President Trump has nominated the fox to guard the henhouse.
Last Friday, Trump announced his plan to move forward with his nomination of Acting Director William Perry Pendley to Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
Let’s take a look at why this poses the greatest threat to our wild horses and burros in decades:
Pendley has said that wild horses were the “biggest existential threat” to public lands, even though horses only live on approximately 12% of BLM lands.
He has falsely claimed that managing wild horses non-lethally would require more than $5 billion.
Pendley’s career to date has been spent fighting to sell off public lands to private industry. While at the BLM, Pendley has stepped up efforts to undermine environmental laws like the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act, which protects public lands from unrestricted oil and gas development, mining operations and livestock grazing.
Recently, under Pendley, the BLM delivered to Congress a billion-dollar plan to cull federally protected wild horse and burro herds by 70% by rounding up 80,000 mustangs and burros from public lands over the next five years.
It’s pretty clear where Pendley’s interests are vested and it’s NOT with our public lands and wild horses:
Pendley knows exactly what he’s doing. By putting an outrageously high price tag on humane management of wild horses and burros, he’s laying the groundwork to make the case that non-lethal management of wild horses is too expensive and that slaughter is the only option. We can’t let this happen. Join us in telling Congress to say NO to confirming Pendley as Director of the BLM.
Acting Director Pendley is peddling a profit-motivated attack campaign against wild horses — but we see through his lies. Not only is he advocating for the mass removal and sterilization of horses, he’s actively defending — and has spent his career in the pockets of — the real threats to our public lands:
Wild horses are facing one of the biggest threats in a lifetime, and we need to do everything we can to keep them safe and wild. Pendley has initiated a propaganda campaign against wild horses, which includes creating a fake crisis in order to convince Congress that non-lethal management of wild horses is too expensive. For this reason, we are asking you to take action today to protect wild horses from Pendley’s grips.
Thank you for taking action today to keep our wild horses safe and free.
American Wild Horse Campaign
PS — As William Pendley’s confirmation process rolls ahead, the agency he heads is charging ahead with its unprecedented summer assault against our beloved wild horses and burros. Beginning today, BLM helicopters will descend on remote regions of the West to stampede and capture 5,000 federally-protected wild horses and burros by September 30.
Our team is all hands on deck to fight back all summer long against this assault — with volunteers in the field, with lawsuits, with every advocacy tool at our disposal — but to do this, we need your help. Will you pitch in to our Roundup Fund today?
Folks came through at the last minute to help us save the 4 beautiful geldings. In addition to the 4 orphans and the big boys, y’all saved an injured mare called “wire cut” and a pony with horrific feet. YOU SAVED THEM – THANK YOU!!!
We are right in the middle of this rescue, and bam, the phone rings and we are on “emergency go mode’. We barely squeaked through to save the Terrific Ten, and now we need to save more. We are looking at another 8 minimum IF WE GET FUNDS TO SAVE THEM!
The big guys got their blood drawn for their Coggins today. I am heading out tomorrow to prep for the new babies and pick up the horses in WA that are heading to NV.
It is simply “THAT TIME OF YEAR” when we have to ask for help almost daily. You can see whose lives you are saving and y’all know where your money goes. THANK YOU for saving the TERRIFIC TEN, but now we need to save these babies and I have to commit asap! PLEASE DONATE NOW AND HELP US SAVE THESE PRECIOUS SOULS! LET’S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE THIS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND. FREEDOM AND LIFE!!
Again, we are on the front line and have to save them now. You don’t get to choose “how many”. It’s ALL OR NOTHING!! Thank you for helping us continue saving lives.
These horses and the babies need help now!
Thank you.
The TERRIFIC TEN!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
UPDATE – We have 2 orphan foals safe at Mel’s, and have enough money to save ONE of the 4.
I am hoping the Pandemic is not the reason and that this will NOT be the first time we couldn’t save the kids we are fundraising for.
It takes roughly $3,000 to save the 3 remaining geldings. (Apparently they are closer to 4 years old.)
This includes Bail, Vetting, Transportation, and that just gets them to safety. They still need care and feed until they are adopted, and I have to pay board on them once they are rescued until they are picked up.
I am praying this will not be a situation where I need to choose who lives or who dies. I cannot “pick” one or two to save and leave the others to die. This has never happened before. I know things are tight and the world is upside down. I just wanted to let everyone know where we are.
I was told if we are lucky we may have until Tuesday. It can change in a moment. If they are not saved they can be loaded at any time. We were asked to help save them, so that is what we are trying to do.
Thank you everyone who donated to save the others.
So much for a break…. (I apologize if you get this twice – having computer issues)
UPDATE – So far we have 2 babies and have been able to raise enough money to save 1 out of the 4 geldings. We got a reprieve, and still have a couple days to raise funds for the last 3. I know I certainly don’t want to have to pick which ones we save and who dies.
