The answer is... YES!! We need to protect American horses both domestic and wild from slaughter! Please contact your legislators and ask them to cosponsor and support the SAFE Act (H.R.1094/S.541) - the Safeguard American Food Exports Act, which will protect horses from slaughter and from transport to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. Use the links below to find your Reps and be sure to thank them if they are already a cosponsor! ~Declan
PLACITAS, N.M. (KRQE) - Horse advocates fear New Mexico's wild horses could end up in New Mexico's new horse slaughterhouse.
The Valley Meat Company near Roswell passed an inspection by the USDA in April, it is still awaiting its permit in order to start operations at what would be the country's only horse slaughterhouse.
"When you have a horse slaughter facility come to your area horse theft goes right up," said Patience O'Dowd, President of Wild Horse Observers Association, or WHOA.
O'Dowd is not alone in her concerns.
In an interview with KRQE News 13 O'Dowd said a majority of people who live in Placitas where wild horses graze on their property are worried about them too.
"They talk so much about, about taking them away and having them put in the slaughterhouse which we are just totally against," said Placitas Resident Delilah Pohl-Anthony.
According to O'Dowd New Mexico's wild horses have been targeted for slaughter in the past.
"Some did go to slaughter in Mexico and Texas," O'Dowd said.
The going rate for a horse to be sold at auction for slaughter is between $200 and $300 according to O'Dowd.
Right now, O'Dowd estimates there are about 100 wild horses roaming between Placitas, San Felipe Pueblo and BLM Land nearby, including some foals.
"We just had births that we shouldn't have had, the same as last spring," said O'Dowd.
Some believe slaughter is a way to help manage the over-population of horses.
O'Dowd says there is a better alternative for New Mexico's wild horses.
"We have to use birth control to manage these horses," she said.
WHOA is pushing to be able to use PZP, a non-toxic immuno-contraceptive on the wild horses here.
In the meantime though they have petitioned the Governor and the President to reinstate the horse slaughter ban which would keep Valley Meats from opening.
We hope that you will be able to rebuild your barns and care for all the hurt animals. Our prayers and hearts are with you Oklahoma! Please read the information on the side of this article, which tells you how you can help the horses and their owners who are affected by the tornado in Oklahoma. ~Declan
One of the five barns at Celestial Acres (located at Orr Family Farm) that was damaged when a tornado struck.
Photo: Orr Family Farm
After two days of high winds are driving rains, horse owners in Oklahoma are assessing their losses while bracing for yet another round of strong storms.
According to the National Weather Service, a series of an estimated 14 strong storms swept through the Southern Plains May 18 through May 20, cutting a swathe of devastation through Oklahoma. The storms were particularly damaging to Moore, part of the Oklahoma City metro area, and nearby regions including Carney, located just northeast of Oklahoma City. At press time, officials indicated at least 24 people had died as a result of the storms.
How to Help Horses and Owners Affected by the Tornadoes
In the wake of the Oklahoma tornadoes, individuals, businesses, and organizations are stepping up to help the horse community recover. Here's a list of some opportunities available to prospective donors.
Oklahoma State University's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is offering care for animals injured during the storm. Owners and referring veterinarians can call 405/744-7000 to arrange for care. Meanwhile, contributions to defray the cost of this care can be made online atwww.cvhs.okstate.edu/oarf or by calling 405/385-5607.
The Benchmark Animal Hospital in Carney, Okla., is offering help to storm-injured animals. Call 405/547-8381 for details.
The Orr family, operators of Orr Family Farm, have established a hotline for those wishing to contribute to the farm's recovery. Call 405/283-2258 to register.
Red Earth Feed and Tack in Oklahoma City is collecting contributions of halters, lead ropes, and other equipment, as well as feed and cash contributions to compensate veterinarians providing storm-related animal care. Call 405/478-3424 for details.
The Women's Horse Industry Network is collecting donations for storm impacted horse owners. Visitwww.womenshorseindustry.com or call 615/730-7833 for details.
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is accepting donations for those affected by the tornadoes. Contributions of non-perishable food items, toiletries, gloves, buckets, and shovels can be brought to the AQHA headquarters in Amarillo, Texas. Call 806/376-4811 for details.
