Unlike people, our dog friends actually do think that we're funnier when we're drunk, and they don't mind it if we come home smelling of other dogs (in fact, they enjoy it!)
2. I grew up with horses. Had shit on my shoes until I went to college...and even later. When I first met my wife, she had a picture of her horse on her desk. We compared horse pictures -- and never dated anyone else again.
3. We soured on racing long ago. I grew up near Amish country -- went to auctions with my uncle to bid to keep them from being bought from dog food agents.
Yes, you're absolutely right! But when the temptation of millions of dollars from a winning race horse is on the line, some people may resort to unscrupulous practices. 😰
Thanks for that! You're so right, in the animal products business, animals after their life of service or outright butchery, remains are across the board converted into a food source for something, that includes hotdogs, sausages as well of course. Glue too.
Fortunately, horse slaughter is illegal in the US. That doesn’t mean that horses aren’t transported to Canada and Mexico or even Japan for slaughter; they are. It’s appallingly inhumane. There are several reputable programs for retraining and rehoming racehorses after their careers, and it’s the cheapest way to buy a quality horse for many uses. The problem, as Mary points out above, is that many racehorses have injuries and mental issues after their (short) lives on the track.
NOPE it is not! I watched videos of horse slaughter - then saw some of using a loader to pick up downed cows to get them slaughtered. Dont eat beef anymore -
Horse slaughter is so inhumane - they are a prey animal - the thought of a wild horse being "processed/harvested" - that is the description that used to be used and the absolute terror felt from that? Most plants in Canada are shutting down - fewer horses sent there, but Mexico? Still far too many shipped there. Auctions and killbuyers all over the country still going at it. Not as many but to the horses that end up there that doesnt matter.
Once I spoke to a vet who was discusted with the way Mennonite/Amish treated their horses and animals. They are big time puppy mill operators as well. I always loved that show Amish Mafia that exposed the cult, who also are big time Trumpers!!!! In one scene a car left a buggy in not the most runnable condition.
I have a plan to flip the Amish, but I have a tough time speaking with someone with authority at the Biden campaign. Need diplomacy. Once upon a time I represented the township with the most Amish per square inch. My brother continued to represent them until he retired, and also represented other townships with Amish populations. They will not participate in government but vote 100% Republican. 200,000 votes nationally. By default, we represented them., E.G. when the IRS sold off their horses for tax liens, out bar association filed an amicus brief at SCOTUS. The guy who signed it is still available, was a judge in Pittsburgh. When I took the bar, I took a bus when I was the only non Amish person. I speak a little Laudeutsch. We had horses, a stables in that Township although we didn't live there. My brother says that they would attend meetings, etc. I wrote the zoning ordinance that kept the township in the "19th Century," was appointed in "blue baby" cases, other intracrine disputes. It may not work...but never up -- never in.
Years ago, I saw a CBS News Evening News report where these Amish guys tore down the bathroom door and gang raped their sister. They were charged and the entire population all showed up in the church.praying...singing..... to beg forgiveness, drop the charges.........praise the Lord.....bla bla bla.......
I was born into a family with a 75 lb airedale. As a two and three year old, I'd straddle her, rocking back and forth as if I was riding her, and she never minded. Mab rode across the country with us three times, as well as once from Seattle to LA and back. She was a wonderful dog, and most dogs, if well treated, are wonderful.
The dog-human bond is a wonderful bond, and I'm guessing it's similar for people who love horses, cats, elephants, parrots, and any others. There's something marvelous about cross species bonds. These days, as a senior citizen, I run most days with my border collie.
Growing up I always watched the Kentucky Derby with my Gobby.🍀 We’d pick “winners” by their names; Irish, colors (purple) anything cute. I too soured on horse racing when I attended the races at our county fair years ago and a horse stumbled & fell. They brought out the screen, euthanized the horse right there on the track, put it in the horse trailer and drove away.
I used to love watching the excitement, the hats, the mint juleps etc. of the Kentucky Derby but the reality of the animal cruelty is something I cannot stomach.
Daniel, my great grandfather, who was Kentucky born (in Georgetown, lived in Stamping Ground) was supposedly a horse thief and most certainly a murderer....bar fight I think. He fled to Indiana and on his marriage certificate he had a different name than his birth name. I told this story to a gal who worked in horses in Kentucky and she said good and had total contempt for race horse owners. Locally, we told the French owner of a restaurant that Americans did not eat horse meat and would be appalled. I had a great aunt and uncle who were infamous in the family and one of the stories about them was that they sold horse meat as beef during WII. I also grew up in Amish country, in northern Indiana. Saw plenty of buggies, but didn't know the horses might be sold for dog food.
I imagine in their way of life - horses serve a purpose - doubt there is any kind of retirement - if so, they wouldnt be earning their keep. So on to auctions. New Holland PA is one of them - has kind of a notorious reputation among horse people.
@ Maggie You will be happy to know that there is a horse retirement village near me in New Jersey on route 202, near Ramapo College. There must be a waiting list to get in. bergencountyhorserescue.org
Hahaha! I had a horse in high school (‘73-‘76) and went to take care of him every morning before school. Always smelled of fresh manure. My classmates always knew when I had my feet resting on the book basket under their desk.
My daughter-in-law (and my grandkids) raise chickens; I think they have about a dozen now, in the big coop my son built. Like Joyce's, all named, and each with a different personality. And their eggs are delicious.
Might take a look for that. As a younger me remember a b&w movie in which a cat out plots a bunch of thieves in her home. Movie was mostly shot from kitty's perspective, much as that's possible!
Miss Anne, LOL. We always know when we are in trouble once we get home. And it doesn't need to be other dogs or cats....it could be a restaurant or the dentist or anywhere. We almost always explain where we have been.
"The leaves rustle" was a teaching from the late Maildoma Some', a wisdom keeper and Elder of the Dagara Tribe in Burkina Faso. The leaves were in agreement with one's comment at that instance. Malidoma earned a PhD from both the Sorbonne and Brandeis, as well as three masters degrees. He brought his reality of the spirit world to our western minds, to try to open a path of a more peaceful and integrated view of our heart-mind, nature and the ancestors, and to deeply question our addictions to the material world, as a threat to lives everywhere. The name 'Malidoma' means "befriender of the stranger"
What a treat, Heather!! When I saw the long letter pop up, I was hoping you might take the night off. It turns out you are. You need it and so do we. Thank you. We'll be here waiting for you anon.