TRAPPER AND SHIPPER CALLED TODAY! These 4 youngsters’ need saved now! “TIME HAS RUN OUT”. Once again I need to act on faith. We simply cannot let them ship to slaughter. They are babies, approximately 2 years old?
(Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, but that was all I had.) I was notified that they will be shipping asap.
On top of that there are orphan foals coming in tonight.
Again, we are on the front line and have to save them now. Thank you for helping us continue saving lives.
These horses and the babies need help now!
Thank you.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
So much for a break…. (I apologize if you get this twice – having computer issues)
TRAPPER AND SHIPPER CALLED TODAY! These 4 youngsters’ need saved now! “TIME HAS RUN OUT”. Once again I need to act on faith. We simply cannot let them ship to slaughter. They are babies, approximately 2 years old?
(Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, but that was all I had.) I was notified that they will be shipping asap.
On top of that there are orphan foals coming in tonight.
Again, we are on the front line and have to save them now. Thank you for helping us continue saving lives.
These horses and the babies need help now!
Thank you.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
Last year, Congress awarded the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program a $21 million budget increase – but specified that the funding would not become available until 60 days after the BLM submitted a report to Congress outlining its plans for the future management of America’s wild horses and burros.
That report was delivered five weeks ago, and it’s as bad as we feared: Roundup and removal of 18,000-20,000 wild horses and burros per year… tripling the number of wild horses and burros warehoused in off-range holding facilities… reducing wild herds by 70% to near extinction levels….use of dangerous and gruesome sterilization surgeries as a management tool.
And the kicker? A billion-dollar price tag just for the first five years!
Please join House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva and several of his House and Senate colleagues in demanding that Congress step up to require the BLM to prioritize the use of humane, scientifically-recommended fertility control over cruel roundups and stockpiling wild horses and burros in holding facilities.
Please contact your Senators and Representative today and ask them to support language in Fiscal Year 2021 spending legislation that puts the brakes on BLM’s mass roundup plan by requiring the agency to implement humane fertility control and prohibiting it from performing barbaric sterilization procedures on wild horses and burros.
In a little less than a month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will unleash helicopters to begin its summer assault on wild horses and burros living on public lands in the West. In the BLM’s crosshairs: wild horse and burro herds in Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.
The largest roundup of the summer will take place in Nevada’s Shawave Mountains Herd Management Area (HMA), just 50 miles northeast of Reno. The HMA is part of the 1 million-acre Blue Wing Complex, where the BLM allows just 333 to 553 horses and 50 to 90 burros while authorizing 1,200 privately owned cattle and 2,700 sheep to graze year-round.
This is just the beginning. If the BLM has its way, as many as 18,000-20,000 wild horses and burros will lose their freedom each year… if Congress decides to fund the agency’s mass roundup plan.
Summer roundups are particularly inhumane due to sweltering desert temperatures and the presence of tiny, vulnerable foals, who are sometimes literally run to death in miles-long helicopter stampedes.
This summer, this cruelty could take place out of public view, as the BLM is already signaling that it may use COVID-19 restrictions to block the public from witnessing these brutal capture operations and documenting their terrible impacts on wild horses and burros.
AWHC is gearing up for these summer roundups, both to document them and to fight back if the BLM attempts to crack down on public observation.
At the same time, we’re working on Capitol Hill to shelve the BLM’s plan to massively scale up roundups and force the agency to prioritize humane fertility control to manage wild herds and keep them wild.
Your help is needed on all fronts! Here’s what you can do today:
Donate to our Roundup FundToday’s donation will keep our team in the field during the roundup season and give us the resources necessary to ensure our legal team can challenge any attempts to block public observation.
Ask them to put the brakes on BLM’s mass removal plans, require the use of humane fertility control as an alternative to roundups, and prohibit the conducting of helicopter roundups in the absence of public observation.
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
Another phone call – ANOTHER 911. Shipper called and there are babies on the feedlot and more coming this week.(?) We need to get them asap or it will be too late.
I am packing the trailer tonight and heading out in the morning. WILL YOU HELP ME SAVE THEIR LIVES?
As I write this my heart is broken into a million pieces.Instead of Batman heading to his new home, I had to bury him. He needed surgery for his inguinal hernia. During the surgery he ruptured, and had to be euthanized. I can’t hardly breathe, but Batman would want us to keep saving as many lives as we can. He himself was one of our rescues that y’all helped save.
PLEASE HELP ME HONOR HIM BY SAVING THESE LIVES! As usual, there is no time to grieve, but we are the only chance these new babies have, so I have to stop the tears and focus on saving them.
