Horse and Man

First, I wanted to print the Thank-you note for our October Bucket Fund donation to Honey Bandit from Palomino (HB’s human Mom).  Here you go:

“God bless you for what you do.  I just saw it (the HORSE AND MAN GROUP donation) about 2:00 a.m. This morning.  It is perfect timing because I have a guy coming to work on the “temporary nursery” in a few days.  Now I will be able to get the materials I need so HB stays healthy.  I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate it.  Not only the donations, but the fact that you did such an awesome tribute to him.

I have been contacted and told that CNN Justice will be using Honey Bandit’s story for a 3 part investigative series on BLM.  Praying that is true, because the little guy is changing the world for the wild horses.  Without help from people like you we couldn’t do this.

So thank you so much for being part of this.

Hugs”

AND NOW FOR A HAPPY OPPORTUNITY….

As you may know already, our November Drop in the Bucket Fund is for the Wild Mustangs and Burros.   I’ve found a Sanctuary where they rescue rounded-up wild Mustang herds/horses and put them back out on the plains!

DreamCatcher Sanctuary monitors them from afar but doesn’t interfere unless necessary.  You can read my earlier post about this incredible Sanctuary here.

We have an incredible opportunity to help the Sanctuary because they have a great opportunity happening right now.  DreamCatcher Sanctuary has been offered an additional 20,000 acres adjacent to where they presently reside.  We can help them obtain this land!  Our November Bucket Fund donation is going towards helping DreamCatcher Sanctuary lease the acreage so they can restore many more Mustangs to the wild.  Our goal is to collect $1000 so the HORSE AND MAN GROUP can be a ‘benefactor’ to this cause.

Wouldn’t it feel so good to give back to these poor horses who have lost so much as they wither in their concentration camp BLM holding pens?!  Wouldn’t it be great to watch a group of mustangs — who have lost all hope — be released again!  Wow.  Please click here if you’d like to be a part of this.

HERE IS THE HAPPY STORY.

So, I wanted to bring a happy story from the DreamCatcher Sanctuary.  Obviously, releasing Mustangs is a happy story every day… but sometimes the stories hold a special yummy factor.

Today, I wanted to bring you the story of Big Brown.  This story comes to me from Barbara Clarke, the Director of DreamCatcher Sanctuary, in her own words…

HERE IS ANOTHER HAPPY STORY!

I thought this one was amazing, too… A 27 year old mustang who looks like a kid!  Wow.  Happiness and freedom can do wonders for all of us, eh?!…  Again, this story told by Barbara Clarke.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

The November Bucket Fund will benefit The Wild Horses and Burros, via DreamCatcher Sanctuary.  We are helping them acquire an additional 20,000 acres to release more captured Mustangs/Burros back into the wild.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate to this incredible opportunity for our Mustangs,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

One Acre at a Time! Click here to help the Mustangs!

Check the donation thermometer here….

Someone said something funny to me today. Or, not really ‘funny’ but interesting in an amusing way.

You see, I’ve been working like crazy this week on a commercial that came up very rapidly on Monday and will shoot on Saturday.  Suffice it to say, I’ve been busy.  But, that’s not what I want to talk about.  I want to speak about assumptions and expectations…

ASSUMPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS

It’s assumptions and expectations that excite us and get us in trouble.

Here’s what got me on this roll…  I’m working with a Director I’ve yet to meet (she’s flying in from NY tonight).  But, the Producer from NY who is working with me said, “Oh, she’s a horse person!  You guys will loooooove each other!”

Now, this could be true and I really hope it is true – especially for the success of this spot.  But, “loooooooove each other” isn’t always what happens with horse people.  So, there sets up the assumptions and expectations.

Of course, assumptions and expectations run us awry in every venue, right?

Anyway, back on track here… She knows that I have horses and I know she has at least one horse.  So, we have hopeful anticipation for each other.  Or at least I do for her…

LISTEN TO ME, NO – LISTEN TO ME!

