures speak a thousand words.”, says Gooch, “They inspire

people and hopefully encourage them to get involved in the sub-

ject matter.”

Wild horses and Gooch seem to share that special bond. A

bond that enables her to look into the equine’s spirit. What she

does with the camera is captivating, and it seems to come

naturally to her. "The spirit of the west is a magnificent teacher”,

smiles Gooch, “from it’s ghost towns to it’s cowboys and it’s gal-

loping horses, the American West takes us back to something wild

and unrestrained, reminding us of a sense of freedom that many of

us have forgotten. Wild horses teach us patience, honesty and au-

thenticity, because they know no other way of being. “Wild horses

are America’s last remaining icon of the West and our Western

heritage. They can teach us to respect and honor the unknown,

rather than fear it and try to destroy it”.

thundering hooves, flying manesthundering hooves, flying manesthundering hooves, flying manesthundering hooves, flying manes ... ... ... ...TAMARA GOOCHTAMARA GOOCHTAMARA GOOCHTAMARA GOOCH

Often referred to as “visual poetry”, Gooch’s images truly embrace and reveal the incredible spirit of the west and the wild horses. With a dedicated passion, it is Tamara Gooch’s hopes to not only inspire others, but to help preserve for future generations, the thrill of thundering hooves and flying manes. "We all need to be a voice for the living legends. Wild horses are a vital piece of our cultural heritage, to loose them would be tragic and a deep disrespect to our past, present and future".

To view more of Tamara Gooch’s photography

www.tamaragoochphoto.com

Copyright 2010 Tamara

ra Gooch. All rights reserved.

There was magic in the September air at the second annual International Equine Conference (IEC) in Las Vegas.

Equine advocates from across the country and Canada attended the

three day educational conference at UNLV. The attendee activities kicked-off after a morning press conference on Friday, September 21.

The first attendee activity was a once-in-a-lifetime experience of a tour of

the Cold Creek Herd Management Area. Advocates were able to view wild horses in their natural habitat and see first-hand the band’s family structure and interaction between the horses. The first band was spotted

about 20 minutes before we reached our destination.

A second band we came across had an unusual guard, a mule. The mule kept close watch on the herd and in particular, an albino horse that was al-

most blind. The band stallion led the way and the mule brought up the rear keeping a keen eye on the youngsters. We were fortunate to witness

the same band a second time visiting a watering hole near our group.

Unlike cattle that stay for long periods, wallow and ruin the riparian areas, the small band of wild horses, true to form, drank, frolicked in the

water and were off within ten minutes. The images, however, will last some of us a lifetime. One young colt, oblivious to our presence just

across the small pond, simply dove into deep water with obvious delight.

The evening ended with a reception in UNLV’s Stan Fulton Building lounge that was sponsored by Simone Netherlands, Respect4Horses.

Advocates that had long been working together were finally able to meet each other face to face. It was a perfect end to a spectacular day.

Rounding up tSumming up the issues at the second a

By John Holland

There was magic in the September air at the second annual

After a breakfast sponsored by RT and Terry Fitch, Wild Horse Freedom Federation, the sessions followed on Saturday and Sunday with present-ers that are expert in their respective fields. RT Fitch and Vicki Tobin moderated again with light banter and introductions of the presenters. Ginger Kathrens, The Cloud Foundation, opened the conference on Saturday and did not disappoint. Ginger is well known for her documen-taries on Cloud of the Pryor Mountain herd in Montana. She provided updates on Cloud and the efforts of her organization to end the round-up of our wild equines on public lands.

Dr. Olivier Berreville, scientific advisor for The Canadian Horse Defense Coalition, provided slaughter statistics and efforts underway in Canada to end horse slaughter for human consumption. Dr. Berreville also dispelled the misinformation from horse slaughter proponents by providing a breakdown of exports by country reflecting that indeed, 70% of exports are still shipped to the European Union. Vickery Echoff of Forbes gave an analysis of mainstream media coverage on the issue of horse slaughter and how poorly researched most articles are. She described her experience both covering the issue for Forbes, and trying to get other journalists to understand it better. Her conclusion was that a friendly and helpful approach was more effective than a critical one. go to page 58

Rounding up the Advocates Summing up the issues at the second annual International Equine Conference

By John Holland

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RESILIENT SOULSBy Alise Lamoreaux