Please donate if you can – we need transport funds, bail, money for vetting and milk and supplies. Milk and medicines have gone up substantially with the whole virus situation and we are getting hit where it hurts. We need to buy hay. No matter what is going on in the world, rescue never stops.
We need your help now to save these lives. (From the information I received, there are more expected this week.)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
YOU DID IT! You saved 41 babies, a gorgeous stallion, 1 pregnant mare, a possibly pregnant mare and Grandpa Gus, the aged Mule.
(Above are some fun, random pix, of some of the babies you saved; yes, there are probably a couple duplicates lol.) We had a heck of a time matching up their paperwork. Some of them are identical except for a few of the hairs on their stars.
THANK YOU to each and every one who donated, prayed or shared the information.Most of the babies have already been adopted, and we actually have folks waiting for the more to come in. (Something we seldom see.)We still have several needing surgery or specialized care and we will be adopting them out once they are deemed healthy enough to do so.
Our adoption teamed rocked these latest rescues. Kari Robie, Emily Nes, Mama Mel, Danny & Danniell Dustin, and our Adoption Coordinator Helen Ardire, all came through to get these babies to their new homes.We incurred the rescue, vetting costs etc., but everyone working together is what makes this work. So THANK YOU TEAM! We could not do it alone.
However, today we need help back at the rescue in NV ! (We also need help for the Hernia surgery on one of our babies in Idaho.)
Big Matt, Texas Triumph, Tatiana and BatMan all need your help with some urgent veterinary care on Wednesday. Our colt in Idaho has his surgery the next day. He has an inguinal hernia?
We have been working on the drafts’ feet, but they are both having severe pain issues when it comes to lifting their back feet.Both of them have issues with their rear legs, Big Matt’s hocks are a mess, and we are still trying to diagnose all the issues Tex is having. If Tex stands still very long his back legs start shaking and he has trouble standing on them. (This was one of the reasons he needed to be shipped straight to slaughter and was on the “do not adopt or rescue list.”)
So after talking with Doc, they will be coming out on Wednesday and we will be getting a much better handle on both of the big guys’ feet. We were told very clearly when we rescued Big Matt that the issues with his hocks combined with his weight would be a “thing” when he needed hoof care. We have been working on his feet all along, but simply need to lay him down fully to really assess and do the complete job. (The issue with Big Matt’s hocks, feet etc. was discussed as to whether it was a reason not to keep him alive. Since he LOVES his life, the answer is obviously YES.)
Batman is getting ready to go to his new home. Wahh, sucks for me, but wonderful for him and his new family. However, he has recently developed a hernia that is continuing to get larger and larger and Doc thinks his intestines are coming out. So he needs surgery asap!
We are looking at close to $1500? on Wednesday to get Batman his surgery and the other 3 taken care of. Special needs children are not cheap, but they have all been through so much they deserve whatever care they need to have the best possible “rest of their lives”.
So please help us get them the care they need on Wednesday. If you would like to donate directly to the vet, please call Zimmerman Veterinary Clinic at 775-623-0981.
You can donate directly for milk or Texas Triumph’s grain at J & J Feed at 775-625-1200. Texas Triumph cannot eat anything but mash. He has damage to the lower muscle(s) in his esophagus. Let me tell you that boy can eat. He has lots of issues but is such a happy camper. Vet still says to be ready to walk out there someday and find him “aspirated with a possibly deadly case of pneumonia”. So we love him every day we have him.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED MILK, WIPES & VASELINE! WE SO APPRECIATE IT, but there is no name showing who sent it when it is delivered!!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
The calls keep coming. Another 911, another life to save!
An urgent call to save this precious life. “GRANDPA GUS” is so sad and confused. He doesn’t understand what is happening to him. Look at his sad little face.
PLEASE DONATE so we can save his life. This is time sensitive and extremely urgent. I just couldn’t bear to let him ship, so I took another leap of faith. I KNOW our Chilly Pepper family will come together to save him.
In April alone, Y’ALL HAVE SAVED 41 BABIES AND 3 ADULTS, including a gorgeous stallion shown below, and two mares, one of them a pregnant mare and the other a “gelding” who actually is a mare. So 3 adult lives and 41 babies. You ARE making a huge difference. It took a lot of funding, but y’all came through!
Today, let’s change the WHOLE WORLD FOR “GRANDPA GUS”!! He does not deserve to ship to slaughter. We are the only ones who can save him now. Please help if you can and share far and wide!
Standing by for the trappers (as usual). However, it was wonderful to be able to save the additional adults due to the fact the horses escaped the trap last week.
This gorgeous stallion (shown below) is now living in Oregon with a wonderful woman who has years of experience with the wild ones, including stallions. Y’ALL SAVED HIM!!
Most all the babies out of the first groups have been adopted, thanks to an amazing group of women.