My Mom grew up in Canoga Park, California during the 40s and 50s and knew one of Roy Roger's daughters. She used to tell me that she would go over to her house sometimes and there was Trigger the horse stuffed and standing in the parlor or living room, which I think must have freaked her out.
It's one of those stories I wish I could have had her tell me again or give me some more details but I only have the memory of it now as she died rather unexpectedly towards the end of April. It's still so strange and unreal that she's gone on, wasn't sure how I would even put it in a comment. But then Trigger the horse was mentioned and I could almost picture her as little girl growing up on a farm just on the outskirts of Los Angeles in the 1950s.
Linda Force. I was born and raised in San Francisco, Back in the 1950s downtown was thriving with many department stores. The EMPORIUM was my mother’s favorite. I remember being 12 years old and the Emporium was having a Cinco de Mayo fiesta on its huge upstairs patio. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My two radio heroes were there on their horses. The Lone Ranger on Silver and Tonto on Scout. They let me pet these two beautiful horses and I got to chat with both of them! A day I cherish!
horhai, it sounds as though Heather's story has given you a chance to call forth one of your sweet memories of your mom. I bet you are right that seeing Trigger in the living room must have freaked her out! Sudden loss carries a very special kind of pain. May you find comfort during this tender time.
I was looking for the interview in which Dale Evans said she was afraid Roy would have her stuffed, too. I haven't found it but did run into a story about how her horse, "Buttermilk" was saved by a day from the slaughter house. See https://reelcowboy.org/2014/07/11/buttermilk-saved-from-the-slaughter-house/
Not surprisingly as a vegan I take issue with the 'sport' of horse racing. Then there is the matter of the vice of gambling which invariably harms the poor. Please educate yourselves about the realities of horse racing. Documentaries: "Dark Horse" (2015), "Luck" (2011) Organizations: The Pegasus Foundation https://pegasusfoundation.org/ The Humane Society of the United States https://www.humanesociety.org/
Emily, I’m glad to see that there were investigations into all the deaths before the Kentucky Derby last year. No drugs were found, but intensive exercise was implicated.
You have a point. In a trip to England years ago, we went to Sandringham Estate and heard a tale of a horse burned alive. Speculation was that the horse was no longer valuable and owners wanted insurance money. Sort of haunts me.
Jeri, It deserves to haunt us. Far too often, the race for money (and fame—Kristi Noem) appears to justify cruelty towards animals and those people who are judged to be “less than”.
Mary, it seems that the watch me acting tough gunslinger prairie Barbie, the Gnome, has actually scuttled her VP hopes with that tale. Just proving that she isn't one those wussy snowflake libtards who might be afraid to push the nuclear button or assassinate a rival.....just take them to the local gravel pit. One of my husband's cousins in South Dakota has made several Tik Tok posts about this.
Michele, my ancestors shot treasured animals to put them out of their misery because they didn’t have veterinary euthanasia, not to exult in the act of taking a life.
But Mary - that was euthanasia - doing it for the animal. This "politician" obviously had NO clue this was something not to be admired!!!! A 14 month old puppy?
Dogs - especially puppies will chase anything that runs! How hard is it to understand that?
I had a terrier mix who used to dig out of his dog pen - I tried everything - digging down under the fence & putting rocks in & covering them up - etc. My German Shepherd was in the pen with him & was fine with it. But Scootie got out & killed a whole flock of banties (small chickens). Quite honestly I think he wanted to play. Yes I sure felt bad about my birds, but at that point what can you do? NOT shoot him!
Maggie, the point that I wanted to make was that the farmers/ranchers that I knew back then didn’t have a vet or couldn’t afford to have a vet come out to euthanize an animal—definitely not the case for Kristi Noem. The fact that she implied that their necessity is equal to her unnecessary cruelty is another nail in her coffin as far as I am concerned.
Daniel, that’s an appalling story. I am an avid competitor in dressage, not show jumping, but still at a fairly high level where you find many very expensive horses. I feel compelled to say that every single horseman/woman of my acquaintance sacrifices much to be able to afford these horses we love. We drive old cars. We don’t buy clothes for ourselves (except riding clothes!). We pinch our pennies to provide the best lives possible for our equine partners. They get supplements, veterinary care, massages, chiropractic appointments, etc etc. We retire them to green pastures when they don’t want to work anymore, or can’t because of illness or injury. They’re athletes, and sometimes injuries do happen, even to human athletes. And we do it with joy, never resenting the vacations we never took because our horses came first. I don’t know anyone for whom this isn’t true, and I’m glad of that. And I know a lot of horse people. There are bad people in all walks of life, unfortunately.
KR - just like all (most) of the horse people I knew over the years. Having a horse - no matter what the discipline is - is an expensive, I guess some would call it a hobby - but honestly - its a way of life. I did without some things I guess, for 16 years. BEST - absolutely BEST time of my life. Miss my boy every day & its been 20 plus years since I had to put him down - hes buried at the barn where I boarded him. Planted a pear tree over his grave - he loved pears - would stick his tongue & blow bubbles while he was eating them!!!
Maggie, what a sweet memory. I’ve never tried feeding my guys pears, but I will, and will think of your friend when I do. Mine love apples, carrots, bananas, oatmeal cream pies, peppermints, molasses cookies and on and on. They are not deprived!
You’re right, it’s more than a hobby. It’s all consuming - and they always come first. But mine aren’t pets. They’re working partners. I love the cross-species communication we have. They talk, and I listen. And they listen to me, too. It’s beautiful.
Yeah - Chico did most of those - but pears? I only wish I got a picture of him with his tongue out & bubbles forming - eyes likely half shut. Can you see it??
I now live vicariously thru my granddaughter (who I corrupted horse-wise starting about 5 years old) - shes been a groom, rider, now barn manager - in a place where she will be doing more riding again which is good.
If you are interested - check out Anna Blake - dressage trainer/teacher - she has a really great blog.
Thanks Michael, interesting how often over the years, gambling/racing abuses have made their way into cameo parts in movies of one sort or another. I'm not into gambling but never found myself into the Vegan way ... HG Wells had the Martians seem even more detestable by having humans a main item on the invaders' food menu.
Had a sled dog in Fairbanks named Traveler. Long legged team dog that also ran in the “swing” position behind leaders. He ran the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, YT a number of times. He ate like a horse and never gained a pound. The dog was honest.