I never really thought too much about horse rescue. Even though one of my horses came to me through our local rescue, I tried not to think about his situation too much. I wanted to believe that the well-off couple that owned him,

who lost their business, who were getting divorced and losing every-thing, were unusual. They hid the situation they were facing from their outer world and their horses suffered. I wanted to think that there wasn’t too much suffering involved. I stayed away from reading the stories that would appear in news re-leases or on the Internet. I would send some money to horse rescue groups every now and then, but keep an emotional distance. I had done my part. And then the Horses In Need Documentary Project came along through the Equine Photography Network. I thought a long time about whether I thought I could handle photographing horses in need. I was afraid. Afraid of what I might see; afraid of what I might hear; afraid of what I might learn; afraid I would want to take all the horses I saw home with me and hide from the bigger issues.

RESILIENT SOULS By Alise Lamoreaux

Horses have a way of surprising me: leading me down paths of personal and social explorations I may otherwise not have ventured and increasing my awareness of the world I live in. Through my camera’s eye, something unexpected happened. I saw beauty where I could have seen pain. I saw horses who have the potential to thrive if a home can be found and who have a chance to be something be-yond their past experiences. I saw resilience and inspiration. I saw people willing to open their lives and provide foster care and train-ing to these horses. I saw a farrier who donates her time to care for the feet of these horses. So I began to look into their stories without fear, but with curiosity instead. Who were the people behind their abuse and why would someone behave the way they had? How could a community let the abuse happen? The stories of these resilient souls unfolded for me through three different horses I met: Shelby, Lyric, and Picasso Moon. Each one demonstrates the complicated issues behind the reasons for horse abuse, need for horse rescues, and the issues horse rescues face. In my own mind, I had always lumped horse abuse people into one category that I would call “criminal”. And indeed, there are those people. But there is also a growing trend in animal hoarding which is unfolding in a more secretive fashion. Social workers, friends, family, and neighbors across the country are seeing such cases and finding animals living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions as they visit homes for other reasons. Animal hoarders may truly be proud of the domain they have created and believe it to be in the best interest of the animals living with them.

The person’s home may be everything to that individual. Animals may be the sole source of mutual trust in the person’s life. Animal hoarders may proclaim deep love for their animals and not see their living situations as neglect. Hoarding is a behavioral pattern that crosses cultures, gender, and socioeconomic status. It is a difficult line to cross as to when collecting be-comes hoarding, but in the case of animals, when their health is compromised the distinction is made. Animal hoarders tend to be individu-als in their 40’s and 50’s who are also caring for dependent children or eld-ers. Animal hoarding is not a behavior simply solved by drugs, jail time, or other restrictions. It is a condition that requires counseling and intervention. It also creates situations that require the close interactions between several community agencies that must work together in difficult circumstances. Hoarding can be ugly and dangerous on its own, but animal hoarding can have devastating consequences.

It may take a village to save a child, but it takes a nation to save our horses. It takes a special person to be able to go into a situation where a horse (or many horses), needs to be removed from the living situation in which it is found. And it takes a team of support to help after that.

No doubt, horse rescue efforts need money, but the buck doesn’t stop there. Horse rescues need people to care and be involved. Communities need to be involved in recognizing agencies that need to be able to work together in or-der to effectively resolve animal abuse issues and subsequently, support the animals caught up in litigations. Rescue efforts need people to know and un-derstand their local regulations related to horses, or pass regulations if they are needed.

Humans created the situations that these rescue horses find themselves in and humans need to become responsible for their actions. If you have read this far into this story, please ask yourself what you could do to help these horses in need.

The people working in the trenches of horse rescue have something in common: hope. Hope for change; hope for a better world; hope for appre-ciation of an animal that has shaped our history; hope to stop animal hoard-ing; hope to win the lottery and create utopia. But primarily, hope to find a home for the horses whose souls are resilient and ready to put their pasts behind them.

www.savingamericashorses.org

A new tide of consciousness is rising in the horse industry. It’s calling forth great change. It’s a wake-up call for an industry that is out of sync with what the majority wants—and what this new era is calling forth. This new consciousness is bumping up against a very protective “old guard” of indus-try elites, big money and their old, tired, dinosaur era thinking. This dying be-hemoth fears loss of control, and their old, backwards, patriarchal ways of doing business.