But TODAY, WE NEED TO SAVE “GRANDPA GUS”! Remember, the clock is ticking.
THANK YOU to everyone who donated to save April’s horses. It meant everything to each and every one of them who were given a chance to be saved.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
The AHC News is provided to you as a benefit of your AHC membership, and we hope you find the articles informative and useful. While the AHC does grant permission for newsletter articles to be passed on, we hope you will encourage those you are sharing the articles and information with to join the AHC so they can stay informed and up-to-date!
Permission to pass on the AHC News articles to your members, readers, or others is granted on the condition that it is forwarded in its original form or directly linked with the AHC logo and a link to the AHC website.
Don’t forget to read all the way to the bottom of the newsletter as there’s some great stuff down there.
Survey COVID-19 Economic Impact on Equine Industry
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The American Horse Council is conducting a brief survey (14 questions which take less than 10 minutes) to determine the economic impacts of COVID-19 on the equine industry. We would very much appreciate your assistance with collecting this information. The only thing you need to have handy is your total horse related income and expenses for March 2019 and March 2020 so we have some comparison.
It’s important to note that for statistical reasons we are sending this survey to a predetermined 1,000 people. Please do NOT forward this or share this survey with others as statisticians will be scaling the responses and we must preserve the sample size .This survey will close May 30, 2020, and depending on the pandemic’s length we will reissue to get up to date numbers and data. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AHCCOVID19Impact
Thank you. Be well and Be Safe. #HorseStrong
Horse Industry, Outdoor Groups Endorse “Great American Outdoors Act of 2020”
On May 6, 2020, the American Horse Council, American Sportfishing Association, American Trails and more than 25 other members of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to pass the “Great American Outdoors Act” (S. 3422). The bill would not only promote outdoor activities as states begin to ease social distancing requirements, but it would also achieve key horse industry objectives such as fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). S. 3422 will fully fund LWCF by investing $900 million per year for public lands, parks and trails. Serving as a “recreational package” discussed by Senate staff with members of the horse industry earlier this year, the bill would also address the nation’s public lands maintenance backlog. Reducing the backlog in trails maintenance projects is a goal industry has fought for within the context of the “Restore Our Parks Act” (ROPA), among other vehicles. During the past year, members of the horse industry have submitted more than 200 letters to lawmakers urging passage of individual trails bills. The bill will also help to bolster recreation-focused business, including riding barns, as Americans seek to spend time outdoors during the months ahead.
S. 3422 is timely and will help expedite a transition to more flexible social distancing practices, including the re-opening of access to the nation’s trails. The National Park Service (NPS) is adopting a phased approach to open trails in the nation’s 62 national parks, consistent with the “Opening Up America Again Guidelines” released by the Administration on April 16. In a statement from the Department of Interior (DOI), Secretary Bernhardt affirmed the agency’s plan to work with governors and assess the circumstances of each state, thereby initiating a “park by park” approach to reopening access. During the week of May 9, for example, DOI announced the reopening of 16 national parks, including the Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina, the Grand Canyon, and the Curecanti National Recreation Area of Colorado, to name a few. To view a list of parks included in the recent, large-scale opening, please see the following link: https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/case-you-missed-it-interior-continues-safely-restore-access-public-lands . For an “A to Z” list of national parks that have re-opened, or are in the process of easing restrictions to access, please visit the following web site: https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2020/05/reopening-national-park-system-whats-open.
Submitted by: Bryan Brendle, Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs
SBA, Congress Roll Out Paycheck Protection Tools, Proposed Changes
While Congress debates next steps related to stimulus bills, the Administration continues to release guidance and other tools to clarify the Paycheck Protection Program’s (PPP) implementation, especially its signature “loan forgiveness” provision. On May 15, SBA released the PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, including instructions for its completion, a “Schedule A” and related worksheet.
According to SBA, the 11-page form includes “several measures to reduce compliance burdens and simplify the process for borrowers.” These include options for businesses “to calculate payroll costs using an alternative payroll covered period that aligns with borrowers’ regular payroll cycles” and “flexibility to include eligible payroll and non-payroll expenses paid or incurred during the eight-week period,” among other measures. Importantly, the new form addresses some of the feedback from members of the horse industry, including “step-by-step instructions on how to perform the calculations required by the CARES Act to confirm eligibility for loan forgiveness.”
Because the “covered period” for Paycheck Protection loans begins on the date that the bank actually disburses a loan to the borrower, it’s important to track various expenses during the window outlined by the CARES Act. To view a copy of the 11-page application and instructions, please click here: https://www.sba.gov/document/sba-form–paycheck-protection-program-loan-forgiveness-application .