Ignorant people abuse dogs because there unwilling to put in the time it takes to train them humanely. Netflix has a series called Muster Dogs that shows the effort needed to train a cattle herding dog.
Might want to think about adding Zenyatta to this list. She is an amazing mare who won 19 of the 20 races she ran in the late 2000s. In the final race of her career, she was a close second in the breeders cup classic in 2010. Watching her race was a heart pounding experience. She was a big filly who wasn’t raced ias a two-year-old meaning, meaning she was not eligible to run the Triple Crown at the start of her racing career. She always started slowly, and stayed in the back of the field until about the last quarter of a mile. Then it was like booster turned on and she simply flew past the front runners like they were standing still — in every one of her spectacular wins. She’s been called the QUEEN OF RACING, a title she richly deserved.
Traveller's grave was revered almost as much as General Lee's when I went to W.&L. More fun for me, one of my fave episodes of any show: Mr Ed and the Los Angeles Dodgers. If one is not interested in the whole episode, the first two minutes is a guaranteed kick! 🙂
I joined a Gilbert & Sullivan troupe (back-stage hack) in N.Y.C. years ago. In the directory, I decided to be a man of the people and submit my nick-name and not 'Edward'. Imagine my surpise when I looked me up in the directory, only to find: "McDonnell, Mr Ned." Needless to say that, at that year's dance, I nickered the night away! 🥳
After the "first two minutes" I had to keep watching. Are you kidding? Sandy Koufax, the Moose and Leo? I can still remember when Leo coached my Cubs. They thought he would be the man to bring them to the World Series. They forgot to sign up Mr. Ed! Thanks for sharing this on a rainy morning in Louisville.
Hope all goes well in slugger-ville, a/k/a Lew-uh-vull. 😉
In my early thirties, I studied for a professional designation on week-end nights. Nick-at-Nite had 1950s and 1960s comedy re-runs. That made the nerding out almost tolerable. Getting a crush on Patty Duke all over again; giggling along with 'Laugh In'; and, laughing at 'Car-54'. Imagine how my jaw dropped when I saw this scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nQkvSbAvxI
I was at Washington and Lee in the 1970s. I surprised many by selecting W.&.L. I did so since the school was the only one that actually gave a scheiße if I went there and since it had an honor code.
⚖️
Glad I went there, though I did not fit in; I needed to grow into honor. l later hit my stride in the 'freak' fraternity, that was, I thought, an 'island for mis-fit boys'. et l found that it had many great human beings.
🥳
W.&L. produced Tom Wolfe (who struck me as superficial, at least in 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test'). Had fun at Hollins, though I leaned toward Sweet Briar owing to my sister being there.
I graduated in ‘80, and lived for the last two years in “the house of misfit toys” with my Irish setter. My parents thought Hollins a good choice as I started at 16. Wonderful staff! Had the opportunity to transfer but was happy there!
Quelle coincidence! I graduated in 1980, as well. I did not start until I was nineteen, so we cancel each other out. During my freshman year, I would go out occasionally with Virginia Donelson; not serious. Lovely human being, though I was definitely playing second-fiddle to her eventual husband, himself a really fine guy.
My brother-in-law's brother-in-law's name is Upton Funk. As more people know, in the Army when they do roll-call you say your last name and then the first initial. He said the snickers never stopped.
Kind of like in the Trump case when the judge read -- Don Schitzinpants yesterday in court.
Heather leaves us with one bit that oddly reassures, in her #7, on Mr. Ed.
She refers there to ". . . the comforting traditional community depicted in the show."
I'm for that. But then, I grew up on fiction, beginning with the Landmark series on real-life American heroes, showing them as youngsters, not yet the heroes they'd become." One after another -- a half dozen, or was it a dozen at a time, I checked these volumes out of the Dearborn Public Library, one of the Carnegie bequests, a beautiful old colonial-style edifice on West Michigan Avenue, mid-1950s.
Prosperous times, then. Post-war. Unions strong. Did I swim too much in fiction, so it charms me yet how more today, around the world, might actually have "comforting traditional community"?
My parents took me to the LA county fair when I was about 5 and told me I’d get to see Mr. Ed if I was a good girl. They eventually found a palomino and told me it was the TV star. I started asking him questions but he didn’t reply. My mom said he only spoke when he wanted to. I was devastated! Never watched the show again, my own little boycott.
I might not remember if I brushed my teeth this morning but I do remember that song and watching it on tv. Also Marcus Welby. Now a days, even the cartoons are violent.
My uncle Ray Parker was a teacher at Fordson High in Dearborn, MI - also wrestling coach. He was on city council and once ran unsuccessfully for Mayor against mayor Hubbard - a man to fear if you weren’t white. Interesting how Dearborn has transformed since those days in the 1950s.
Dearborn, home of Ford Motor Company, and on a sober note, this recent AP posting.... AP) — Dearborn, Michigan, is ramping up its police presence in response to fallout from an opinion piece that described the city, which has the nation's highest Muslim population per capita, as “America's jihad capital.”Feb 5, 2024
There always has to be an “enemy” of the day or month or year to blame for our shortcomings. The media and the politicians decide - it could be women, Muslims, Catholics, black or brown people, democrats or republicans. Name the blame.
David Dayen has a great piece in the American Prospect about how the high cost of student loans can be tied in part to the Repubican notion that colleges were breeding grounds for protestors and not serious students.
My spouse is a Dearborn native. I recall Hubbard - we were dating when he was mayor. Read the piece on him in the Detroit Historical Society's "Encyclopedia of Detroit" https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/hubbard-orville . Only one of her brothers still lives there: evidently, the stories she hears about today's Dearborn are not happy ones.
Perhaps Lexington belongs on the list as the greatest thoroughbred that ever lived. Geraldine Brooks would make that case I think after researching and writing Horse, a fictionalized account of his life. Fans of HCR would especially appreciate the description of thoughbred racing before the Civil War and the life of some black horse trainers.
I’d vote for Lexington to be on the list too. Here’s a reference from National Geographic about him.
“Lexington sired a powerful lineage filled with champions today,” says Kim Wickens, author of a forthcoming book on the legendary racehorse. “He was the most dominant horse of his day and passed those genes down to a phenomenal line of winners, including War Admiral, Citation, Secretariat, Affirmed, and Justify.”May 5, 2023
The life of Lexington, America's greatest racehorse
The story of Lexington is really a fantastic one...not only details of the horse/human bonding while he was alive before the Civil War but what has transpired since then.