PAT RAIA
On May 21, Marva Miller Hamlin, of the Oklahoma Horse Council, said that emergency responders and utility and municipal crews were sifting through debris in Moore.
“It's hard to get information out of there because they have not restored power and they're trying to conserve what power they have for emergency purposes,” Hamlin said. “But we do know that this was a big storm; no one knew where it would go up or touch down.”
Toby and Jaycee Bogart were at their Bogart Farm, near Oklahoma City, when the storm initially hit and could do little more than watch the storm roll through. Damage to their farm, which is home to 17 horses in addition to herds of cows and goats, was ultimately minor.
“We could see it coming and it was pretty scary,” Toby Bogart said. “Fortunately our damage was minimal—just a few trees.”
Other equine facilities were not so lucky. According to reports, Plain as Bay Eventing lost all of their Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, and substantial equine losses were also reported at Celestial Acres, a facility located on the Orr Family Farm, an agri-education and agritourism destination located in suburban Oklahoma City. Orr Family Farm spokesman Tony Vann said that Celestial Acres provided boarding and training facilities for Thoroughbred horses. Vann said he could not yet confirm the number of horses lost at the facility during the tornadoes.
“We just don't know how many horses were there and how many were taken out by their owners or trainers,” he said.
Vann did confirm that more than three of the five barns on the site were demolished.
“They're just not there,” he said.
As soon as the storm subsided, local horse owner Yvette Fees began helping to coordinate the horse community's response to the storm aftermath, including helping relocate horses from damaged properties to safer ones. Fees said she has no idea how many horses have been relocated or how long it will be before they can return to their home pastures.
“We're pretty much on lockdown here; it's hard to get around and they're finding debris as far as 95 miles away,” Fees said.
Meanwhile, she said Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel are assisting local authorities and individuals in assessing storm-related devastation. Volunteer veterinarians are also on the scene assessing and treating injured animals, Fees said.
“We've heard that they've had a lot of animals that had to be put down,” Fees said.
In the storm's aftermath, individuals, businesses, and veterinary practices are stepping up to help owners care for surviving animals. Toby Bogart said he has plenty of pasture space for displaced horses, as well as equipment to help his neighbors clear their properties of debris.
Meanwhile, Jean Sander, DVM, dean of the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Services, said that the center will provide veterinary care for horses and other animals injured in the storm. In Carney, veterinarians at the Benchmark Animal Hospital are offering to help equine survivors. Additionally, the Orr family has established a hotline for donors who have offered feed and other resources as well as pasture space to animals connected to the farm.
While recovery efforts continue, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting more storms bringing damaging winds, rain, and hail to the region. Horse owners in the region are hoping for the best.
“So far we've survived by the skin of our teeth,” Jaycee Bogart said.
Updated: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:00 PM Posted: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 1:04 PM As posted on BloodHorse.com
Photo: Orr Family Farm
Tornado Damage at Celestial Acres
More than 100 horses are thought to have perished in the massive tornado that hit the Moore, Okla. area May 20 in addition to the human lives that were lost.
Dr. Glenn Orr and Tom Orr's Orr Family Farm near Moore, Okla., which sits on the 106-acre Celestial Acres Thoroughbred training center, sustained significant damage from the hit.
"Right now we still don't have any specific numbers (on how many horses have died)," said Tony Vann, president of Vann & Associates, the public relations firm that represents the Oklahoma City area farm.
Vann said it was difficult to determine the number of animals lost since Orr rents stalls out to multiple trainers and it was unclear exactly how many were stabled at the farm at the time of the tornado.
"It's like a war zone here—(the horses) are just gone," said Vann. "It's just scorched earth—like a bomb went off."
The farm's stalls and barns took a direct hit from the tornado, which was estimated to be on the ground for 40 minutes as it demolished everything in its path. It was estimated to be 3.2 kilometres wide. Three and a half of the facility's five barns were reported to be swept away.
At around 4 p.m. ET May 21, the farm reported on its Facebook page that 34 of the Celestial Acres horses had survived the tornado and their health prognosis was good to excellent.
Vann said debris had been found on the Orr property from the city of Moore all the way to Tulsa, Okla., which is approximately 90 miles from the farm. "Right now they are going through and looking at just what they lost," he said.