Despite a congressional impasse over so-called Phase Four legislation to address the coronavirus, House and Senate lawmakers are rolling out their own bipartisan flexibility measures focusing on narrow fixes to the PPP. The House will vote next week on the “Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act” (H.R. 6886), introduced by Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX) on May 11. Highlights include the following provisions, which in part reflect feedback from members of the horse industry who are navigating the program:
Eliminating a provision requiring 75 percent of proceeds to cover payroll expenses as a pre-condition for loan forgiveness;
Allowing employers to participate in payroll tax deferment and the PPP;
Extending re-hire deadlines beyond June 30;
And extending the “cover period” beyond the current eight-week timeframe, more accurately reflecting the time expected for consumer demand to gain traction and drive revenue.
To view a copy of a statement related to H.R. 6886, please see the following: https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-chip-roy-and-dean-phillips-release-paycheck-protection-flexibility-act . On the other side of the Capitol, Senators Rubio (R-FL), Cardin (D-MD), Collins (R-ME) and Shaheen (D-NH) have offered the “Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act.” This narrow bill would also provide flexibility, including extension of the loan application filing deadline from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020 and extension of the cover period from eight to 16 weeks of expenses.
Submitted by: Bryan Brendle, Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs
While every sector of our economy and our lives has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit sector has taken an especially hard hit. This includes the horse industry. From breed and discipline associations to rescues and equine-assisted therapy centers, income is down, while expenses are not.
In many respects, our national breed and discipline organizations are part of the foundation of the horse world. At their core, they maintain the purity of our breeds and set the rules and standards for competition. While you might never own a purebred horse, remember that breed standards typically include conformation, helping ensure that there’s a genetic pool of strong, athletic animals for future generations. The rules they establish for competition gives everyone guidelines to follow, right down to the local level. Sure, you might not agree with everything they do, but these organizations lay the foundation upon which we all build.
What can organizations in this sector do? Ask people to renew their memberships, even if they don’t “need” it this year because they don’t plan to compete. Remind them to register their foals, and transfer registrations for horses they’ve bought or sold. Many organizations have magazines that typically rely on competitions to generate advertising. Ask your advertisers to place an ad just to highlight their horses, even if they don’t have show wins to brag about. Many times people just need to be asked or reminded – and don’t be afraid to tell them why you need their support right now.
Rescues are more obviously feeling the pinch. While money is always needed, think of other ways people can help. Depending on your state’s regulations you might not be able to have a lot of volunteers on the property, leaving you to do more of the manual labor and less time to spend in the office. Consider looking for volunteers that can help with other aspects of your operation that allow them to stay socially distanced. For example, you might find someone to help with your record-keeping or scheduling appointments. You could look for one or more people that can assist with your local promotion, from social media posts to writing and distributing press releases. Lots of people with lots of different skills are unemployed or under-employed right now and would welcome an opportunity to keep their skills sharp while helping you.
Equine-assisted therapy centers are also under the gun. Many of your riders need more hands-on assistance than can be given under social distancing rules, so your lesson volume is down yet you still have to maintain your horses. Similar to rescues, think outside the box for ways people can help, such as record-keeping and promotion. There are options for fundraising as well – for example, there’s a company that lets you design and sell t-shirts and similar apparel with no upfront inventory requirement, and they do the fulfillment as well. This helps raise funds and helps promote your program as more and more people are out and about displaying your organization’s name and artwork. For this group, staying in touch with your lesson clients is also important. Try to find the time – or a volunteer with time – to do photos or videos of your lesson horses and post them on social media or email them directly to your customers. While the smile on the child’s face won’t be quite as big as in person, they’ll still be thrilled to connect with their favorite horses. These ideas work well for regular lesson programs too!
While the world looks very different today than it did just a few months ago, we’re all learning to adjust, and eventually we’ll be much closer to the world we knew than the one we’re living in now. In the meantime, help if you can, and ask for help if you need it.
Submitted by: Molly O’Brien – Program Manager for Time to Ride
Resources for Equine Associations
Virtual Solutions for Association Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The April 2020 meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) was scheduled to take place in Washington DC. But when the coronavirus pandemic made a physical gathering impossible, the organizers decided to hold the entire event online and made registration free and open to everyone. With around 1,700 people typically attending the meeting, 7,267 registered this time. Nearly every sector of the equine community host in-person, large scale meetings and expos like this, and are faced with cancellations and rescheduling. Virtual events may be the best choice for our industry during this tumultuous time.
Online meetings might lack many of the benefits of an in-person conference: conversations over dinner; face-to-face networking; fresh perspectives that can come from simply leaving one’s home ground. Regardless, as more meetings move online — a trend likely to continue even after the pandemic fades — organizations may need to accept the new virtual reality of group gatherings. The most successful virtual conferences and meetings can seamlessly integrate speakers, technology, content, networking, and sponsors in a way that creates real impact for attendees. The interest in listening or engaging in multiple talks without leaving home has proven to be enticing to new participants, increasing engagement.