It was indeed quite a week, I managed to get a Civic Works Board Status written and distributed and finished a commitment to my subscribers (some of whom are your subscribers!) on a review of Heritage Foundation's sinister Project 2025 (and I hope you don't mind if I shamelessly plug it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/bomdia/p/project-2025-the-heritage-foundation)
While not as well-detailed as any of your LFAA's -I wrote it and seasoned it with copious amounts of snark -especially when captioning some of the photographs.
Thank you for posting - the horrible but necessary to be informed "project 2025 - the heritage foundation" truly a really horrible nightmare of an article " to read.
Thank you for slogging through, George. One reason I read HCR so faithfully is that there is no illustration to trigger me, but I can see the value for some audiences of putting faces to these names that recur throughout this reactionary movement.
Indeed -HCR's LFAA's, The Guardian, and a news aggregator is how I begin most every day. For greater accessibility I do like to add images and snark. I embrace lessons learned from Dr. George Lakoff about framing and imagery to potentially reach more people -even if they disagree with my own perspectives (unless they are just parroting right-wing talking points).
posted it to gmail for later reading, momentarily enthralled with an audio of Serhii Plokhy's The Gates of Europe, the dramatic breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukraine's outsized role in helping it happen. Take the last hour plus out on a walk around the neighbourhood I think.
Phar Lap has earned a place among these notable horses. The Australian champion won often and impressively down under, and had begun to win in North America, especially in a Mexican race that he won from a poor start, with a split hoof. He died in questionable circumstances in California, leading to suspicion that he had been poisoned by American underworld gambling figures.
I find it to be a sad comment on our combative species that half of these beautiful animals were connected with war. Despite our wonderful qualities of being able to make music, to laugh uproariously and to Love so deeply, I struggle to understand our willingness to be so abidingly cruel to each other, to other critters, even to Our Only Home on which we are utterly dependent.
As my pal, Fred, says, "If you find yourself to be disillusioned, you shouldn't have allowed yourself to become illusioned in the first place." Forward, into the void…
War and conflict are deeply embedded in human history indeed. As a kid when war topics came up, or efforts to strive for peaceful ways, the "there'll always be wars" truism came up repeatedly. I wonderful if it's still as prevalent. Donno. Id like to think a bit less so.
My generation had to confront the draft. Although I was in AF ROTC, I was drafted into the army after I flunked the ROTC physical. My dad and 7 of my uncles served in WWII. My dad was wounded, frozen, released from active duty early but was in the reserves. Was commander of an American Legion post. It was a given that we would have to go.....
And yet I wonder if ending the draft has not created a defense system filled with people with either delusions of power and those with no financial means of resistance. A family fight in our case almost erupted during the GWBush administration when my partner suggested that if going into Iraq was so important, maybe women like the president and vice president's daughters should be drafted.
Thank you! I love horses....and mules (memories from my childhood).
It is amazing to me how an animal responds to its owner/trainer....caregiver. In horse racing to see such a beautiful, spirited powerful creature give itself over to its rider...always amazes me.
Creatures in general give us joy and contribute so much to the well being of our earth. We need to care for our environment to protect them.
Horses and dogs. Humans are lucky to know these creatures.
Unlike people, our dog friends actually do think that we're funnier when we're drunk, and they don't mind it if we come home smelling of other dogs (in fact, they enjoy it!)
1. Trump hates dogs. I bet he hates horses too.
2. I grew up with horses. Had shit on my shoes until I went to college...and even later. When I first met my wife, she had a picture of her horse on her desk. We compared horse pictures -- and never dated anyone else again.
3. We soured on racing long ago. I grew up near Amish country -- went to auctions with my uncle to bid to keep them from being bought from dog food agents.
Daniel, I too have soured on racing since so many horses are breaking legs at practice prior to beg races.
I have read that racehorses are now bred more for speed than strength, hence so many horses experiencing devastating injuries & other health issues. 😭
Sunni, it’s a shame. Just because you can breed a horse for one trait at the expense of their health doesn’t mean that you should.
Yes, you're absolutely right! But when the temptation of millions of dollars from a winning race horse is on the line, some people may resort to unscrupulous practices. 😰
Thanks for that! You're so right, in the animal products business, animals after their life of service or outright butchery, remains are across the board converted into a food source for something, that includes hotdogs, sausages as well of course. Glue too.
Fortunately, horse slaughter is illegal in the US. That doesn’t mean that horses aren’t transported to Canada and Mexico or even Japan for slaughter; they are. It’s appallingly inhumane. There are several reputable programs for retraining and rehoming racehorses after their careers, and it’s the cheapest way to buy a quality horse for many uses. The problem, as Mary points out above, is that many racehorses have injuries and mental issues after their (short) lives on the track.
"It’s appallingly inhumane."
And yet, herding cattle into slaughterhouses by the millions is somehow "less inhumane?"
NOPE it is not! I watched videos of horse slaughter - then saw some of using a loader to pick up downed cows to get them slaughtered. Dont eat beef anymore -
Horse slaughter is so inhumane - they are a prey animal - the thought of a wild horse being "processed/harvested" - that is the description that used to be used and the absolute terror felt from that? Most plants in Canada are shutting down - fewer horses sent there, but Mexico? Still far too many shipped there. Auctions and killbuyers all over the country still going at it. Not as many but to the horses that end up there that doesnt matter.
Sorry to be a downer.
I did not say that. Please don’t put words into my mouth.
Once I spoke to a vet who was discusted with the way Mennonite/Amish treated their horses and animals. They are big time puppy mill operators as well. I always loved that show Amish Mafia that exposed the cult, who also are big time Trumpers!!!! In one scene a car left a buggy in not the most runnable condition.
I have a plan to flip the Amish, but I have a tough time speaking with someone with authority at the Biden campaign. Need diplomacy. Once upon a time I represented the township with the most Amish per square inch. My brother continued to represent them until he retired, and also represented other townships with Amish populations. They will not participate in government but vote 100% Republican. 200,000 votes nationally. By default, we represented them., E.G. when the IRS sold off their horses for tax liens, out bar association filed an amicus brief at SCOTUS. The guy who signed it is still available, was a judge in Pittsburgh. When I took the bar, I took a bus when I was the only non Amish person. I speak a little Laudeutsch. We had horses, a stables in that Township although we didn't live there. My brother says that they would attend meetings, etc. I wrote the zoning ordinance that kept the township in the "19th Century," was appointed in "blue baby" cases, other intracrine disputes. It may not work...but never up -- never in.