On its Facebook page, the farm noted that while it sustained an "extreme amount" of damage to its property and adjoining facility, its staff is unharmed from the tornado.
Vann said there were five staff in the farm's administration office, plus several seasonal workers on site when the tornado approached. All were able to reach safety before it struck.
An exercise rider named Lando Hite who survived the tornado by huddling in a Celestial Acres horse stall was interviewed on CNN May 20. He predicted only one horse out of 80 that resided on the property had survived the disaster.
"I tried to let some of the horses get loose and free out of their stalls so they'd have a chance," said Hite, who suspected the tornado was on its way moments just before it touched down.
Canterbury Park Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred trainer Randy Weidner, who kept 12 horses at Celestial Acres, reported he had lost all of his stock, as well as a truck, trailer, tack, records, and computer in the disaster.
A fund has been set up for Weidner, who was preparing to move his stable to Canterbury Park for the 2013 meet. Checks can be written to "Randall Weidner Catastrophe Trust" and mailed to: Wells Fargo, 380 S. Marschall Rd., Shakopee, Minn. 55379.
Celestial Acres frequently consigns yearlings at the Oklahoma Thoroughbred sales. Over the years, the operation has been represented as breeder of several winners at Remington and Lone Star Parks, including 2005 stakes victor High Pioneer.
In the 1990s, stallions At the Threshold and Proper Reality stood at Celestial Acres.
"We encourage individuals to donate resources to reputable organization such as the Red Cross," Orr Family Farm stated on its Facebook page. "Do not try to enter the area as the authorities have most of the city blocked and it is still hazardous for travel.
"We very much appreciate and feel very blessed with the outpouring of support from all of you. Please continue to watch our page as we try to assess damage and offer more information to you when we can. We appreciate your offers of assistance, animal care and items, and we will let you know when we can receive these generous offers."
Equine equipment and feed-related donations in the Oklahoma area can be arranged by calling Red Earth Feed & Tack 405-478-3424. Orr has also set up a Paypal account for those wishing to donate to the farm.
Orr is located 20-25 miles south of Remington Park, which was not believed to have sustained damage from the tornado.
On May 21, Alex Waldrop, president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, spoke with Remington president and general manager Scott Wells, who reported all the track's employees that resided in the Moore area were unharmed.
"We also talked about federal disaster relief that might be available to Mr. Orr, who Scott knows personally," said Waldrop. "There's a chance they could be in line for some federal disaster relief through the USDA program administered by the Farm Service Agency. They have certain conservation programs that that help farmers and ranchers repair damage to their farms caused by natural disasters, so I was just pointing them in that direction."
Waldrop said he was also scheduled to speak with Danielle Barber, executive director of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma, about disaster relief for other farms that may have suffered damage from the tornado.
We are deeply saddened by the destruction and loss of life from the tornadoes which tore through Oklahoma. We know many people on Children 4 Horses either live in Oklahoma or have friends and family there and we want you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers. Our hearts are with you. ~Declan
Up to 100 horses are feared dead after a massive tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City area.
Authorities say two people are known to have died in twisters that ravaged the area, and six are reported to have died in Texas as storms generated a series of deadly twisters.
Oklahoma and other Midwest areas remain on high alert, with fears the storm system could generate further twisters.
KFOR.com, Oklahoma’s Channel 4, in a live feed earlier today, reported on the devastation at the 106-acre Orr Family Farm in Moore.
The farm and an adjoining horse training and agistment facility took a massive hit from the tornado.
Footage revealed complete destruction, with the remains of stalls unrecognisable. Surviving horses could be seen in the footage.
The station reported that 75 to 100 horses had died in the area and completely destroyed the farm, run by Dr Glenn Orr and his family.
It is understood the farm’s stalls and barns took a direct hit from the tornado, which was estimated to be on the ground for 40 minutes as it took out everything in its path. It was estimated to be 3.2 kilometres wide.
Residents had about 16 minutes to seek safety.
The Orr family farm, responding to messages of support on its Facebook page, said: “Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. We are sorry we cannot reply to each of you at this time, as we are focusing on our staff, families and the farm.
“We are physically alright, but we have sustained a large amount of damage at the farm, and adjacent properties.
“We are still assessing damage to both properties and animals.”
