Buzz Words

   Only one of the five dogs pictured was ours to begin with.

I've had this post on my mind for quite some time now. Animal people are bombarded these days with a constant onslaught of animal rights minded "buzz" words. We all hear them, and most of us even fall into using them ourselves. The problem with the use of  these"buzz" words is that they are absolutely manipulative, and doing so actively contributes to ridiculous expectations people increasingly seem to expect from the owners of animals.They are a far cry from reality, and are in fact are so divorced from the truth in general that we all ought to be screaming foul about it from the rooftops. So why aren't we?

Let me share a few examples of what I mean. We will start off with the "buzz" word and slash it with the truthful word. Rescue/ Buy, Adopt/Own, Foster/Care for, Rehoming fee/Sell, Furever home/As long as its working out, Furbaby/ Companion pet, and the list goes on. 

Now I am going to use all "buzz" words to write an emotionally charged manipulative sentence and one you have likely heard come out of someones mouth. 

" I adopted my neighbors furbaby that I was fostering for a rehoming fee. I had to rescue him so he would have a furever home"

Now the same sentence minus the "buzz" words and told without intent to stir emotions and manipulate the person hearing it. 

"I bought a dog from my neighbors that I had been temporarily taking care of for them. They could no longer keep their dog. I really hope it works out for both of us."  

There is a phenomena at hand these days when it comes to animal issues that demonizes truthfulness while applauding exaggeration, anthropomorphism, and well...down right silliness. If that was the extent of it I suppose it would be of little consequence. However, all too often it goes far, far, beyond merely that. Today we have people treating other people horribly over the slightest perceived notion that an animal has not been treated the way the accuser has decided is up to their expectations. They even often take it online with willful intent to widely slander the person, to demonize them as sub human, and wag their ever judgemental cyber finger in the face of the accused. Not to mention bask in the glory from all that will applaud them for doing so. It really puts the "self" in self righteous. 

Now I would never tell anyone to zip their lip about a true case of animal abuse and neglect, but this is hardly what I am talking about here. As an example. I dare you to go to any pet swap facebook page and tell the above story minus the expected "buzz" words. Think Im kidding? Use the example I gave above and see what happens.The first sentence will be rewarded with many atta boys and pats on the back and what a good fur mommy you are, and the second one will be met with a lecture on adopt dont shop, what creeps your neighbors are, and a grand jury interrogation about what exactly you are going to do if it doesn't "work out" with the dog, as well as offers to take the dog out of your incredibly undeserving hands. Now mind you none of the many people doing this personally know any of the parties involved.  

People we REALLY need to get away from this. It has animal rights written all over it. It is pretty nauseating when you actually stop and think about it, and frankly we need to get back to a realistic view of the human/animal relationship. Love thy neighbor is what the book said. Not thy neighbor's dog.    

The balance between freedom and free for all.

One of my geldings a little on the tubby side

Severely emaciated carriage horse in third world country.

Emaciated carriage horse formerly working in downtown Atlanta Georgia

Amish carriage horse at a healthy weight and perfect fit condition.

Just exactly when did we lose sight of the difference between freedom and free for all? Since when did common sense become so uncommon? Why does every issue have to be hard right or hard left? Yet I believe in each of us that ability to follow ones gut reaction is still there. I share this four pictures of carriage horses as an example. 

While looking at horse #1 and you probably think he could use a little more exercise. Nothing more, nothing less. When you look at the picture of the next horse with its severely emaciated condition it makes the whole picture scream of exploitation. Everything from the size of the vehicle it is pulling in that poor of condition to the gaudy pink body dye. It makes you either mad, or sad, or both just looking at it. Some of us will stop there and reserve judgement because of the fact that it is in a third world country. The realization that the driver likely has missed as many meals as the horse has, and that desperate people live in desperation. 

However...The third horse's picture was taken in a major city in the USA. In our admittedly rich country. That for most of us lends a whole different feel to the situation. Nothing offends our sensibilities quite like the reality of a probably overweight owner making money off of an obviously skinny undernourished horse. While the humans circumstances may not make a difference to the hungry horse, the difference to anyone with a strong moral compass will find it far more offensive than the previous photo taken in a poor country.

