Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

Nylon living with the heifers. I swear he is sticking his tongue out at me. Taken 2/19/2008.

FROM THE PHOTO ARCHIVES
New not previously published



This is Nylon from about a year ago. His age is really starting to show nowadays. I am really having to pour the grain to him to try and keep him in shape this winter and his arthritis is really bothering him. It's hell to get old. Taken 12/27/2006.

I received the following press release and reprint it here in its entirety.

UNITED STATES CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 339 - San Lucas, CA 93954

Email: usca@uscattlemen.org

Web Site: www.uscattlemen.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jess Peterson

December 6, 2007

USCA Supports Safe Horse Transportation; Opposes Senate Bill 311

USCA (December 6, 2007) - The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is urging cattle producers and all those involved in animal agriculture to speak out against U.S. Senate Bill 311.

Senator Mary Landrieu (D- LA) has succeeded in scheduling Senate Bill 311 for a floor vote, although a specific date has not been set for debate. Senator Landrieu’s bill has 37 co-sponsors.

Senate Bill 311 reads "To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes."

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) recently issued an alert stating, "This bill may have far-reaching effects on our members and their ability to buy and sell horses. Members may sell horses unaware of the buyer's intent with the animal and to where it may be transported, possibly resulting in legal ramifications for the seller. This legislation is vague and ambiguous and its passage could have far-reaching consequences."

"The language in this bill is problematic for any horse owner and USCA believes it could set a precedent for the rest of animal agriculture," said Chuck Kiker, USCA Director Region V, Chair of USCA’s Animal Welfare Committee. "USCA encourages producers to get involved by educating their senators regarding the consequences of this legislation. People involved in animal agriculture need to remind their senators of the people involved in horse production and how a bill like this would affect them."

Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington, DC to enhance and expand the cattle industry’s voice on Capitol Hill. For more information visit www.uscattlemen.org

I would have to say I agree with the USCA position here and urge people to contact their Senators to oppose this. I have.

I bought a couple of new horses the other day at a sale. The Hired hand is working with one he calls Tiny and I am working with this one which the hired hand named Okie. They are both green broke 3 year olds and need some work yet but I really like them. I've rode this one a few times now and he seems real smart and willing to learn and has no bad habits that I have found yet. He's a real treat. Taken 11/7/2007.

Paint coming up and seeing what I am up to. Taken 10/02/2007.


Why is it the critters you really are fond of are such a pain in the ass? When it comes to horses the ones that are characters are the ones that I seem to enjoy. I've got calm and gentle ones and they never stick in my mind, just the pain's in the ass. I remember when Paint come on the scene many moons ago. Talk about a high strung horse. He was wound tight but I figured I could make a go of it with him. There was times I wondered though.

He was so wound up I had a hell of a time getting him to watch a cow. Because of this I made him my big circle horse. He didn't have to watch a cow that much, just travel and he did that well. One of his interesting traits is the way he tries to bite and kick me when I saddle him. This started a couple of years after we had him. I right away discovered that he wasn't real serious about it. He was playing with me and wanted me to play back. Once I learned this we really started getting along well.

I've been the only guy who has rode Paint since he has been on the place. One time I asked a hired hand if he could catch and saddle Paint while I did a couple of things so we could get going quicker. Well, it wasn't any quicker. He did manage to get Paint caught finally and then when he tried to saddle him, Paint would have nothing of it. Paint really fought him so the guy backed off. I got there and threw the saddle right on and away we went. I kind of discovered then that not only was Paint my horse, I think I was his human.

Why do I talk about Paint? I had to retire him from use this fall. He was getting slow and losing a step but he still really enjoyed riding and working cattle but he had a funny raised spot on his back that I couldn't identify so I asked the vet earlier while he was out here about it. It turned out that the spot on his back was nothing but the vet spotted a growth on his hip that had been there for a couple of years. He said it was a pre-cancerous condition some horses get and most of the time it's benign but can flair up elsewhere. So we looked him over and sure enough there was another large growth on his hock. That growth got really large and bust open and has healed up a little now but is still large. It doesn't affect him but I see a couple of more spots of this cancer breaking out on him now.

So Paint is retired for now. This condition doesn't seem to be affecting him and he is in good spirits and running with the other horses fine so I will leave him there. i am assuming eventually I will have to put him down when it really starts bothering him. I am not looking forward to that. Putting a critter down, whether it's a horse, cow , dog or something else, is always very hard for me. I wrap up to much of myself in them and it is really an effort for me to do but sometimes you have no choice. At least Paint is doing well enough right now I can delay that decision.

Too often, people think that solving the world's problems is based on conquering the earth, rather than touching the earth, touching ground. Chogyam Trungpa