The horse industry is not isolated from the (r)evolutionary change that is happening everywhere, although you’d think so by the egregious behavior of the major horse registries, equine sporting associations, mega-breeders, and the affiliated services that make millions off their un-conscious practices. They continue to do as they please with complete disregard for consequences. Sound familiar? We are witnessing this same rising tide of change in our US (and global) economy, po-litical and financial structures, and all the old ways of power and control that the now identified “1%” has enjoyed for way too long, at the expense of the great majority. “A problem cannot be solved at the same level of conscious-ness that created it.” — Albert Einstein

Change can be very painful. However, pain is often necessary for deep and profound change in humans, and in societies, to shift consciousness. We are all being called to do better; to live and act consciously. To be conscious is to be aware of how one’s impact affects everything. The industry is being forced into change after years and years of runaway greed, over-breeding, very poor business and marketing practices and a growing and shameful disregard for the horse. This multi-billion dollar industry exists only because of its hero—the horse. Yes, the magnificent horse has been all but forgotten by the “old guard.” Their answer is slaughter. It’s no answer to their gross and willful negligence.

WAKE UP CALL

By Patricia Kelley

The good news is this. Out of the greatest chaos and pain, wonderful, new, life-affirming change can emerge. It’s the chaos theory in action. What rises before us now is the greatest opportunity in our history with the horse to birth a new, conscious industry that honors the horse—and provides new opportunities for everyone to mix our love of horses with a conscious livelihood that serves the greater good.

How are we going to get to a healthy, holistic, conscious industry that is based on doing the right thing, including breeding policies that don’t support rampant over-breeding, spurred on by a “race to be the biggest” by associations an d breeders that have no care or concern above profit? And, racing and sport futurities that encourage over-breeding, creating “throwaway” horses be-cause of injury or failure to perform? If the only contest available was a “maturity,” horses would be treated better and brought along slower, mini-mizing injury and rejection at an early age. We must as a collective begin a serious commitment to education. The education must be directed at both the public and the industry. The general public needs to learn more about horses, their importance and all the oppor-tunities within the industry to participate. And there must be comprehensive education within the industry on the new economy and how that impacts choices, best business practices, conscious communications, connecting with ideal new clients, developing new supportive ancillary services and products, and more. This is where we must start. We must continue our sacred activism, but we have to do more to turn this titanic around. Changing the slaughter laws (it’s even more urgent now with recent legislative developments) is critical. We must support this urgency for change with focused public and industry edu-cation. A complete turnaround will take years—and we have to start now. The current and new generations are critical to a changed industry. go to next page

Forward, creative, open-minded thinking is a requirement for success in the new era horse industry. Part of the education I recommend is learning to look at ways to align our businesses with the new reality while staying true to our hearts and our innate talents and gifts. That means looking within and connecting with our internal guidance and matching that with new opportu-nities. I’m not recommending people abandon their businesses and start over. Only to align with better practices and new, emerging opportunities.

Potential new owners are generally more conscious and are seeking “values” rather than just value. Baby Boomer grandparents want older, sea-soned and trustworthy mounts for themselves and their grandkids. I’m a Boomer and I know I don’t want to be hitting the dirt like I did when I was younger.

“A 2007 AARP study found that 85% of Boomers rank themselves from either “somewhat spiritual” to “very spiritual.” This does not reflect reli-gious affiliation, but instead reflects a rising consciousness. This is more and more typical and is something that tends to happen in later years if one hasn’t experienced an awakening prior to their Boomer years. In 2008, Dr. Carol Orsborn wrote that, “today, 50+ers (especially women), are looking for meaning and renewal….” This means that they are not going to engage in a renewed dream of owning a horses or taking riding lessons from a breeder or trainer that abuses their horses or sends their over-breeding “rejects” to slaughter.

Gen-xers (1965-1977) and the Milennials (Gen-Y 1978-1987) both come with their own needs. As a general rule, they are independent out-of-the-box thinkers, want things quicker, and social responsibility is important to them, especially the Gen-Y. To reach these buyers (including the re-entry Boom-ers and their families) takes a whole new approach. And it’s got to be trans-parent and conscious. They can and will smell the rat of unconscious, lie-filled, abusive behavior. They will be very interested in your values, how you treat them, your horses and your employees and if you have conscious regard for the bigger picture. Because of the “get things now” technology era most have grown up in, they are going to be more interested in seasoned, trained horses that they can enjoy and “experience” now—not later after years of training. The older horse is going to be very highly valued.