Looking at the last horse in the series all we can feel is admiration. The horse is clearly well nourished. Fit without a sign of missing a meal, and frankly "the picture of health". It shows from his gleaming hair coat to his lively expression. I believe people feel good when they look at this photo. Our "gut" tells us all is good. Better than good, very good. 

Then explain this. Why is that we likely all agree on this yet those on one side of the the isle wants ZERO oversight, a 100% free for all, and everyone to be welcome to do as they please on the premise of "personal property". Not only that we should also defend the bad players in the name of solidarity. The opposite side would wish to demonize all four photo's as the same thing based on the fact that all four horses are in harness. To those from that camp that is akin to "slavery and bondage".Somehow to them WORK is a four letter word, and especially if an animal is doing it.(they have no choice you see)and convict all four as one and the same "evil" thing. Which they clearly are not.  

Why do we no longer seem to know that with a healthy dose of common sense sensible things are born? What happened to independent thought? What happened to looking at things on an individual basis? Why are some so willing to convict all on nothing more than the common association while others will defend the indefensible even when they themselves are examples of excellence? None of it makes any "horse sense" 

It's a crazy world we live in and it seems its getting crazier by the year. Common sense isn't so common anymore, and people can't even distinguish the difference between "animal rights" and "animal welfare".Too many people seem to have lost sight of the fact that there needs to be a balance between freedoms and free for alls.

None of this is rocket science and its time we started trusting our guts and work towards coming back to our senses, and making some sense.          

Animal control freaks and scummy pond water.

I think anyone looking at this picture of one of my horses would say this horse is the picture of health. Shes clearly well fed, her hair coat is shining and healthy indicating she is routinely wormed, and her feet are nicely trimmed. What else could we do for her?

Well it just so happens that this horse resides in a pasture where there is a small and scummy pond of nasty looking water. Algae, frog shit ( literally) and who knows what else. All horses graze around other animals droppings by the very nature of where they obtain their cuisine, and opossum feces harbor a devastating disease horses can pick up from it.

What I want to tell you here is that this awesome looking horse for reasons that only make sense to her walnut sized brain will walk right past a clean water trough to drink out of that nasty pond. All my horses will stand out in a blizzard to avoid being in a clean stall out of the weather. I guess it just doesn't make any sense to impose my human logic on my horses because frankly they aren't having it!

So tell me why I have watched episodes of Animal Cops where the animal control officers make much ado about a horse without shelter ( he probably wouldn't use if he has the choice not to), and green algae in buckets or water troughs when apparently algae is a delicacy as far as the horse is concerned. To the point might I add of confiscating a persons horse over it, and/or using it as evidence in court as to how poorly the horse is being cared for.

To me we have a real issue with too many animal "control freaks" way too often imposing the standards one would use for human children on animals. I promise if you give a child the choice between being inside or standing out in the cold the child will come inside and pick a clean glass of clear water over a ditch water outside the door topped with scum.

 Animals are not humans, nor do they want to be. Animals are often mentally tortured by people who constantly treat them like people. ( think Paris Hiltons dog) and become neurotic. The people who have more trouble with horses than anyone else are the people who try to train them based on human notions. In contrast the people who get along best with horses are the ones who have taught themselves to see things from the horses perspective. The best animal trainers are the ones who marry their techniques to the natural nature of the animal they are working with.

We need to get away from this anthropomorphic insanity and we need to demand that people in animal control and other positions of authority over pet owners adopt far more realistic guidelines on what is and is not animal abuse and neglect. This is a real growing problem here in the U.S. and its only going to get worse if animal owners don't fight back. After all I don't wash my butt with my tongue, and my dogs don't drive my car.

Why I refuse to be "politically correct"

I really love horses. Always have. I have owned my own since I was 10yrs old and have never been without one or many since and I'm now 55. I won't go into my many professional pursuits within the horse industry over the last 35+ years but lets just say they are many, and they have been vastly diverse. I have loved every minute.