Orr Family Farm spokesman Tony Vann told Horsetalk that communications were difficult, but he managed to obtain a brief update by text-messaging Dr Orr’s son, Tom.
He said the family and staff were all right, but he did not have information on the animals.
He said he had heard the report of 75 to 100 horse deaths, but could not confirm that.
He said the block of land where Orr Family Farm stood also housed another business, Celestial Acres, which was a horse training and agistment facility.
It is understood the Orr family also own that business.
Vann said Orr Family Farm did not have 75-100 horses on its property. That raised the likelihood that at least some of the reported horse deaths may have occurred on the agistment property.
Vann said the neighborhoods devastated by the tornado seen on media footage were in some cases only a few hundred metres from the Orr property.
He said there were five staff and family in the farm’s administration office, plus seasonal workers, on site when the tornado approached. All were able to reach safety before it struck.
Patty with her assistant, Vicky, on Britain’s Got Talent.
Patty the painting donkey took a broad-brush approach to her crack at television greatness on the show, Britain’s Got Talent, but in the end she was unable was sway judge Simon Cowell.
Cowell declared that Patty was beautiful, but felt her artistic skills needed to develop further before she was a true contender.
Patty is among several animals who have stepped up in a bid to emulate the winning performance from last year of Ashleigh and her performing dog, Pudsey.
Patty, 9, came to the show from the British charity, Horseworld, where her handler, Vicky, trained her to paint in just six weeks.
Cowell declared after Patty had let your artistic juices flow on the canvas, splurging a colourful array: “She is absolutely beautiful, but I’m slightly disappointed because I actually thought that the donkey was going to do a mountain range.
“My advice is you actually pay for the donkey to have painting or drawing lessons. That isn’t good enough.”
Patty may have dipped out on Britain’s Got Talent, but she has already carved out a reputation as an artist.
She was rescued from Romania in 2005.
It quickly became apparent that she was a very intelligent donkey and needed to have something to keep her mind occupied.
Her grooms at Horseworld began to teach her a range of tricks through clicker training, during which she revealed her aptitude for painting.
Patty appeared in the first episode of the seventh series on Saturday night. Her colorful masterpieces regularly sell for £100 or more.
Those interested in a Patty original can even commission their own works – all in the aid of charity.
Gustave Stewart, left, Stephen Wade and Caitlin Stewart with Baia-Roe, the standardbred mare rescued from a slaughterhouse. Baia-Roe received a big welcome to Caitlin Stewart's farm in Pilesgrove Township Saturday.Staff Photo by Spencer Kent
PILESGROVE TWP. —
Baia-Roe is a 15-year-old standardbred mare rescued from a truck that was on its way to a slaughterhouse.
Caitlin Stewart, her boyfriend, Stephen Wade, and brother, Gustave Stewart, all initiated an effort to save Baia-Roe and this weekend a group of about 30 people from all over the state came to Pilesgrove to welcome the rescued horse to her new home.
Baia-Roe was just hours from being taken over the Canadian border by “kill-buyers,” people who purchase horses cheap to then slaughter in order to sell their meat, according to Stewart.
But a place called End of the Line Horse Placement located in Harmony, Pa. – a sort of horse limbo wherethe animals have the chance to be rescued, but not always – offered a chance to save Baia-Roe.
According to Caitlin Stewart, kill-buyers will sometimes stop at End of the Line on their way to slaughterhouses to see if anyone wants to purchase the horse for rescue.
Stewart saw Baia-Roe on End of the Line’s Facebook site and knew she had to save her.
“There was something about her eyes,” Caitlin said as family and friends gathered Saturday on her Pilesgrove farm. “I didn’t understand such an amazing horse could just be tossed away like that.”
Baia-Roe is a former six-time place winner trotter that was also owned by Amish.
“And when I saw that she was owned by Amish, I knew how hard she must have worked over the years,” Stewart added.
Stewart explained that when dealing with kill-buyers at End of the Line, once a rescuer commits to saving a horse, he or she must pay for the horse via Paypal within a matter of minutes.
“The kill-buyers don’t really care if the horses are saved or not,” she explained. “They just want to make a buck. So once they get their money, they’re gone. It doesn’t matter to them if they get money from me or from selling the meat.”