When we look at the statistics below, it’s a no-brainer that the industry must change and in big ways. Be-tween 1997 and 2005, the Horse Industry grew by 55%, the number of horses in-creased by 33% and the number of horse owners increased by only a mere 5% during the same time. Equine Industry Statistics: 80% of first time horse owners get rid of their horse within 5 years. Every 5 minutes an American horse is slaughtered for human consumption. 92% of horses going to slaughter are in good condition. In just nine years (1997-05), the American horse industry has grown from $25.3 billion to $39 billion, an increase of 55%. The equine population in the United States has expanded from 6.9 million to 9.2 million horses, an increase of 33%. Meanwhile, the number of horse owners has risen from 1.9 million to 2.0 million, a modest increase of only about 5%. The new buyer, owner and those who might want to simply enjoy horses on occasion are looking for something far different than what is being of-fered by the “old guard.” They are seeking the experience of connection, to connect with the horse and to feel the joy of this connection, whether that be riding or working with horses from the ground. This is being witnessed already in the wonderful ways horses are being used in therapy and teach-ing of all kinds. This desire to have a complete experience of connection will require redeveloping your programs and client services in many cases. The new buyers and clients are seeking providers with congruent values to their own. What are these values? They are many, but include, integrity, conscious regard for all life, social and environmental responsibility, kindness and honesty.

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www.springmountainalliance.org

Three years ago to date, our October Buckle Bunny first appeared in the pages of trueCOWBOYmagazine. We thought we’d celebrate that memo-rable issue this October and have an encore feature of our hot, Nordic Buckle Bunny, Selia Hansen. Norway is a beautiful country, and although a bit cold in winters, there is no denying the warmth that exudes from Selia. At a very young age, she was dancing and modeling professionally. Upon vacationing in New York City, Hansen was smitten by the Big Apple’s energy and opportunities, persuing a successful career in both of her chosen fields while adding another dimension to her career, acting. “I always felt I was born in the wrong country, and I do love Norway, but New York became “home” for me instantly”, smiles Han-sen. After living on the east coast for fourteen years, she hit the road again and this time landed in Los Angeles where her resume quickly got her working. Horses have always been one of Hansen’s passions and she recalls the first time she rode a horse. “My grandparent’s neighbors had horses loose in their field. I crawled under the fence and walked to a horse who was grazing there. His neck was down so I climbed up it and onto his back , backwards and bareback. Well, he took off. I hung on tightly but I was tossed to the ground. The horse came back to see if I was okay. I was more than okay, I was in love with horses from that moment on!”. “I rode as often as I could in New York at the Chelsea Pier Riding Club and ride as much as I can here. Horses are very special, so strong, beautiful, smart and powerful”.

melting the ice…Our October Buckle Bunny

Selia Hansen

Which brings us to the wild mustangs and

Hansen’s very forthright viewpoint. “I am very disturbed by what is

happening to the wild mustangs. Their violent treatment is bad, wrong, insane and completely unacceptable”. They

deserve their freedom and land and should be

protected as treasures for all of us to honor”.

It is our honor to present

our October Buckle Bunny Ms. Selia Hansen.

Norway’s loss is definitely our gain!

Photographer: Olesja Mueller www.olesjamueller.com

Retouch Artist: Lloyd Mabuto www.dlqretouch.com

Uber horse: The Mighty Raiderette

Creative, styling & jewelry: Cate Crismani

Shot on location at Wildwood Equestrian

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Olesja Mueller www.olesjamueller.com Lloyd Mabuto www.dlqretouch.com

The Mighty Raiderette Cate Crismani

ian Center,

whall, CA.

Prairie Rose by Buckaroo John Brand

In the late 1800's, the younger horsewomen began competing against cowboys in a yearly gathering of herds -which pro-gressed into participat-ing in rodeo's. One of these young horsewomen was "Prairie" Rose Henderson. She was an exuberant and talented daughter of a Wyoming rancher. Rose rode to Cheyenne to enter a bronc busting contest. Much to her dismay, Rose was told she could not ride in the contest. Rose de-manded to see the rules. In the bronc busting rules there was nothing stating that women could not compete. The officials had to let her participate. As you can imagine her entrance into the arena caused quit a stir. Women were spectators… not competitors!!! Prairie Rose came crashing out of the chute, hanging on to the bronc with all her strength....and lost!