Now let me shock you (probably a lot). I am and have always been in support of horse slaughter. You see I have enjoyed much of my life in the trenches of the horse industry and unlike the horse hobbyist, or suburban housewife that reads about horse slaughter and instantly "knows" it should be banned, and is unspeakably wrong,"I" have another perspective.

The fact is we breed too many horses, too many horses never get properly trained, too many horses contract incurable and chronic conditions making them useless to their owners, and too many horses become impossible to market to a new buyer for a whole host of reasons. This is where the "kill buyer" used to get his meat horses for human consumption overseas where PEOPLE eat horse meat.

Animal rights minded people might find it fairly easy to shame the average person unhappy with a pet dog or cat into keeping that size animal for the duration of its natural life.  A lot of people likely can be guilted into accepting the idea that they themselves should suffer personal unhappiness for the sake of a house pet they acquired for the 10-15 years of its life, but... a horse that lives twice that long on average, and costs a whole helluva lot more to maintain, "Houston we have a problem" Even the PTS (put to sleep) option is not always a viable one for a horse owner. In many states its illegal to bury, and cremation is very expensive. Even if you can bury old Dobbin under the old oak tree its the cost of a backhoe rental and either the vet or your gun if you know what your doing, The only thing inexpensive in that scenario is the bullet. We are talking a low end of $300 and a high end closer to $3,000.

All that aside, for me, this is the bottom line. Just look at the picture above. I took that a couple of years ago at a local low end auction. There were lots of pens full of horses that were starving. I had never in my 45 years with horses seen one that emaciated that was still on its feet with a heartbeat. Whats worse is that until the "do gooders" got horse slaughter banned in the U.S. I had very rarely saw a skinny horse at such a sale even though I frequented such sales three times a week for several years. See they used to be worth something in good flesh. Now with such a low bottom dollar they are not worth keeping healthy for what they will bring at the auction. You do not see this problem with cows because they do have a healthy slaughter value.

Not to mention the trailer ride for these horses is longer than it has ever been. Add to that, that they all must cross the border into a another nation. We have no say in the methods used, or have any U.S,D.A. oversight to ensure the humane handling of the animals in that pipeline. The truth is those nearly unmarketable horses have it far worse than they have ever had it in history. All because loud and clueless people decided the reality of what happens to low end horses was unpalatable to them. Unless you favor suffering over death, I beg to differ.

Yes...it is "politically correct" to loudly proclaim you are against the slaughter of American horses for human consumption if your a horse owner/lover. However...that "political correctness" has made far further misery on those horses while playing a significant role in devaluing all horses spare the very best of the best ones. None of those things are good for horses. So I stand firm in my refusal to be "politically correct" I care way too much about horses to do that to them.

Words of wisdom

There is an attention seeking mental illness that is well known to most people. Its called Munchausens. Here is a description:  a mental illness, in which a person repeatedly acts as if he or she has a physical, emotional or cognitive disorder when, in truth, he or she has caused the symptoms. People with factitious disorders act this way because of an inner need to be seen as ill or injured, not to achieve a concrete benefit, such as financial gain. They are even willing to undergo painful or risky tests and operations in order to get the sympathy and special attention given to people who are truly ill. Some will secretively injure themselves to cause signs like blood in the urine or cyanosis of a limb. Cyanosis is the condition occurring when the blood supply is cut off to a particular part of the body and the skin takes on a dusky blue color. Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self is associated with severe emotional difficulties.

Why I mention this is I see a very similar phenomena today surrounding pets and pet ownership. People seem to have this need to feel as if they "rescued" an animal and have an unhealthy craving for those "atta boys" and pats on the back for doing so, and I'm not the only one who has noticed. Recently a FB poster made the following comment: 

"Why are people so desperate for "hero" status that they are willing to claim "rescue" of animals that in truth were perfectly fine right where they were? Or a slightly imperfect version of "ok" but they seem to believe that every animal (except us humans) must have a "perfect" life. Of course they are also the ones that define what that "perfect" life should be." 