Baia-Roe, a standardbred mare saved from the slaughterhouse, received a warm welcome to the farm of Caitlin Stewart in Pilesgrove Township, Saturday.Staff Photo by Spencer Kent
Once Baia-Roe was purchased for $300, she had to be put in quarantine and have a veterinarian examination before being cleared to travel to New Jersey.
In total, it cost about $2,000 to save Baia-Roe. However, Caitlin was able to gather about $1,400 in donations from family and friends.
This is Stewart’s third rescue horse. She is not sure if she will end up keeping Baia-Roe permanently or adopt her to a loving family. Her boyfriend said he would like to adopt Baia-Roe out and rescue another horse headed for the slaughterhouse.
Stewart explained that though there is not a huge market in the states for horse meat, places in Europe considerate it a delicacy, which is why kill-buyers get good money for the meat.
She also noted that a horse slaughterhouse in Roswell, N.M., is seeking to re-open after horse slaughterhouses were shuttered in the U.S. in 2007. Valley Meat Company, located in Roswell, is one of six slaughterhouses around the nation applying for a permit to slaughter American horses for food, Stewart said.
Nicole Barbye, of Mullica Hill, is a local horse trainer. She is also Stewart’s friend and partner in advocating against horse slaughter.
Stewart, Barbye, Gustave Stewart and Wade have banned together to try and spread awareness about the perils of horse slaughter. Barbye explained that eating horse meat is actually toxic because of a common anti-inflammatory drug horse owners often give to their horses called Phenylbutazone – or “bute” as it’s often referred.
“I am trying to get the word out about the toxicity of horse meat,” Barbye said. “Often horse owners and trainers flood horses with bute, which ends up causing damage to the horse because trainers will run them into the ground.”
Stewart, her passion as radiant as her sleeve of tattoos, added, “And what people don’t realize is, bute-ridden horse meat can give people cancer.”
In January, the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), identified eight cases of bute-positive horse meat in 2012 that may have been sold for food, according to a BBC news report.
Stewart said her goal is to merely spread awareness about such incidents that often get overlooked.
On Saturday, the homecoming for Baia-Roe was a festive one.
Those present at Stewart’s farm enjoyed food and a huge “Welcome Home” sign had been made and placed on the side of a barn.
Stewart responded to whether she considered herself an activist and said, “I guess I’d consider myself an activist. I’m outspoken, but you hear ‘activist’ and you think it’s something political. This isn’t political.”
Neither is Caitlin a “liberal hippie,” as Stewart finished by saying, “Look – I’m a registered Republican. I just want to save these horses.”
PUBLISHED: 16:22 EST, 18 May 2013 | UPDATED: 17:40 EST, 18 May 2013 AS POSTED ON: MAIL ONLINE
It is the bizarre fashion trend championed by everyone from Cheryl Cole to Nick Clegg. Now it seems the onesie has become a must-have item in the equine world as well.
Customers in Britain and abroad have been chomping at the bit to buy the garments – which come in a range of colours and designs – since they went on sale just three weeks ago.
Although the equine onesies were originally created to prevent horses suffering fly irritations, allergies, and other forms of skin conditions, they are also being snapped up by owners eager to keep their animals’ coats clean before a show.
Runaway success: The must have for your horse, a onesie from Shwmae Products as modelled by Bee
Designers: Jessica Clarke, right, and Annie Brown who make the onesies in their workshop
Jessica Clarke, 20, who created the designs with Annie Brown, 18, said: ‘We started off making hoods and rugs for my grandfather’s horses and from there we built up a business.
‘All the designs led up to making the onesie, and as far as we know, we’re the only ones in the world making these products. They have been selling all over the place and have made our little company, Shwmae Products, international in just a matter of weeks.
‘They’re particularly popular in Australia and America. We used to do the odd shipment abroad, but now it’s every day. We have three horses of our own which we use to model them.’
Snapped up: The onesies were originally created to prevent horses suffering fly irritations and allergies
Equine chic: Rodo sporting a leopard print number in his stable
Each onesie costs £169.99 and is custom-made by the pair, from Pontypool, South Wales, in their Hereford workshop.
Since it emerged in 2009, the human onesie has been eagerly adopted by celebrities including One Direction, TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Amanda Holden, and even film star Brad Pitt.