Virtual conferences might lack the intimacy of a physical gathering, but it’s still possible for attendees to connect with each other. Virtual event platforms often have a chat function allowing for real-time feedback. Some students and younger professionals might even find digital communication with industry leaders to be less intimidating than a face-to-face encounter, in addition to being less time intensive. Additionally, with the rising costs of travel and a decreasing amount of travel funding had ended opportunities for regular travel to far-off conferences. The COVID-19 pandemic may cause more conferences in the future to adopt a ‘hybrid’ approach, with both physical and virtual attendees.
Virtual meetings have some other advantages compared with a physical one. Live talks could be paused or rewound, a useful feature for those who missed details or wanted to spend more time pondering a crucial slide. Speakers can pre-record presentations in case of scheduling conflicts. Watching talks from home can ease a bit of the pressure of attending a large conference that would require dashing from one session to another across a vast convention halls. This allows for attendance to a wider variety of sessions than normal, for both speakers and attendees, since switching between parallel sessions can be seamless.
The pandemic continues to present interesting challenges for the equine industry and as solutions to these challenges present themselves, the American Horse Council with share them. Please contact the AHC at info@horsecouncil.org with more questions or solutions you would like shared.
Submitted by: Cliff Williamson, Director of Health & Regulatory Affairs
Membership Spotlight
With the struggles of trying to find different ways to stay engaged and active during these uncertain time of COVID-19, one organization, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is keeping their youth active and engaged. The AQHA, one of the oldest members of the American Horse Council (AHC), since 1970, has over 220,000+ members and over 18,000+ American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHYA) members. The AQHYA promotes leadership, competition, and other non-horse related activities for the horse loving youth and is the largest youth equine association.
AQHA will keep the AQHYA members engaged with the help of the AHC on Monday, June 8 and Tuesday, June 9, 2020 approximately 20 youth members will join the AHC for virtual Hill visits having meetings with Reps. Ted Yoho (R-FL) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) who championed the Preventing All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act. AHC also reached out to Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) to participate but has not confirmed. Another topic which may be discussed is federal funding for equine assisted therapy for veterans.
We look forward to helping the #MyWhyChallenge through Leadership Development for the Power of YOUth. These YOUth members are our leaders of tomorrow who are willing to learn today setting the stage for a lifetime of success.
CHILLY PEPPER really needs your help now. Just got the call for between 25-50 BABIES!
URGENT 911 UPDATE
ANOTHER 911 CALL. Horses are in the trap right now!
We will need in around $20 – 25,000+/- to pull this rescue off. We have to pay Bail. We need to get the babies any medical treatment needed, (this last group had a baby with a fractured skull, and that was just one of the injuries). We need to get blood work, (Coggins), etc and health certs. We need to transport these babies home. We are going to need more panels and shelter as well.
The cost of milk alone will be astronomical. It takes roughly $300 worth of milk for 1 baby for one month. We are still early in the season, so they are still young and still need their milk. Multiply that by 50? That could be $10,000 – $15,000 FOR MILK ALONE!! This does not include shavings, hay, grain, meds or any of the other expenses these babies have. It is beyond go time. I am heading out the door.
PLEASE HELP NOW! I have to let the catcher know how many we can really take on. We can’t just “save them”. We have to be able to provide everything they need. I don’t want to say “NO” to even a single baby.
We need to make sure that we leave NO ONE behind. We need to save them ALL! It’s bad enough we cannot save the rest of the horses, but at least we can try and save their babies.
THANK YOU for saving the last 14. We have 5 left needing homes, and NOW we need to step up for this new batch of babies.
WHAT A MOTHER’S DAY GIFT it would be to save all of these babies. Please help if you want us to save them!! You decide how many we can save.
PLEASE help if you can! If you are not in a position to help financially, please say a prayer and share this with as many folks as you can. These lives are in danger and they still matter! Sadly, slaughter stops for no one and nothing.
Honestly, it is hard not to panic. Sometimes there aren’t as many as they think, but usually the numbers are larger by the time we get there. Can we raise enough to purchase and care for all of them? I have to go on Faith, and that is why I am heading out the door right now, even with the knowledge that we could only save a few at this point in time. But I have faith in God and I have faith in our Chilly Pepper Family. All lives Matter!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
We have all been so moved by your support of All About Equine this year. Through GivingTuesday and Big Day of Giving, 140 donors gave nearly $23,700 to help horses in need. We are so grateful you rose to the occasion. Your giving exceeded our expectations!With your help, we continue our work to help horses like Georgia, and sometimes their humans. Not long before COVID-19, Georgia’s family of five lost their home in a fire. After subsequent challenges with employment, rebuilding, temporary housing, and stay at home orders, they felt the best thing for Georgia would be a better life than they could give. She is scheduled for her dental next week. Her vaccines will be updated next week, and a microchip inserted. Once updated, she will be evaluated and available for adoption, soon.