Horse people love to talk about their horses and hate to listen to others talk about theirs…  Do you find this to be true?  I do.   You know how it goes.  You listen to someone talk about their horses and you automatically throw in your stories or one-up them with your stories.  It is kinda common.  Oh yeah, well MY HORSE does blah blah.

I don’t want you to take that the wrong way.  We are interested in others horses, just not as much as our own…

WE BOTH HAVE HORSES BUT WE ARE NOT AT ALL ALIKE

Or, you fall into the trap of thinking you have a common thread with someone and once they speak one sentence about their horses or their way of riding – you know.

BUT WE ARE PASSIONATE

So, then you start arguing because horse people are very passionate.  I swear, bring up shoeing or saddles and you might as well bring up sex, religion and politics, too.  Oy.  The only common value some of us horse people have is our passion about what we believe…

ENGLISH vs WESTERN

Y’know, as silly as this sounds, it is a true divide.  Luckily, there are some of us that ride the hybrid style so we can cross pollinate.  But this English Western thing is immense.  It infiltrates into how you dress, eat, think, drink and present yourself.  It is much more than just the way you ride.

BOARD OR HOUSE?

This is also a divider but of a lesser sort.  The people that house their own horses are lucky because they can have a very intimate relationship with their horses daily.  And, there is an innate knowledge that comes with being around horses all the time.

But, there is a wonderful freedom with boarding.

In any event, this is a divider.  Many that house horses have so many “stories” to exchange that the boarders would not understand.  And, many of the boarders have a social network that escapes the ranchers.

EAST vs WEST

I know this isn’t supposed to matter, it does.  There is a big difference to horse life in the East than in the West.  I know I felt it just attending the WHIA Conference in Kentucky.  I definitely felt CALIFORNIAN instead of not Californian.  We have different grasses and different landscapes and weather… it all changes the experience.  And, hunter horses, jumpers, eventers… seem to be more prevalent in the East than the trail riders of the West.  Now, I know that is a generalization… but if you go to the East and you are from the West, you will feel it.  I can only guess that the East coast rider might feel a bit cowboyee in the West.  Dunno.

NY vs CA

And, the ultimate.  I think you know exactly what the differences are between a NY rider and a CA rider.  Now, this is a TOTAL generalization, but you know the vibe here.

And, this is exactly the start of the assumption and expectation for tomorrow.

I’m meeting a Director who rides from NY.  I’m a Producer who rides from CA.

I am totally intrigued to see how this goes!  What does she ride?  How does she ride?  What are her events?  What kind of horse does she have?…

Will we have one thing in common or many?

Well, I’m going to add  ‘anticipation’ to my assumptions and expectations for tomorrow.

I’m excited to meet her and I’ll let you know!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
The October Bucket Fund will benefit Honey Bandit, the most neglected BLM mustang baby who is struggling to survive.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate to this incredible foal,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

We are almost to our goal!! Click here!!

Well, I am really having a difficult time writing this…  You see, I always like to start Monday off with good news and give you all a positive kick start to the week.  But, I have a slightly heavy heart..

THE SACRAMENTO WILD HORSE AND BURRO RALLY

Yes, the weather was horrible.

Yes, the Capitol building in Sacramento is not easy to navigate or park.

Yes, it is inconvenient to get yourself together, bundle up and give up your Saturday to rally for a good cause.

I get it.  And, I understand.

But, I have to say that I had such a  heavy heart when I showed up and there were only a few folks huddled together to attend the Wild Horse and Burro rally on Saturday in Sacramento, CA.

Passionate speakers but not too many listeners, sadly...

Don’t get me wrong, the speakers were all there – poised and ready.  The posters were there and all the literature was there.  The PA system was working well and there were no organizational snafoos.  There were even huge boards of kid-made drawings from an elementary school that has vowed to fund raise for Honey Bandit…  But, there just weren’t very many attendees –  which made me very sad.

The booths were set up and organized...