A remarkable story, Daniel, your life with the Amish folks. But if you would, provide me clarity on your last line. I don't understand
Not fool proof... need the stars to be in line.
Years ago, I saw a CBS News Evening News report where these Amish guys tore down the bathroom door and gang raped their sister. They were charged and the entire population all showed up in the church.praying...singing..... to beg forgiveness, drop the charges.........praise the Lord.....bla bla bla.......
I was born into a family with a 75 lb airedale. As a two and three year old, I'd straddle her, rocking back and forth as if I was riding her, and she never minded. Mab rode across the country with us three times, as well as once from Seattle to LA and back. She was a wonderful dog, and most dogs, if well treated, are wonderful.
The dog-human bond is a wonderful bond, and I'm guessing it's similar for people who love horses, cats, elephants, parrots, and any others. There's something marvelous about cross species bonds. These days, as a senior citizen, I run most days with my border collie.
Growing up I always watched the Kentucky Derby with my Gobby.🍀 We’d pick “winners” by their names; Irish, colors (purple) anything cute. I too soured on horse racing when I attended the races at our county fair years ago and a horse stumbled & fell. They brought out the screen, euthanized the horse right there on the track, put it in the horse trailer and drove away.
I used to love watching the excitement, the hats, the mint juleps etc. of the Kentucky Derby but the reality of the animal cruelty is something I cannot stomach.
Daniel, my great grandfather, who was Kentucky born (in Georgetown, lived in Stamping Ground) was supposedly a horse thief and most certainly a murderer....bar fight I think. He fled to Indiana and on his marriage certificate he had a different name than his birth name. I told this story to a gal who worked in horses in Kentucky and she said good and had total contempt for race horse owners. Locally, we told the French owner of a restaurant that Americans did not eat horse meat and would be appalled. I had a great aunt and uncle who were infamous in the family and one of the stories about them was that they sold horse meat as beef during WII. I also grew up in Amish country, in northern Indiana. Saw plenty of buggies, but didn't know the horses might be sold for dog food.
I imagine in their way of life - horses serve a purpose - doubt there is any kind of retirement - if so, they wouldnt be earning their keep. So on to auctions. New Holland PA is one of them - has kind of a notorious reputation among horse people.
@ Maggie You will be happy to know that there is a horse retirement village near me in New Jersey on route 202, near Ramapo College. There must be a waiting list to get in. bergencountyhorserescue.org
Yes, there are many "retirement" places and rescues that do such great work. I donate to several occasionally & one inparticular all the time.
That was my thought as well.
Hahaha! I had a horse in high school (‘73-‘76) and went to take care of him every morning before school. Always smelled of fresh manure. My classmates always knew when I had my feet resting on the book basket under their desk.
The Amish left manure wherever they went. It doesn't feel (or smell) like home without shit in the street.
BOO! Just had to mention Trump.
lol , i wonder where cats fit into this menagerie?
And Joyce Vance's chickens!
My daughter-in-law (and my grandkids) raise chickens; I think they have about a dozen now, in the big coop my son built. Like Joyce's, all named, and each with a different personality. And their eggs are delicious.
lol for sure! My younger kid once raised a small brood of laying hens for eggs on the breakfast table!
I love my cat. He acts like a dog, is loving and faithful.
Cats are the best but they are also the ones with the least amount of patience for stupid humans LOL. I have had many!!
So true! My cats get smarter and smarter. The one I have now - man, I KNOW she thinks I'm really dumb!! But she seems to love me just the same.
Frank, our Bookclub is reading Starter Villain—complete with cats who type as part of their spy duties.
John Scalzi is one of my favorite authors and would be right at home among LFAA fans. Enjoy the book, Mary!
Sherrer, I especially liked hearing the dolphins in the audiobook! Definitely not for the faint of heart—but very creative “word” combinations
Might take a look for that. As a younger me remember a b&w movie in which a cat out plots a bunch of thieves in her home. Movie was mostly shot from kitty's perspective, much as that's possible!
Frank, I hope that you enjoy it. It was fun.
Ambivalent?
Miss Anne, LOL. We always know when we are in trouble once we get home. And it doesn't need to be other dogs or cats....it could be a restaurant or the dentist or anywhere. We almost always explain where we have been.
Indeed we are. They are a blessing and a joy to behold.
And these creatures don't always feel the same toward us humans.
Thank you, Heather.
“The trees swayed.”
"The leaves rustle" was a teaching from the late Maildoma Some', a wisdom keeper and Elder of the Dagara Tribe in Burkina Faso. The leaves were in agreement with one's comment at that instance. Malidoma earned a PhD from both the Sorbonne and Brandeis, as well as three masters degrees. He brought his reality of the spirit world to our western minds, to try to open a path of a more peaceful and integrated view of our heart-mind, nature and the ancestors, and to deeply question our addictions to the material world, as a threat to lives everywhere. The name 'Malidoma' means "befriender of the stranger"
What a treat, Heather!! When I saw the long letter pop up, I was hoping you might take the night off. It turns out you are. You need it and so do we. Thank you. We'll be here waiting for you anon.
My Mom grew up in Canoga Park, California during the 40s and 50s and knew one of Roy Roger's daughters. She used to tell me that she would go over to her house sometimes and there was Trigger the horse stuffed and standing in the parlor or living room, which I think must have freaked her out.
It's one of those stories I wish I could have had her tell me again or give me some more details but I only have the memory of it now as she died rather unexpectedly towards the end of April. It's still so strange and unreal that she's gone on, wasn't sure how I would even put it in a comment. But then Trigger the horse was mentioned and I could almost picture her as little girl growing up on a farm just on the outskirts of Los Angeles in the 1950s.
I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s a great story.
Thank you so much KR. She was such a great lady too!