Prairie Rose

by Buckaroo John Brand

But, Rose opened the door for all women to compete in rodeos, so I guess you could say she really did win! Eventually, Prairie Rose did have wins at the rodeos. Rose was even present a champion award by the Union Pacific Railroad. She was known as the most flamboyant cowgirl of her time. How about this cowgirl costume for you. In 1918 Prairie Rose entered the Gordon Nebraska rodeo wearing ostrich plumes over her bloomers and a blouse covered with bright sequins. Prairie Rose competed in Rodeos until her death. In 1932, Prai-rie Rose rode to a competition and was caught in blizzard. She did not survive. Her body was discovered nine years later. The only way they identified her was by her champion belt buckle. Prairie Rose Henderson a true American Cowgirl with spirit, courage and determination! At Buckaroo Leather we celebrate the cowgirl spirit with traditional, sheekaroo and exotic styles of Quality Leather horse tack….Ride American! www.buckarooleather.com

www.wildhorserescue.org

The Mustang By Chris Vilmer

I have never competed in anything in the equine world. Nor have I en-tered a show ring of any kind. So when my fellow “Happy Chicks” at Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue in Lancaster, California, applied to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition, I thought they were crazy. We all are horsetrainers by trade, but 100 trainers, 100 mus-tangs in 100 days, sounds like insan-ity to me. I was content to watch from the sidelines. The universe had other plans.

Thirty two days into the competition the other Happy Chicks started conspiring. You see, Jenna Nelson had decided to train two horses for the competition. Tiny Tim, her fluffy, draft pony mustang was doing amazingly. Sioux, her athletic, energetic, and fence scaling cutie, was not. Sioux liked his freedom. I would like to say jumping on board to work with a crazy little mustang in 68 days and have him prepared to show in Fort Worth, Texas took a lot of arm twisting. But it didn’t. I knew it was time to step out of my comfort zone. I named my charge Miyagi after the Karate Kid’s mentor Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi was brilliant, athletic, bold, opinionated, and a joker. I had my work cut out for me.

The Mustang Miyagi & Me By Chris Vilmer

Miyagi expanded my horse-manship in so many ways. Rapport, trust and play were everything to Miyagi. He would not be rushed. That first touch, first halter, first connection was going to be on his terms, when he decided I was worthy and not before. When he finally gave me his heart, he also game me his soul. It was an honor, pure honesty and a true gift. This horse was so much smarter than me. Who better to teach you excellence than a horse that will accept no less from you?

I have to tell you, I tend to be the gal who surrounds her-self with people who need me. Need my experience, knowl-edge, motivation, support and friendship. Miyagi taught me to em-brace and accept my own vul-nerability and humble myself before this wild horse and my amazing friends. When I came to this realization is when

Miyagi truly began to blossom, our connection grew and I finally understood the real meaning of partnership and friendship.

go to page 50

The day had come to ship Miyagi to Texas. I was so con-cerned about whether or not he was ready for the journey, ready for the show, and ready for a new life with someone other than me. But I knew he was in the safe and capable hands of horse trainer, Angi Keitel during the trip. Although Miyagi was eating and drinking, Keitel felt he was depressed. Reports of depression were not encourag-ing. How would he handle the bustle of the show? Could I

give him the leadership he would so desperately need in the new environment awaiting us in Fort Worth? I arrived in Texas days earlier than Miyagi and was anxious to see him. My heart sank when I did. Miyagi’s head was low, his eyes were dull and my heart collapsed. I whispered his name and up popped his head in my direction. He recognized my voice. I slipped a halter on his nose and we went for a walk. He seemed almost unsure that it was really me. But after a few minutes, he knew his leader was back. The connection between us was back. His partner was back. But mostly that his friend was back. The day of the competition, Miyagi shone like a star in the arena. I felt his confidence, and I felt his pride. He felt my patience, encouragement, support and leadership. Up until now, he had been my mentor, the tables turned in Fort Worth, and I was now his. We walked out of that show ring on cloud nine.