The information that was presented was good.  The educated speakers were not over emotional which was great since this is a very emotional subject.  There were many facts and figures presented. (I couldn’t find a roster of the speakers or I would list it here.)  I know there was someone who takes photographs as the round-ups.  I know there was someone who had heart-wrenching stories as an observer at the gathers.  We heard from an endurance rider who uses Spanish Mustangs and wins!  We heard from agriculture experts who spoke on the sterilizations methods that the BLM is using.  I cannot remember all of the speakers (probably because I was a bit wet and somewhat cold at the time), but I remember feeling that these speakers were doing a good job of keeping the content honest and easy to absorb.  And, it was sad that there weren’t many crowd members to educate.

These sweet kids had made their own signs...

HONEY BANDIT

Honey Bandit before, in a coma, barely alive...

On a more positive note, Honey Bandit was supposed to attend the rally but for good reason, he stayed in his warm stall at home.  The rain was horrible on Saturday and poor HB would have been stuck out on the main road because there are no internal parking lots at the Capitol.  Since animals are not allowed, his trailer would have had to stay on the busy street which would have been slightly dangerous for those peering in and meeting him.  And, Palomino would have had to stay at the trailer with him instead of manning her booth and spreading the word.  So, instead of meeting HB and taking pictures, I bought a T-Shirt and a CD of his photos as a donation.

Honey Bandit now!

The good news is that Honey Bandit is doing much better!  His pneumonia is not gone but it is very much improved.  Palomino told me that he has gained over 100 lbs and is really doing fabulously — for him.  He is still unsteady at a run but at least he can run.  She said he falls every time he runs but considering he couldn’t even stand on his own before, he is doing quite well.  The doctors feel that HB had to learn to use his poor atrophied muscles over again.  So this lack of coordination is really only his relearning and not anything having to do with brain damage.

HB has gained over 100lbs and looks like a real colt!

Palomino also told me that HB is starting to kick and buck and act like a very spoiled little horse (she said that with a happy smile).  He can get up and down by himself whenever he wants!  As far as his hearing, it comes and goes but it is mostly ‘on’ recently.  So, the doctors feel it was trauma that caused his hearing to go.  My favorite part of his recovery is that HB looks like he is going to be tall and striking.  His color is gorgeous.  He will be quite the handsome ambassador for the Mustang!

What a handsome baby ambassador for the wild Mustangs!

MY ISSUES

I was emotionally crushed when I left the rally.  I just felt a bit hopeless, which is not good.   Rallies are supposed to raise hope.  But for me, I felt defeated.  I guess I felt that all of this horrible treatment of the Mustangs is not important to many — and that we don’t have much voice to help.  (Obviously I was not helping here and I needed an attitude adjustment…)

I talked to myself the whole way home, trying to feel better.  I told myself that I know there are many, many devoted people who work tirelessly to ease and rectify the plight of the Mustang.  And, I know that the rallies in other cities had better attendance.  And, even though it was difficult to witness, I was glad I went to show support.  It is true that I was sad to see such a small turnout for something that means so much to me, personally.  But, this was just one bump.   And, it certainly doesn’t help the Mustangs if I’m all mopey.  After all, they are the ones suffering…

WE CAN HELP

Then I realized that we can help and have been helping all month through our October BUCKET FUND!  We are helping the Mustangs, one little tiny colt at a time!   As Helen Keller said:

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

We do have the opportunity to do something.  And although it may not be much, it is my personal Mustang Rally today to top the Bucket Fund for Honey Bandit – our little Mustang colt Bucket Fund Baby for October (link here).  (Honey Bandit was rescued from a BLM holding pen, barely alive…)

I know many of you have donated (Thank you) and many of you have said prayers and showed concern (wonderful!).   However, if any of you missed the rally and wanted to go but couldn’t for whatever reason, and would still like to show support, please consider donating your coffee/snack/car seat change money to little Honey Bandit.  I know his caretakers would appreciate it.  And, for me, I would totally appreciate it because we ARE making a difference in one wild Mustang colt’s life.

We have one week left to fill the bucket for Honey Bandit!  Just drops in the bucket will eventually create an overflow…

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all for listening to me today.

If you receive this via email, please use this link to donate.