Linda Force. I was born and raised in San Francisco, Back in the 1950s downtown was thriving with many department stores. The EMPORIUM was my mother’s favorite. I remember being 12 years old and the Emporium was having a Cinco de Mayo fiesta on its huge upstairs patio. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My two radio heroes were there on their horses. The Lone Ranger on Silver and Tonto on Scout. They let me pet these two beautiful horses and I got to chat with both of them! A day I cherish!
horhai, it sounds as though Heather's story has given you a chance to call forth one of your sweet memories of your mom. I bet you are right that seeing Trigger in the living room must have freaked her out! Sudden loss carries a very special kind of pain. May you find comfort during this tender time.
Thank you so much for your comment. Your words are quite comforting and helpful right now.
Thank you for letting me know. That is a gift that comes at a perfect time.
I was looking for the interview in which Dale Evans said she was afraid Roy would have her stuffed, too. I haven't found it but did run into a story about how her horse, "Buttermilk" was saved by a day from the slaughter house. See https://reelcowboy.org/2014/07/11/buttermilk-saved-from-the-slaughter-house/
Not surprisingly as a vegan I take issue with the 'sport' of horse racing. Then there is the matter of the vice of gambling which invariably harms the poor. Please educate yourselves about the realities of horse racing. Documentaries: "Dark Horse" (2015), "Luck" (2011) Organizations: The Pegasus Foundation https://pegasusfoundation.org/ The Humane Society of the United States https://www.humanesociety.org/
Michael Corthell,
We humans can destroy anything if money is involved. It is shameful when we hurt animals...or one another for personal financial gain.
Emily, I’m glad to see that there were investigations into all the deaths before the Kentucky Derby last year. No drugs were found, but intensive exercise was implicated.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/business/horse-racing-deaths-kentucky-derby.html#:~:text=HISA%20investigated%20the%20deaths%20at,injuries%20involved%20a%20fetlock%20joint.
You have a point. In a trip to England years ago, we went to Sandringham Estate and heard a tale of a horse burned alive. Speculation was that the horse was no longer valuable and owners wanted insurance money. Sort of haunts me.
Jeri, It deserves to haunt us. Far too often, the race for money (and fame—Kristi Noem) appears to justify cruelty towards animals and those people who are judged to be “less than”.
You said it. Doesn’t seem to haunt some who have never looked into eyes, except in the mirror…
Mary, it seems that the watch me acting tough gunslinger prairie Barbie, the Gnome, has actually scuttled her VP hopes with that tale. Just proving that she isn't one those wussy snowflake libtards who might be afraid to push the nuclear button or assassinate a rival.....just take them to the local gravel pit. One of my husband's cousins in South Dakota has made several Tik Tok posts about this.
Michele, my ancestors shot treasured animals to put them out of their misery because they didn’t have veterinary euthanasia, not to exult in the act of taking a life.
The ones that I knew years ago that resorted to such mercy killings bawled like babies for hours, sometimes before, during and after.
Jim. Very true, especially if it was an old animal.
But Mary - that was euthanasia - doing it for the animal. This "politician" obviously had NO clue this was something not to be admired!!!! A 14 month old puppy?
Dogs - especially puppies will chase anything that runs! How hard is it to understand that?
I had a terrier mix who used to dig out of his dog pen - I tried everything - digging down under the fence & putting rocks in & covering them up - etc. My German Shepherd was in the pen with him & was fine with it. But Scootie got out & killed a whole flock of banties (small chickens). Quite honestly I think he wanted to play. Yes I sure felt bad about my birds, but at that point what can you do? NOT shoot him!
Maggie, the point that I wanted to make was that the farmers/ranchers that I knew back then didn’t have a vet or couldn’t afford to have a vet come out to euthanize an animal—definitely not the case for Kristi Noem. The fact that she implied that their necessity is equal to her unnecessary cruelty is another nail in her coffin as far as I am concerned.
Many a horse in this country met that fate. Insurance fraud. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_jumping_horse_killings#:~:text=The%20show%20jumping%20horse%20killings,to%20collect%20the%20insurance%20money.
Daniel, that’s an appalling story. I am an avid competitor in dressage, not show jumping, but still at a fairly high level where you find many very expensive horses. I feel compelled to say that every single horseman/woman of my acquaintance sacrifices much to be able to afford these horses we love. We drive old cars. We don’t buy clothes for ourselves (except riding clothes!). We pinch our pennies to provide the best lives possible for our equine partners. They get supplements, veterinary care, massages, chiropractic appointments, etc etc. We retire them to green pastures when they don’t want to work anymore, or can’t because of illness or injury. They’re athletes, and sometimes injuries do happen, even to human athletes. And we do it with joy, never resenting the vacations we never took because our horses came first. I don’t know anyone for whom this isn’t true, and I’m glad of that. And I know a lot of horse people. There are bad people in all walks of life, unfortunately.
KR - just like all (most) of the horse people I knew over the years. Having a horse - no matter what the discipline is - is an expensive, I guess some would call it a hobby - but honestly - its a way of life. I did without some things I guess, for 16 years. BEST - absolutely BEST time of my life. Miss my boy every day & its been 20 plus years since I had to put him down - hes buried at the barn where I boarded him. Planted a pear tree over his grave - he loved pears - would stick his tongue & blow bubbles while he was eating them!!!
Maggie, what a sweet memory. I’ve never tried feeding my guys pears, but I will, and will think of your friend when I do. Mine love apples, carrots, bananas, oatmeal cream pies, peppermints, molasses cookies and on and on. They are not deprived!
You’re right, it’s more than a hobby. It’s all consuming - and they always come first. But mine aren’t pets. They’re working partners. I love the cross-species communication we have. They talk, and I listen. And they listen to me, too. It’s beautiful.
Yeah - Chico did most of those - but pears? I only wish I got a picture of him with his tongue out & bubbles forming - eyes likely half shut. Can you see it??
I now live vicariously thru my granddaughter (who I corrupted horse-wise starting about 5 years old) - shes been a groom, rider, now barn manager - in a place where she will be doing more riding again which is good.
If you are interested - check out Anna Blake - dressage trainer/teacher - she has a really great blog.
One of our illustrators back in California had a side career of rescuing race horses and training them for dressage
Wish there were more humans among our humanity
Ouch....
Beyond sad, greed seeps into every aspect of our lives
Of all the species it’s man who uses all the rest as toys to amuse or abuse.
Thanks Michael, interesting how often over the years, gambling/racing abuses have made their way into cameo parts in movies of one sort or another. I'm not into gambling but never found myself into the Vegan way ... HG Wells had the Martians seem even more detestable by having humans a main item on the invaders' food menu.