From page 47 Miyagi

The bidding segment of the event was next on the agenda. Since Miyagi had not been readied for riding with our shortened training time, I worried that he might not be adopted. The bidders were looking for quiet, well started, recreational saddle horses. Walking through the auction ring gate was agony. Miyagi was playful. He is such a fancy mover and I was so proud of him, but no one was bidding. Patti Colbert, founder of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the creator of the Ex-treme Mustang Make-over, handed me the microphone and asked me to tell everyone about Miyagi. I spoke from my heart and shared his soul. I impressed that I believed this was a once in a lifetime horse. Still, no bidders.

It was at this point that Colbert stopped the bidding and offered to pay the minimum adoption fee to the first person who stood up to claim him. My heart pounded. Then, a miracle. Jill Starr, President of Lifesavers, jumped to her feet and yelled “Sold”! Miyagai was going home. My heart was filled with joy! I threw my arms around Miyagi and whispered in his ear, “You’re coming home, my teacher”. We have more work ahead of us but we’ll be okay. Miyagi is my mentor, my trainer, my once in a lifetime horse, my gift. The only way I know to show my gratitude to this magnificent mustang is to continue to learn and be the very best I can be for him.

www.wildhorserescue.org

www.returntofreedom.org

www.thecloudfoundation.org

www.equinewelfarealliance.org

GOOD READS Reviewed by Carol Upton

www.dreamsaloud.ca

Breathe Life into Your Riding Transform your riding with inspirational

and innovative breathing techniques

by Jenny Rolfe

“Once we begin to master our own state of mind, tension and balance,

we will be in a place where we can more easily be taught, by both a

trainer and the horse. We will be able to respond more effectively with

fluidity within our body and greater focus of our mind.” ~ Jenny Rolfe In this follow-up to Ride From the Heart, Jenny Rolfe expands upon her train-ing techniques using the power of breathing and energy exchange between horses and people. We already know that Yoga and Tai Chi practices, for exam-ple, help us to move through life more easily. Rolfe combines her extensive ex-perience as an international dressage trainer with testimonials from other riders to demonstrate how a similar approach can profoundly impact horse and rider performance in all disciplines. “Much of our present-day teaching relates to technical knowledge,” Rolfe says, “but my experience, working daily with my stallions, has taught me the signifi-cance of a further dimension.” Attitudes are shifting and there are many ways in which we can learn together. Riders and trainers who want to improve will definitely be inspired by Rolfe’s approach in this book and the transformation it can bring to both human and horse.

Jenny Rolfe’s clients come from all over the world and include those

professionally involved with horses, among them British Horse Society

trainers, western dressage afficionados and natural horsemanship in-

structors. She is also author/producer of the book/dvd Ride from the

Heart and writes for a multitude of international equestrian magazines.

Visit Jenny and her Iberian stallions at: www.naturallyclassical.com

COWBOY ?? By Jeff Hildebrandt

Do cowboys still find time to rhyme

when cattle’s bedded down or do they just hop in their cars and

beat it back to town? Do cowhands still swap stories like

those hands did years ago or is that bit of history gone like the buffalo?

The romance of the range lives on around the campfire’s light in the minds of all the wannabes who spend each day and night doing what those

cowboys did a hundred years ago. And it’s up to full time buckaroos to let

them think that’s so.

They long to ride Ben Johnson style with smooth and flowing grace.

Have a showdown with a grizzled cur and spit right in his face.

They’re living out a fantasy in hats and chaps and vest, pretending to be cowhands in the wild and wooly West.

Say what you will of tenderfeet, of dudes and wannabes

but if the West is to survive it’s up to folks like these. Cause, were it not for wannabes,

why use a horse at all? They’d round up cows from ATV’s while

making cell-phone calls.

