Latest Instagram Photos



Subscribe with Bloglines

Terri Farley
HomeBooksThe AuthorConnectEducationWild Horses


       Weblog

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Coming WILD HORSE Attractions

New PHANTOM STALLION newsletter -- featuring biggest ever contest for readers



Cat Kindsfather photo 
Tomorrow's blog:
 "Hanged with a New Rope:  BLM Manages America's Wild Horses from a Safe Distance"



Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 6:31 PM   1 comments

Bookmark and Share




Friday, February 24, 2012

Twin Peaks Mustangs in Court: IDA, Rachel Fazio Have Their Backs


Today in Sacramento, California, wild horse advocates crowded one side of Courtroom 7, United States District Court, presided over by Judge England.
 The lopsided crowd was the opposite of that at the attorneys’ tables. For the wild horses, Rachel  Fazio, attorney for In Defense of Animals, sat alone. Her four opponents, included representative of the Department of the Interior and the Safari Club.
The verdict will be announced in the next 10 - 14 days.
This case examines whether BLM acted in accordance with the 1978 laws determining how wild horses must be gathered, before and during the Twin Peaks round-up last year, near Susanville, CA.  Many of those in the courtroom were present for several days of the round-up.
This is the first time I’m seen Ms. Fazio in action, and she was articulate, level-headed and unshakable.
My legal credentials, even as an observer, are limited, but I took notes & will share some highlights. 

Wild horse deaths were approximately 1%  during the round-up. BLM said this was  expected 

The judge asked about a division of opinions among experts. Ms. Fazio said that BLM “utterly failed to address” the information that was submitted; BLM said they didn’t recognize the information as relevant. 

  The studies submitted dealt with the negative effects of PZP and gender skewing as means of limited wild horse populations.

  Ms. Fazio put the BLM’s responsibilities in perspective, by briefly reviewing the 1978 regulations which were intended to reestablish rangeland health after decades of over-grazing by many species, including livestock.

  Judge England asked if IDA would accept “euthanasia or re-programming” for wild horses and Ms. Fazio responded that would be acceptable only after BLM acted on all of its responsibilities and made the information available to the public ; at present, she said, it’s clear that BLM is violating the law and its intent, and (based on BLM documents) plans to continue doing so 

BLM’s responsibility to identify and euthanize sick, lame and old animals on the range before they are stampeded to the traps was highlighted. BLM countered that this was unreasonable and they would continue to do that in captivity. 

Safari Club contends wild horses hinder their right to “hunt and enjoy” wildlife and said “our colleagues, the government” were right to disregard and minimize the studies submitted by IDA

 Ms. Fazio thanked Judge England for following up on this case. “After forty years of avoiding scrutiny” she said, BLM must face questions and wild horses have their day in court.


Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:34 PM   2 comments

Bookmark and Share




Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Writing Wednesday

I had a great time at Fernley Intermediate school today! Look at the cool sign that welcomed me in the library.
 n
Fernley students really got into my gross writing exercise: Slug Salad

Me with dedicated teacher Ms. Olds -- my hostess!




Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:03 PM   0 comments

Bookmark and Share




Thursday, February 09, 2012

Sad Note from Palomino

 

Hi ya'll,

This is not an easy one to write.  Just a short time ago, Little Mister left this earth and joined his mother in heaven.  I started the proverbial "why?", for about two seconds, and then I realized I knew why.  I truly believe God puts us where we are supposed to be.  We were supposed to spend these last two days with this beautiful colt, so he would die surrounded by love and peace and not alone and afraid.  I am so thankful to the folks at Palomino Valley for allowing us to make his last few days a little less scary, especially after he had become an orphan.

Last night, Little Mister, (although he didn't feel too great), did have some fun.  He got into everything in the "borrowed foal room", and immediately became our "son".  After his temperature had spiked and Cat (Kindsfather) drove me through the night to get to Shirley's house to get meds, I was given a memory I will always treasure.  As soon as I walked in the room and he heard my voice, he gave this tiny, kind of screechy little whinny and jumped to his feet.  "Mommy was home".   These are the moments that make what we do worth while when we have nights like this.  He  was quite the little talker and would whinny if we went into the other room for more than a few minutes.  We shared a lot of love in a short time.

Little Mister was beautiful, but apparently when he was born there was some unknown problem.  The vet was shocked that he was so sick after she did the blood work, because the test that shows whether a little one got his or her antibodies (through mommy's colostrum) came out so positive.  She showed it to me several times because it was such a positive result.  Today when I took him in, his gums were showing tinges of blue/purple, indicating that he was not getting enough oxygen.  He had minimal gut sounds at best, and his heart rate was extremely high.  His poor little heart was trying so hard to pump enough blood to get enough oxygen, but his tiny little lungs were too compromised.  He had severe pneumonia, which can be so deadly to the tiny foals.   If he had been born in the wild, most likely the stallion would have killed him, or the mares would have, or he would have been left behind, alone and scared, to suffer a horrible death.  So although my heart is breaking, I am so thankful and feel so honored that we got to spend his last days with him.  He knew he was surrounded by love, and although he was meant to leave this earth way too early, I know that it helped him for us to be there.  We were with him until the end, and although it is so sad, it was also a huge blessing for him as the pneumonia had progressed so far.  He simply could not get enough air.  

We can't save every foal, although I wish we could, but we do everything we possibly can for every second that we have with them.  I truly appreciate you all being part of this and sharing the good times and the not so easy times.  I was asked if I was going to "take a break", but that isn't how it works.  We celebrate the ones we can help, and mourn the ones that we can't, all the while knowing that at any second, another one might need us.  I am grateful that this is where God wants me to be.  There is so much joy in it, along with the heartbreak.


Take care and God Bless - and give your critters an extra hug!


Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:09 AM   4 comments

Bookmark and Share