We are so GRATEFUL for the love and support our community has shown AAE.
The Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s Big Day of Giving is TODAY!! This is still time to to take part in this community grown 24 hour giving challenge. A day to GIVE where your HEART is!
The horses of AAE have our hearts and we hope they have yours too!
Taylor came to AAE December of 2019. Taylor was rescued from a kill pen (by a private party) in July and taken to a board/care facility. Only thing is, it seems her rescuer forgot to go back to take care of her. She never paid for her board/care, she never had her hooves trimmed, she never had her teeth checked and she never vaccinated her.
Taylor is an older TB mare (20-ish), about 15.1 hh, and an absolute sweetheart.
Her hoof and dental care were long neglected, though her hooves looked ok from the outside. Her hooves were long, her bars and sole were much overgrown, and it was all stuck within her hoof walls.
She had her first trim shortly after arrival, she was vaccinated and dewormed, a microchip was placed, and her teeth were floated. She has a dental condition called “Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis” (EOTRH); however, radiographs indicated her teeth and jaw structure remain in relatively good, solid condition. Her tongue tends hangs out of her mouth a bit; it just adds a little more character to this sweet gal. As with all the horses at AAE, she continues her routine care is maintained while she is here
Taylor has had a tough life, and she really needs a soft landing, ideally into a companion home where she’ll be doted on and loved a lot.
Spread the Word! Big Day of Giving officially starts at Midnight!
Spread the Word! Big Day of Giving officially starts at Midnight!
A HUGE THANK YOU to our friends, donors and volunteers who have supported All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc. (AAE) as we all continue to adjust to the current circumstances. We are so THANKFULto be a part of this giving community that continues makes a difference, even in a time of economic uncertainty.
In just a few hours we want you to partner with us as we officially start the 24 hour giving challenge known to the Sacramento region as the BIG Day of Giving!
Together during this community event lets Make a Difference and Help a Horse!
The need is always great, but during this time your support is more important than ever! Your donations assure our horses continue to receive the level of care they need and deserve.
All of our horses have a story, but only your continuing support ensures AAE can achieve our goal to help make those stories the best they can be.
Did you know the Sacramento Region Community Foundation gives away prizes during the Big Day of Giving??
This Big Day of Giving every donation has a chance to make an even bigger difference with a booster prize! The Sacramento Region Community Foundation will select random donations throughout the Big Day of Giving to BOOST with some extra love! Boosts will range from $150-750! Help AAE with a BOOST! Your donation could be the one that makes an even bigger difference to the horses at AAE!
SPECIAL PROMOTION: Donate $150 or more and receive a gift certificate redeemable towards vintage AAE merchandise. Promotion ends 11:59 pm on May 7th!
Not only do we need your support, we need your help to spread the word #BDOG2020
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Our Sponsor a Horse program is a monthly donation for a specific horse. You can sponsor at any level or any amount you choose. Choose a horse to sponsor today!
Doing some spring cleaning? Donate gently used tack to AAE’s Used Tack Store in Shingle Springs. We very much appreciate tack donations delivered to the store in sale ready condition (e.g.clean, conditioned, oiled). Please email tack@allaboutequine.org for information about donating or to schedule a delivery.
Proceeds from used tack sales helps pay for feed, veterinary expenses, and other operational needs.
Have you considered adopting a rescue horse? If you are interested in adopting one of our beautiful animals, please take time to complete the Adoption Inquiry Form.
As many of you know, we’re in the midst of foaling season. That’s when pregnant mares welcome the newest additions to their families and herds to the world.
But with the excitement of welcoming a new life into the world comes risk and danger.
With AWHC volunteer fertility control darters in the field every day in Nevada’s Virginia Range, our team is often the first responder to foals in need. Working through a local coalition of organizations, orphaned and injured foals are rescued, stabilized, provided veterinary care, and nursed back to health so they can be adopted into forever homes.
For the last several years, AWHC has been proud to support the local effort through our foal rescue fund. This year, we’re providing foal rescue kits to rescue volunteers so they have everything they need to save these innocent babies’ lives. Our rescue fund also assists with veterinary bills, care and transportation of foals to sanctuary/training facilities.
Our foal kits are small, compact, easy to carry into the field — Because when a foal is hurt, the difference between recovery and not making it can be a matter of hours, if not minutes.
Inside each are essential emergency supplies, including but not limited to: disinfectant, colostrum (formula) and electrolytes to help stabilize the foal, bandages to cover any exposed wounds, blankets for foals in shock or for transport, and medical equipment in the event volunteers need to perform life-saving care.