In January, Nick Clegg admitted he had been given ‘a big green onesie’ as a present – although the Deputy Prime Minister later insisted he has never worn it.
By Jovana Ivanstanin
Whilst sitting happily on my sofa in London, I came across a Facebook photo of two donkeys in Serbia. The photo was taken by someone who fosters dogs for the shelter we support and I noticed the donkeys were in very poor condition, so I contacted the person who posted it for more information. He explained that the owner of the donkeys was a drunk who had threatened people who attempted to rescue the donkeys before with an axe and a knife, as well as a massive dog.
He also told me that there was a third donkey who got hit by a car and while still alive, the owner came to cut its throat with a knife as he refused to have the vet come and tend to the poor donkey. I felt I had no choice but to put the donkeys out of my mind as I couldn’t expect anyone to risk their own life to help them.
A few weeks later, I was in Serbia with others from the Forgotten Paws team as well as founders of Happy Endings Sanctuary. I told them about the donkeys and their crazy owner and together we decided we should go and see them in person.
With the help of our Serbian friends we found the mother and foal. The mother was tethered with no shade or available water. The daughter stayed with her. They were very sweet and gentle and enjoyed the attention but looked incredibly sad. From the river nearby, we brought two buckets of water to the mother who eagerly drank them.
After five long years without shelter or care for herself or her foal, mama donkey was about to taste freedom.
Immediately we knew we couldn’t walk away. We had to help the donkeys. After speaking to the locals, we found out that the mother donkey has been there for at least five years! How she survived, we don’t know. The temperatures in Serbia go into –20 degrees in winter and she had no shelter.
The daughter was overall in okay condition, unlike her mother whose feet had not seen a farrier for years. The foal wasn’t tethered, so could walk about and get a drink from the river. The older donkey’s feet resembled peasant shoes and curled upwards. The poor girl couldn’t walk properly. Both of them had a million burrs in their coats and their hair had fallen out where they both had rope around their necks.
We left the donkeys and went away planning where to put them and how to get the owner to give them up. With the help of Zoo Planeta in Serbia, we found a lovely family who would foster the donkeys, but we would be responsible for all their costs from feed to the farrier. Now we just had to deal with the owner.
After many phone calls, eventually we reached an agreement. The man would sell us the donkeys for 300 euros and sign a contract with witnesses stating that the donkeys had been sold to us. As much as we did not want to give him the money, that was the only way these donkeys could be saved, so the five of us put our personal money together and became responsible for the two neglected hairy beasts!
We couldn’t wait to get the donkeys to their foster home. For the first time in years, these donkeys will receive care and attention as well as be fed and watered appropriately. The farrier has been booked as well as the vet for their overall health check up, vaccinations and deworming.
To learn more about Forgotten Paws or for updates on the donkeys, visit our website www.forgotten-paws.com
Trudging for days across the exposed moor, this is a dying mother’s final act of love for her newborn.
Just hours after leading her foal to the safety of a farm, the mare died.
Experts believe she knew she did not have long to live when she spent five days fighting illness and exhaustion to guide her young offspring across Dartmoor.
Final journey: The emaciated mare walked across Dartmoor for five days in order to deliver her foal to the home of owner Lorraine Chambers
Sad tale: The mare then died less than 24 hours later
The foal was dependent on her mother’s milk, and would have died alongside her if she had not been escorted to human care.
But the tired and emaciated mare battled to deliver her to the home of her owner, Lorraine Chambers – only to die less than 24 hours later. Vets confirmed that the mother died of natural causes but said she would have been aware of her failing health.
Now five months old, the foal, who has been named Queenie, is being hand-reared by Charlotte Faulkner of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association. She will be rehomed on another farm after she is weaned in the coming months.
Doing well: Now the orphaned foal is being hand reared by Charlotte Faulkner of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association
Dedication: Ms Faulkner is now giving the little pony her undivided attention as a tribute to the courage shown by its mother
Mrs Faulkner said: ‘Both mare and foal would have been out there on the moor for the whole summer and would have been brought off the moor in the annual round-up next month.
‘The mother must have known what would have happened to her foal if she had died so she brought her in.