Jeff Hildebrandt © 2005

http://cowboyupamerica.blogspot.com/

www.theearthorganization.org

www.rtfitch.com

Bruce Wagman, partner, Schiff Hardin LLP, presented in-formation on using the law to save horses and had wild horse and burro advocates frantically taking notes. Bruce is the at-torney for several non-profit organizations and is well known for Wild Horse Freedom Federation’s law suits to protect our wild horses and burros and the legal petitions to USDA and FDA on the dangers of horse meat and slaughter returning to US soil. Dr. Kraig Kulikowski, a veterinarian specializing in sports medicine, shared his experiences and how his practice changed his life and view on horse slaughter. He went on to describe the reforms that racing should make to prevent the catastrophic breakdowns that have so diminished the sport’s appeal with the public. Sara Kelley, Rebecca Farm, gave a fascinating presentation on Eventing and how it provides second and third careers for horses. Matt and Palomino Armstrong brought the audience to tears with a heartfelt presentation on extreme foal rescue and care. Nancy Perry and Carolyn Schnurr, ASPCA provided in-depth information on the Lake Associates poll that reflected 80% of the country is against horse slaughter and provided updates of efforts underway by ASPCA. The audience was given insight into which arguments resonate most effectively with the public. Elizabeth Forel, Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, provided an update on her efforts to ban carriages in New York and the challenges she has faced. As if on cue, yet an-other accident involving an NY carriage horse was reported during her session.

From page 21 ~ IEC

The highlight of Saturday’s conference was from keynote speaker, Victoria McCullough, The Triumph Project. The audience was spellbound in hearing about her efforts to end horse slaughter. Victoria is a savvy busi-nesswoman with a passion for horses and was frequently interrupted by ap-plause when the audience heard the progress she has made. Sunday’s session opened with Simone Netherlands, Respect4Horses who provided lobbying tips and a fascinating presentation on the Salt Creek Horses and efforts underway to protect the herd. The way that this herd has adapted to a semi-aquatic life style gave the audience deep appre-ciation for the versatility of wild equines. Following Simone were two investigators, Julie Caramante and Terry Torreance that provided details on investigations involving horse transport and highlighted the Three Angels transport violations that subsequently shut down the operation. They presented a mile by mile slide show that put the audience in their shoes during one of the investigation trips. Susan Wagner, Equine Advocates and Bill Smith, Billy Smith Horseman-ship, provided information on rehabilitating the highly abused and trauma-tized equines. Billy appeared in a moving video on his work with several equines at Susan’s sanctuary as he brought traumatized horses and mules back to trusting him so they could receive needed treatment and care. Following Simone were two investigators, Julie Caramante and Terry Torreance that provided details on investigations involving horse transport and highlighted the Three Angels transport violations that subsequently shut down the operation. They presented a mile by mile slide show that put the audience in their shoes during one of the investigation trips. Susan Wagner, Equine Advocates and Bill Smith, Billy Smith Horseman-ship, provided information on rehabilitating the highly abused and trauma-tized equines. Billy appeared in a moving video on his work with several equines at Susan’s sanctuary as he brought traumatized horses and mules back to trusting him so they could receive needed treatment and care.

Arlene Gawne, Spring Mountain Alliance and American Wild Horse Ad-vocates, along with Garnet Pasquale, organized the wild horse tour on Fri-day and provided photos and recap for those that could not join the tour. Ar-lene also reviewed their proposed plan (and resistance from BLM) for sav-ing the Cold Creek herd that is scheduled for a round-up early next year. Keith Dane, HSUS, gave a well-received update on their Tennessee Walk-ing Horse soring investigation and future plans to end the abuse. His video exposed the incredible cruelty involved in getting horses to do the exagger-ated “big lick” gait. Eleven year old, “Mustang” Robin Warren made a presentation on her ef-forts to end BLM round-ups. Mustang Robin has joined forces with other children active in advocacy and has proven that no matter how old or young you are, you can make a difference. Sara Busbice, Indiana Hay Fund detailed her current program that has been successful in supplying hay to owners at reasonable prices in her home state. Marjorie Farabee gave a short, impassioned presentation on the vanishing wild burros and her efforts to stop the shootings at Big Bend Park and round-ups elsewhere. Craig Downer also gave a short presentation on his current book and his tireless efforts on behalf of America’s wild horses and burros. Attendees could obtain autographed copies of Craig’s book at one of the tables provided for attendees. John Holland wrapped up the conference with a presentation on stress fac-tors impacting the horse industry proving once and for all that horse slaugh-ter is not a factor. His presentation documented land use changes, induced by skyrocketing ethanol production, that have caused alfalfa and hay costs to soar, as well as other factors impacting horse owners. The conference came to a close with a drawing for gift certificates and gift bags generously supplied by Dover Saddlery. Efforts are already underway to choose the location for the 2013 confer-ence. Almost every presenter received a standing ovation so topping this years’ conference won’t be an easy task.

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