I am not a vegan but each of these stories is about animal abuse draped in lore.
Had a sled dog in Fairbanks named Traveler. Long legged team dog that also ran in the “swing” position behind leaders. He ran the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, YT a number of times. He ate like a horse and never gained a pound. The dog was honest.
Glad he didn’t run into Kristi Noam
Best remark of the morning award.
And then Kristi went on Fox and slandered a dog that she had described as so happy
It’s like someone who buys a border collie and expects them to herd cattle instead of “running them” without training.
Ignorant People use and abuse, and refuse to look at fellow creatures for what they are, especially the helpless
Ignorant people abuse dogs because there unwilling to put in the time it takes to train them humanely. Netflix has a series called Muster Dogs that shows the effort needed to train a cattle herding dog.
Ran if off heh!
Might want to think about adding Zenyatta to this list. She is an amazing mare who won 19 of the 20 races she ran in the late 2000s. In the final race of her career, she was a close second in the breeders cup classic in 2010. Watching her race was a heart pounding experience. She was a big filly who wasn’t raced ias a two-year-old meaning, meaning she was not eligible to run the Triple Crown at the start of her racing career. She always started slowly, and stayed in the back of the field until about the last quarter of a mile. Then it was like booster turned on and she simply flew past the front runners like they were standing still — in every one of her spectacular wins. She’s been called the QUEEN OF RACING, a title she richly deserved.
Zee, thank you for this information on the Queen of Racing.
Traveller's grave was revered almost as much as General Lee's when I went to W.&L. More fun for me, one of my fave episodes of any show: Mr Ed and the Los Angeles Dodgers. If one is not interested in the whole episode, the first two minutes is a guaranteed kick! 🙂
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x53zl3y 🐴
I joined a Gilbert & Sullivan troupe (back-stage hack) in N.Y.C. years ago. In the directory, I decided to be a man of the people and submit my nick-name and not 'Edward'. Imagine my surpise when I looked me up in the directory, only to find: "McDonnell, Mr Ned." Needless to say that, at that year's dance, I nickered the night away! 🥳
After the "first two minutes" I had to keep watching. Are you kidding? Sandy Koufax, the Moose and Leo? I can still remember when Leo coached my Cubs. They thought he would be the man to bring them to the World Series. They forgot to sign up Mr. Ed! Thanks for sharing this on a rainy morning in Louisville.
Hope all goes well in slugger-ville, a/k/a Lew-uh-vull. 😉
In my early thirties, I studied for a professional designation on week-end nights. Nick-at-Nite had 1950s and 1960s comedy re-runs. That made the nerding out almost tolerable. Getting a crush on Patty Duke all over again; giggling along with 'Laugh In'; and, laughing at 'Car-54'. Imagine how my jaw dropped when I saw this scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nQkvSbAvxI
Dan Rowan (or a writer) was far too prescient.
Traveller’s grave was one of the things I liked at W&L. I went to Hollins. Too much of a hippie for W&L lol.
Hollins turned out some fine writers like Annie Dillard and Lee Smith.
I was fortunate to be there in the ‘70’s!
I was at Washington and Lee in the 1970s. I surprised many by selecting W.&.L. I did so since the school was the only one that actually gave a scheiße if I went there and since it had an honor code.
⚖️
Glad I went there, though I did not fit in; I needed to grow into honor. l later hit my stride in the 'freak' fraternity, that was, I thought, an 'island for mis-fit boys'. et l found that it had many great human beings.
🥳
W.&L. produced Tom Wolfe (who struck me as superficial, at least in 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test'). Had fun at Hollins, though I leaned toward Sweet Briar owing to my sister being there.
I graduated in ‘80, and lived for the last two years in “the house of misfit toys” with my Irish setter. My parents thought Hollins a good choice as I started at 16. Wonderful staff! Had the opportunity to transfer but was happy there!
Quelle coincidence! I graduated in 1980, as well. I did not start until I was nineteen, so we cancel each other out. During my freshman year, I would go out occasionally with Virginia Donelson; not serious. Lovely human being, though I was definitely playing second-fiddle to her eventual husband, himself a really fine guy.
My brother-in-law's brother-in-law's name is Upton Funk. As more people know, in the Army when they do roll-call you say your last name and then the first initial. He said the snickers never stopped.
Kind of like in the Trump case when the judge read -- Don Schitzinpants yesterday in court.
Funny!
Did you know they made Mr Ed talk by shocking him w electricity?
Sad. Man's cruelty to . . . well . . . umm . . . not only man.
Heather leaves us with one bit that oddly reassures, in her #7, on Mr. Ed.
She refers there to ". . . the comforting traditional community depicted in the show."
I'm for that. But then, I grew up on fiction, beginning with the Landmark series on real-life American heroes, showing them as youngsters, not yet the heroes they'd become." One after another -- a half dozen, or was it a dozen at a time, I checked these volumes out of the Dearborn Public Library, one of the Carnegie bequests, a beautiful old colonial-style edifice on West Michigan Avenue, mid-1950s.
Prosperous times, then. Post-war. Unions strong. Did I swim too much in fiction, so it charms me yet how more today, around the world, might actually have "comforting traditional community"?
🎶🐴A horse is a horse of course of course and no one can talk to a horse of course that is of course unless the house is the famous Mr. Ed🎶.
Sorry. I couldn't help myself 😆
I will be singing that in my head all day!
To this day, I still remember all the words to Mr. Ed's theme song.
Now I have an ear worm! LOL
😝😊
Same. Ear worm for the day at least...
My parents took me to the LA county fair when I was about 5 and told me I’d get to see Mr. Ed if I was a good girl. They eventually found a palomino and told me it was the TV star. I started asking him questions but he didn’t reply. My mom said he only spoke when he wanted to. I was devastated! Never watched the show again, my own little boycott.
I might not remember if I brushed my teeth this morning but I do remember that song and watching it on tv. Also Marcus Welby. Now a days, even the cartoons are violent.
I’ve just been wondering how long I’m going to have the theme song stuck in my head today!
So glad to know I'm not the only one singing that now 🎙🐴
Damn you Justin. It's already on repeat in my head.😎
My uncle Ray Parker was a teacher at Fordson High in Dearborn, MI - also wrestling coach. He was on city council and once ran unsuccessfully for Mayor against mayor Hubbard - a man to fear if you weren’t white. Interesting how Dearborn has transformed since those days in the 1950s.