‘Queenie has her own little paddock at the moment and has a friend in another foal close by, but if she gets a little lonely she cries out for my attention, just like any other young toddler.
‘The mother was dying of natural causes and she led the foal to safety. She had the sense to head to her owner’s farm.
‘She knew the route – she had been there many times before. They are amazing animals and perfectly adapted to Dartmoor.’
There are around 1,500 ponies living on Dartmoor, all owned by farmers who have rights to common grazing. The ponies are native to Britain, but have declined rapidly from more than 25,000 in the 1930s.
A university expert in social work knows the healing power of horses. Jane Moorman reports on the work being done by Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome, who is assistant professor in the School of Social Work at New Mexico State University.
For Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome horses are more than an animal to ride or pull a wagon. They are a way to help people with emotional problems and physical disabilities.
Whittlesey-Jerome, New Mexico State University assistant professor in the School of Social Work, combines her love of horses with her desire to understand ways animals can help people heal.
Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome
“As a teenager, I was fortunate to have my own horse,” she said of her life growing up in a rural community north of Dallas, Texas.
“I have always had a special place in my heart for horses. I don’t know what it was. I couldn’t put it into words, but I knew I had a connection. I wasn’t a lonely teenager. My mare was always glad to see me in the morning and after school. Having a horse helped me meet other kids through equine activities, as well as people who also loved horses.”
As her life progressed to young adulthood, Whittlesey-Jerome’s interaction with horses ceased as other interests occupied her time. Later, as her life path moved her toward a profession as a social worker and eventually a college professor on the subject, in the back of her mind she knew she wanted to someday have horses back in her life.
That day came when she and her husband, Ric, moved to Corrales, New Mexico. “While I enjoy my personal horses, Eli and Lady, I wanted to explore the use of horses in therapeutic settings,” she said.
Through the National Association of Social Workers New Mexico Chapter, Whittlesey-Jerome is networking with other social workers in the state using horses in therapy with their clients.
Therapies with horses can be either on the ground, known as equine-assisted psychotherapy, or while riding, vaulting or driving, known as therapeutic riding. The prefix “Equus” is Latin for horse; in Greek, the prefix “Hippo” means horse; and while hippotherapy typically uses riding to strengthen gross and fine motor skills, as well as communication skills, equine-assisted psychotherapy rarely uses riding as part of the therapeutic intervention.
“A number of years ago, I became aware of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association’s model which was created by a clinical social worker as an intervention for behavioral health and mental health,” she said.
The EAGALA model has clients working either individually or in groups with horses. While not riding the animals, the people work the horse through obstacle courses within an arena. The work is often done without touching the horse or talking to the team members.
“The teams come up with some really unique problem-solving and the individual members learn about themselves through the way the horses react to them,” Whittlesey-Jerome said. “Since horses are prey animals they are very aware of everything in their environment. They know if a person has self-confidence and is in control of the situation, or if they are afraid.
“A teenager hiding behind a tough attitude soon learns that the horse is not impressed by his or her baggy pants and blue hairdo. Horses act as mirrors and are not judgmental. They approach these kids just the way they are and they usually open up and are more like their real ‘selves’ around the horses.”
She adds that horses are curious, precocious, social and like being with people and other horses. Horses like contributing and being busy, so they enjoy being part of a therapeutic exercise.
“I have also been involved with the Cloud Dancers Therapeutic Horsemanship Program in the greater Albuquerque area. While EAGALA is an equine-assisted psychotherapy model, Cloud Dancers has offered both EAGALA and therapeutic horsemanship – where clients have an opportunity for a unique therapeutic, recreational experience in a fun, safe environment,” she said of the organization, of which she had served on its board of directors until September 2012.
As a social work professional and professor at the university’s Albuquerque Center’s master’s of social work program, Whittlesey-Jerome wanted to quantify the impact equine assisted therapy has on clients through research studies in order to help build an evidence-base for its utility.
“Clinical social workers have been using companion animals, such as dogs, in the therapeutic setting for a number of years,” said Whittlesey-Jerome, the current president of NASW’s New Mexico Chapter. “So using horses seems like a logical progression to that. We have established a network of clinical social workers with horses across the state.”
