Monday, December 08, 2008

WHAT GOOD ARE AMERICA'S WILD HORSES?

Dear Readers,
I've been working on this blog since you sent me comments to address directly to BLM last month. Now I'm sharing it with you. Feel free to post it anyplace. Be aware it's about 500 words long & check to see if the place where you want to post it requires a shorter word count.
It belongs to all of us, so please make sure you include the signature at the end. Hugs, Terri


WHAT GOOD ARE AMERICA's WILD HORSES?

WHO: The federal Bureau of Land Management
WHAT: is considering killing thousands of wild horses
WHEN: about the time fiscal mismanagement comes home to roost
WHERE: across the Western United States
WHY: the Bureau was assigned to protect America’s wild horses in 1978

Thousands of children worldwide have asked me, in letters, emails and in person, to point something out to the government and other adults: killing is not protection.
As the author of "The Phantom Stallion" a series of books about wild horses, I've taken these young readers' requests to heart and tried to sum up their five best reasons that wild horses are good for kids.

1. We identify with mustangs-- We know how it feels to be innocent and free. Though we don't want to give up food, parents and a warm home to be free, we admire them for it.
Wild horses are part of our hearth language. Since humans first sat around campfires telling stories, they've told of wild horses' defiance in the face of capture. Do you want us to forget those stories?

2.Show us that MIGHT doesn't always make RIGHT -- BLM keeps saying it has the right to slaughter wild horses, but it hasn't felt like it yet. But now they might, because of money, and the horses don't deserve it, especially when the federal government, BLM's boss, is giving tons of money to the people who make our parents fight over money every single night.
It is so cool that Madeleine Pickens is rescuing thousands of horses by using her might for right.

3. Wild horses are good for keeping a "home on the range" -- Mustangs eat brush which could otherwise be fuel for wild fires. After eating those plants, wild horses spread the seeds in their poop. Anyone who sees or dreams about a herd of wild horses running free knows learns that not all land should be covered with houses, malls and highways.

4. Where mustang herds have to be smaller, use smart solutions --Don't let BLM bury its "mistakes." BLM knows contraception works on horses. There's a catch and release program for trout, so why not wild horses? Catch them, give them the contraception shot, and then turn them loose. Where the range is damaged by mining and sloppy recreational users, make them clean up their mess, just like we have to do.

5. Teach us that there's a good side to payback -- Horses carried us on explorations. They gave us wings, taking us places we could never have gone on our own two feet. They pulled our plows to help us eat. They fought our wars, running into swords and gunfire just because we asked them to, and we even used their bodies as barricades against our enemies.
When you ask us to be loyal to our families and friends, then tell us not to get emotional when they’re killing horses, remember that.

Sincerely,
Terri Farley on behalf of her readers

BIO: Terri Farley is the author of the PHANTOM STALLION series by HarperCollins, which has sold over a million copies in 27 countries. Phantomstallion.com, TerriFarley.com, farleyterri@aol.com

Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:45 AM

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Comments: I'm against slaughtering the horses but then i had the thought. what else can they do with the horses???...... How do they take care of them all????..... Adoption rate are down and hay prices are up!
What else are they supposed to do i have to give more thought about this!
there should be some way to save them!
  COOL! Can I put it on my blog?
  Hi Butterscotch, of course you can put it on your blog!
Hi Anoymous -- take a closer look at what your fellow readers suggested, or, here's a review of the my three favorites. All three would sidestep the hay problem!
> BLM has known for 10+ years that contraception works, but they haven't used it, so let's try that.
>For a quicker soution, give the horses back the herd management areas where they've been zeroed out (all the horses have been removed)
>put the horses in sanctuaries (like Madeleine Pickens plans to do)and let tourists pay to see them -- on horseback, hiking, by tour van, etc.
Anonymous, what do you think?
Best to you,
Terri Farley
  personally, I think that the BLM should just let the horese go back to the wild herds. If their concerned about them going hungry, they should do a food drop ever now and then. ( the horses are to smart to just stand there and die waiting to be feed) Besides, if it get too crowded where the wild herds are, wouldn't some of the horses go to a different location?
  It was a sad day when it was decided that the animal that made it possible for us to explore, fight for and settle our country is no longer wanted and considered a nuisance.

I'd love it if you set up an RSS feed on your blog so I could follow your words easier. :)

Paige
  HI Paige,
I kinda live in another century and don't even know the difference! What is the difference with RSS?
Want to email me at farleyterri@aol.com and clue me in?
Thanks!!!
  I think I'll post it on my profile on Fanfiction!!!
Thanks so much Terri! The Horses thank you too
  Wow MRs.Terri. That blog entry was great. It made me go all emotional. I've checked out lots of solutions to the wild horse problems and I even found some ones with no negative strings attatched. I really hope more is done on the situation and a solution is found (and agreed on) fast. The horses's lives depend on it!

By the way. I was wondering.Can there be a Jakes's blog too on the phantomstallion website? That would be sooooooo cool. I bet that would get alot of fan attention!:)
  The BLM should really THINK before they ACT about our wonderful wild horses. Maybe, if they thought about it, they would find an even easier way to stop spending so much money on the wild ones: SET THEM FREE!!!!! By setting these horses free, the BLM would be saving money, and they wouldn't have to worry about getting wranglers or more hay, or shelter. They should really consider all these and think about how doing this is affecting the way people see the government. Destroying all our beautiful horses would only put a negative note on the governemt and BLM and what they are doing. And by they way, Terri or Mrs. Farley, whichever you prefer, will ANYONE be able to post this on their blog? I have a Blogger, Katie Katt, and I'd like to post it. Thanks!!!
  Jenny & Katie -- feel free to post it on your fanfic page and blog! Spread the word, just give us all credit :)
  Mrs. farley,
you are a wounderful person and im happy that someone is trying to do something about this. ill post a bulletin on my myspace directing my fellow horse loving friends to this site and i will also copy and paste the new update in my blog for ppl to read.
hope all goes well and i will be praying about this.
-Lika Malia Walakeli
(lisa marie walker)

p.s. if it money that they need let them know that you have ppl who will back you up with donations for the horses
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