Dearborn, home of Ford Motor Company, and on a sober note, this recent AP posting.... AP) — Dearborn, Michigan, is ramping up its police presence in response to fallout from an opinion piece that described the city, which has the nation's highest Muslim population per capita, as “America's jihad capital.”Feb 5, 2024
Sad. 😢
Since 9/11 in particular a huge anti-muslim trope has been the name of the game in "right-wing" America.
There always has to be an “enemy” of the day or month or year to blame for our shortcomings. The media and the politicians decide - it could be women, Muslims, Catholics, black or brown people, democrats or republicans. Name the blame.
David Dayen has a great piece in the American Prospect about how the high cost of student loans can be tied in part to the Repubican notion that colleges were breeding grounds for protestors and not serious students.
My spouse is a Dearborn native. I recall Hubbard - we were dating when he was mayor. Read the piece on him in the Detroit Historical Society's "Encyclopedia of Detroit" https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/hubbard-orville . Only one of her brothers still lives there: evidently, the stories she hears about today's Dearborn are not happy ones.
Thanks for the link - I forwarded to my family members…❤️
Orville Hubbard. I remember the many jokes about that racist then.
Immediately adjacent to Detroit, Dearborn had zero blacks during the 1950s.
But now, all of east Dearborn is Arabic, Muslim, Lebanese -- as Frank Loomer also notes, below.
Charming piece. Here's a photo / background about Jim Key and his trainer - Dr. William Key, a former slave, a self-trained veterinarian, and a patent medicine salesman. https://forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/beautiful-jim-key-performing-horse
Thanks for the link ❣️
Perhaps Lexington belongs on the list as the greatest thoroughbred that ever lived. Geraldine Brooks would make that case I think after researching and writing Horse, a fictionalized account of his life. Fans of HCR would especially appreciate the description of thoughbred racing before the Civil War and the life of some black horse trainers.
I’d vote for Lexington to be on the list too. Here’s a reference from National Geographic about him.
“Lexington sired a powerful lineage filled with champions today,” says Kim Wickens, author of a forthcoming book on the legendary racehorse. “He was the most dominant horse of his day and passed those genes down to a phenomenal line of winners, including War Admiral, Citation, Secretariat, Affirmed, and Justify.”May 5, 2023
The life of Lexington, America's greatest racehorse
https://www.nationalgeographic.com › ...
The story of Lexington is really a fantastic one...not only details of the horse/human bonding while he was alive before the Civil War but what has transpired since then.
Wonderful book. Seldom does a book bring me to tears, but this one did.
Thank you Professor!
It was indeed quite a week, I managed to get a Civic Works Board Status written and distributed and finished a commitment to my subscribers (some of whom are your subscribers!) on a review of Heritage Foundation's sinister Project 2025 (and I hope you don't mind if I shamelessly plug it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/bomdia/p/project-2025-the-heritage-foundation)
While not as well-detailed as any of your LFAA's -I wrote it and seasoned it with copious amounts of snark -especially when captioning some of the photographs.
George Polisner,
Thank you for posting - the horrible but necessary to be informed "project 2025 - the heritage foundation" truly a really horrible nightmare of an article " to read.
It is literally 900+ pages of propaganda, lies, hypocrisy, and disinformation. Although I suppose we should expect no less.
Thank you for slogging through, George. One reason I read HCR so faithfully is that there is no illustration to trigger me, but I can see the value for some audiences of putting faces to these names that recur throughout this reactionary movement.
Indeed -HCR's LFAA's, The Guardian, and a news aggregator is how I begin most every day. For greater accessibility I do like to add images and snark. I embrace lessons learned from Dr. George Lakoff about framing and imagery to potentially reach more people -even if they disagree with my own perspectives (unless they are just parroting right-wing talking points).
I've given up arguing with parrots. :)
Will finish reading and share! Thanks.
Thank you Gail!
What an undertaking!
posted it to gmail for later reading, momentarily enthralled with an audio of Serhii Plokhy's The Gates of Europe, the dramatic breakup of the Soviet Union and Ukraine's outsized role in helping it happen. Take the last hour plus out on a walk around the neighbourhood I think.
Thank you for reminding us about project 2025 George!!👍!
Phar Lap has earned a place among these notable horses. The Australian champion won often and impressively down under, and had begun to win in North America, especially in a Mexican race that he won from a poor start, with a split hoof. He died in questionable circumstances in California, leading to suspicion that he had been poisoned by American underworld gambling figures.
Somebody didn’t take the Beautiful Jim Key pledge…
A fun read. Thank you! Mr. Ed is a happy childhood memory, and Secretariat was quite the source of pride when I was in college in Virginia.
An enjoyable read - thanks.
I find it to be a sad comment on our combative species that half of these beautiful animals were connected with war. Despite our wonderful qualities of being able to make music, to laugh uproariously and to Love so deeply, I struggle to understand our willingness to be so abidingly cruel to each other, to other critters, even to Our Only Home on which we are utterly dependent.
As my pal, Fred, says, "If you find yourself to be disillusioned, you shouldn't have allowed yourself to become illusioned in the first place." Forward, into the void…
(Sigh).
PS: "Helloooo Willllbur."
War and conflict are deeply embedded in human history indeed. As a kid when war topics came up, or efforts to strive for peaceful ways, the "there'll always be wars" truism came up repeatedly. I wonderful if it's still as prevalent. Donno. Id like to think a bit less so.
My generation had to confront the draft. Although I was in AF ROTC, I was drafted into the army after I flunked the ROTC physical. My dad and 7 of my uncles served in WWII. My dad was wounded, frozen, released from active duty early but was in the reserves. Was commander of an American Legion post. It was a given that we would have to go.....
And yet I wonder if ending the draft has not created a defense system filled with people with either delusions of power and those with no financial means of resistance. A family fight in our case almost erupted during the GWBush administration when my partner suggested that if going into Iraq was so important, maybe women like the president and vice president's daughters should be drafted.
Thank you
Heather,
Thank you! I love horses....and mules (memories from my childhood).
It is amazing to me how an animal responds to its owner/trainer....caregiver. In horse racing to see such a beautiful, spirited powerful creature give itself over to its rider...always amazes me.
Creatures in general give us joy and contribute so much to the well being of our earth. We need to care for our environment to protect them.