To date, Whittlesey-Jerome has conducted several studies to quantify the impact of equine-assisted psychotherapy on at-risk adolescent resilience, and hippotherapy and therapeutic riding on the gross and fine motor skills, communication skills and behaviors for children diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
“A teenager hiding behind a tough attitude soon learns that the horse is not impressed by his or her baggy pants and blue hairdo. Horses act as mirrors and are not judgmental.”
“Early results are positive and indicate that this type of therapy does help,” she said. “In a study of at-risk adolescents, we learned that the equine-assisted psychotherapy group demonstrated stronger positive changes in resilience scores compared to those in a typical psycho-educational, talk therapy group,” she said.
Partnering with Cloud Dancers and Albuquerque Public Schools, the study of children on the autism spectrum showed that equine-therapies had a positive impact on the boys’ physical and behavioral health, which translated to a higher degree of success in school over the short term. Interestingly, Whittlesey-Jerome and the boys’ therapists wondered if riding atop a horse could have influenced these boys who were mostly confined to wheelchairs for mobility, and that their “change in perspective” might have influenced their overall sense of self as a result.
As she is compiling her findings into research presentations and articles, Whittlesey-Jerome has begun another equine study that will explore the impact of equine-assisted psychotherapy on the general self-efficacy of adult female victims of interpersonal violence. In this study, she will partner with Guadalupe Stables, LLC and Domestic Violence Resource Center, both of Albuquerque.
“Ultimately, my goal is to add to the evidence-base for equine-assisted activities and human-animal-nature activities so they can be shown to have therapeutic value to healing physical, mental and emotional/behavioral health issues,” she said.
Whittlesey-Jerome’s theoretical model, The Human-Animal Partnership Model, is being developed as a chapter in a comprehensive electronic textbook for veterinary and health professions students she is co-authoring with Gaylene Fasenko, assistant professor in the university’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Animal and Range Science Department.
Whittlesey-Jerome wants her work to go beyond research and authoring a book. She dreams of helping to develop a holistic, healing ranch that is run and operated by New Mexico State University, where animals and crops are a central part of the healing of American soldiers, veterans and their families as they face the issues associated with repeated deployments into war zones, and/or the post-traumatic stress disorder that has been growing in frequency among service members. The vision is to provide services to the soldiers, veterans and their families in this comprehensive continuum of care.
“The idea is that we will take them as they come, if they just need a weekend retreat or if they need to be there for weeks on end. We will help them reconnect with the feeling parts of themselves in a safe place where they can work it out. Whether through sweat therapy by working with animals and/or working in a community garden, or by participating in all kinds of other innovative creative therapies, like mediation, yoga, massage and aromatherapy, and dance, music and art therapy,” she said. “We want to bring together animals and nature, and everything in between, to help our military personnel and their families get back to a healthy life.”
The innovative military program, currently entitled “R&R Ranch,” was originally envisioned in 2007 by Whittlesey-Jerome’s graduate social work research students. But financial issues impacting the economy caused the idea to be tabled until recently.
“We have Dean Lowell Catlett of the College Agriculture, Dean Tilahun Adera of the College of Health and Social Services, and Dean Garrey Carruthers of the College of Business supporting the concept so far,” she said. “As the idea begins to coalesce, more deans will be brought to the table, since R&R Ranch would ideally involve all colleges of the university as well as the community colleges, and the Cooperative Extension Service across the state.”
“We currently have two social work students joining some business students to conduct a needs assessment, now called values proposition, through an independent study with Kevin Boberg at the Arrowhead Center during the summer,” she said. “They will be interviewing folks across the state to find out if people think R&R Ranch is a good idea. Once that happens, MBA students at the College of Business will develop a business plan and from there it will take off.”
Whittlesey-Jerome is excited about this future program, as are those who are supporting it.
“The idea is that we actually have a sustainable project that reaches out through our land-grant mission and our mission of military science to all corners of New Mexico. As Dean Catlett has said, ‘This is a no-brainer,’ and I agree. It’s a win-win for all who will be involved,” she said. “And, most recently, staff with our own NMSU Foundation have decided to focus on R&R Ranch as a priority project When I think about the possibilities, I couldn’t be happier.”
"When you have a horse slaughter facility come to your area horse theft goes right up," said Patience O'Dowd, President of Wild Horse Observers Association, or WHOA.