These self proclaimed saviours of all things fun and furry seem to suffer from some sort of need to  project a factitious disorder, malady, imagined cruelty and/or neglect happening to an animal they wish to "save" from certain doom. Sure sounds like a another unhealthy obsession for sympathy and special attention from others to me. 

The truth is I rarely see true animal abuse or neglect. I think our definition of what really is abuse and neglect has expanded beyond all reasonable expectations. Spare the absence of vet care when needed, adequate food and water (shelter is debatable with some species but thats another post) to claim neglect is at best questionable. Spare violent acts with the intent to do harm, but still claiming abuse is at least a leap. Put simply what is one mans pet Tom cat is another mans ball bearing mousetrap. The truth is that there is nothing wrong with that, and it's the cat is who probably cares the least. 

We will visit these issues often here, and I hope that its not too late to open peoples minds back up to putting people before animals and in doing so let each others ideas of pet ownership be an individual pallet. Lets get back to live and let live.   

I've never married a dog.

Recently we have decided to re-home 3 of our mini-Dachshunds. All sound reasonable reasons and the choice was made not because of our lack of attachment but in spite of it. We came to this decision with our dogs best interests at heart. I consider it a more noble deed than keeping the dogs forever if that is not whats best for them. Sometimes you really should make the hard decision and put aside your selfish attachments.

We have a number of issues with the dogs. Two that fight constantly and will only end with one them going somewhere else to live. Two females that attack our horses and will literally swing from the tail of a Clydesdale by their teeth. I dont think I have to tell you what will happen if one of those huge horses decided they have had enough of that, and those are just two of the biggest concerns here.

So..,my daughter put the word out on facebook that the dogs would be rehomed to good homes. Now mind you I paid quite a bit for the two females, gave a home to the two unwanted males, and we are giving them all away free of charge looking instead for who we think will offer the best life situation for them,

Nevertheless...Cody used the wrong "buzz word" and posted "we are getting rid of our small dogs" So you guessed it, some self righteous dog lover had to publicly make issue of it with a "how could you" kind of crack. This in spite of the fact that Cody explained that we were actually re-homing them in that original post and some of the reasons why. Regardless, the implication was that we were awful people for even considering it.

Well...never one to take an insult be it direct or implied sitting down I shared a piece of my mind and replied. I shared the fact that we have taken in many stray dogs and our farm is always overrun with those dogs because of it. I shared that we are the ones that step up to the plate to remove a stray from a farmers farmground to spare it from him shooting it. We do as much as we humanly can for dogs, which includes finding them new homes. One that goes out leaves a spot for when another comes in.

However...I should not have had to explain myself in the first place, nor should I have felt like I needed to. This is where the whole animals are more important that people thing comes into play. That I should upheave my life and lifestyle for the benefit of my "fur babies". That thought process that says "get rid" of the Clydesdales because they are a threat to the wittle bitty dogs that attack them. That attitude that I should be willing to move heaven and earth to keep the dogs "furever".

The implication is always that if I ever own and care about a dog I should feel obligated to keep it until death do us part. To that I remind you that I have never in my life married a dog and the truly right thing to do is to put peoples best interest first. Even if those people are me. I assure you it is truly in my best interest not to see whats left of a Dachshund after a Clydesdale punts it like a football.  

The Purpose

First off I would like to explain this blogs purpose. I am here to talk about animal rights and those who are like minded. Not every animal rights mindset is from some wack job who wants to throw blood on your grandma for wearing fur, or wave placards with downed horses on them in the faces of people boarding a carriage ride in a major city, but both kinds of extremists are out there (in every sense of the words "out there"), and most visible in places like New York, and other large cities.

What I would like to talk about most is the more subtle infiltration of this kind of mind set that has crept into mainstream Americas hearts and minds. I really want to dicuss the wrongheadedness of it, and how it is destructive to society as a whole. I want to help clear up the blurred lines between animal welfare and animal rights and why its so important that we know the difference. Lastly I hope that by discussing this ever growing strange phenomena that we all walk away with a more sensible way of looking at animal ownership in America.