These kits have all the things we need in a really organized way. We can bandage [foals] up quickly and prepare to get them to a vet ASAP. Before we had these kits, my bags were a mish-mash [of supplies]. I would have to dump everything out on the range to find what I needed, these kits make it easy and it’s really great for our entire team, especially when time is not on our side.”
– Tracy Wilson, rescue volunteer & member of AWHC fertility control team
The local volunteers work incredibly hard. And I want to ensure this foaling season that they have every resource at their disposal when crisis strikes so they can save these foals and get them the care they need to heal, recover, and find their forever homes.
Once again I hope this finds you safe and healthy. Our prayers go out for all the families in crisis.
WE ARE IN GO MODE! Sadly, we are heading into the busiest part of the year. We have 5 babies RIGHT NOW in the feedlot, and by the middle of the week there most likely will be more. We are also still on standby for the other trapper’s foals.
Understandably, (like every other rescue), our reserves have been depleted. We need to raise funds to go get these babies.
We were on standby last weekend, and luckily the horses broke out of the trap. PTL! However, he has since set up another trap and is expecting to bring in the horses. (This is the trapper that brought in 70 babies in two days, a few years ago).
PLEASE help IF YOU CAN! If you are not in a position to help financially, please say a prayer and share this with as many folks as you can. These lives are in danger and they still matter! Sadly, slaughter stops for no one and nothing.
On a happy note, we had the first baby ever born at Chilly Pepper join the family. His name is Prince Tyler and he will be a major part of our Sunshine & Smiles program. I thought his pix (above) might bring a smile, even in these changing times.
Below, Bruiser & LuLu together forever!! Ash & Tucker also went to their new home together! Great success for these 4 kids. YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE. THANK YOU!
G
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
At the beginning of this week, we reached out to you about a devastating plan being proposed that represents an existential threat to Wyoming’s wild horses.
The stakes have never been higher for Wyoming’s Checkerboard wild horse herd: Over 3,000 of them could be rounded up and removed from public lands while nearly 2.5 MILLION acres of wild horse habitat could be permanently eliminated.
Here Are 5 Ways You Can #KeepWyomingWyld This Weekend
April 30 is the deadline to submit public comments in opposition to the Bureau of Land Management’s Wyoming Wild Horse Wipeout proposal.
That gives us less than two weeks to PROVE to the BLM that the American people oppose this devastating mustang eradication plan.
Wyoming’s tourism slogan is “Don’t Fence Me In,” and the state’s iconic wild horses symbolize that sentiment. In fact, the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop in the Checkerboard is promoted by the state’s tourism boards as “something you and your family will never forget because Sweetwater County’s cherished wild horses are living examples of a wide-open landscape and untamed frontier spirit.”
Incredibly, the BLM’s plan would eradicate every single wild horse from the viewing loop, fencing these symbols of the wide open West in dismal feedlots!
Write to Wyoming’s tourism boards here and ask them to join our efforts to prevent the destruction of the iconic Wyoming Checkerboard mustangs.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has the power to oppose and potentially change the course of the Wyoming Wild Horse Wipeout. In fact, his state is looking to purchase a large chunk of these lands from Occidental Petroleum and could designate the area as a recreational resource in which wild horses are protected.
Take part in AWHC’s national petition drive to demonstrate the immense public pressure in opposition to the eradication of Wyoming’s wild horses.
If we’re going to save these horses, then we need to get everyone involved, including our friends, family, and coworkers.
So many people who love wild horses aren’t aware of what’s at stake in Wyoming — And just a couple minutes of their time can make a difference.
Add a frame to your Facebook profile picture in support of Wyoming’s wild horses here
Change your Facebook cover photo and upload Instagram stories in support of the horses here
Start a Tweet storm and get people talking on Twitter about this issue here
Our legal team has been heavily involved in fighting back against attempts by the BLM and the livestock industry to round up tens of thousands of wild horses, permanently remove them from public lands, and perform dangerous sterilization surgeries on mares. We’ve been fighting the attempt to eradicate the Wyoming Checkerboard horses since 2011.
Not only have we achieved a number of important legal protections but also our legal team has scored victories in fourteen separate lawsuits filed over the last nine years!
For nearly a decade, the Checkerboard wild horse population has been a top target of the powerful Rock Springs Grazing Association and the livestock industry. Now, the Bureau of Land Management is preparing to bend to their demands and deal a devastating, irreversible blow to Wyoming’s wild horses.
The scope of the proposed plan is unprecedented, and will result in the destruction of the magnificent wild horses of the Wyoming Checkerboard. If we fail to generate a massive show of force, these horses will be lost forever.
We have a RARE CHANCE to save this Mama and her baby! So many times you cannot save mama.
