American Wild Horses

[Brian Brannon]

A friend of mine (Col. John Hutchison, US Army Ret.), recently e-mailed me about his distress, regarding the fate of the wild bands of American mustangs living in the states of Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming(my FAVORITE STATE!!). Hutch, is a breeder of foundation Morgan Horses, and a true friend of horses world-wide. He sent me a "disclosure" that detailed, how wild horses were being gathered up, and shipped to "meat-plants" for slaughter. His documentation, says that the BLM, and the US Fish and Wildlife Depts. are both involved! I live in Canada....so I have NO WAY to confirm any of what was in the e-mail I recieved.....but I will tell you this....John Hutchison served his country,honorably, for thirty years...and I WILL take his word on anything.
Because of my limited ability with this device we now speak on, I am unably to foward his message. So I ask all of you who care about the fate of these wild symbols of the American West, to google up anything you can find, given these criteria.....and to make your feelings known...with NO uncertainty, to your local representive. You can find "Hutch", at www.Gab Creek Farms.com.....send him your support....he already has mine!.....Brian Brannon

[Unkle Sherman]

Lacy J. Daltons orginazation

http://www.letemrun.com/

[Michael Martin Murphey]

I have recently played music in support of Madeleine Pickens' foundation to create a refuge for wild horses in Nevada. I think it's a good idea, as long as some mares are sterilized to prevent the population from increasing too quickly. I think it's too bad to see these horses treated with cruelty, and the wild horses should not be slaughtered, so the wild horse gene pool remains strong.

However, there's a catch to all of this. Some of the horses that are considered "wild" by the public are actually "estrays"- horses that are not part of the Mustang gene pool of Spanish origin. Many of these horses have been released by abusive owners who do not want to care for them. Horses like this usually suffer out on the range, and cannot deal with the often harsh environment that Mustangs can handle.

I believe that merciful killing of horses that are suffering is much preferabel to keeping them alive. And it should still be legal to sell any horse for slaughter if it's the proven property of a legitimate owner. Shutting down slaughter plants will do nothing to prevent those who want to get rid of horses they can't care for from shooting them, starving them to death, or abandoning them. In cases like that, a humane slaughter plant is the best answer- along with sterilized mares and instant death by injection.. The "absolutely no slaughter" point of view is hurting the horse industry, almost guaranteeing that there will more and more horses set out in the wilderness.

[Unkle Sherman]

Good to have ya participatin' on the board Mr. Murphy.
We met, back in the Cosmic Cowboy days, thru a show you did for KFAT radio in California.

[Roy Rogers]

Yeah..MMMurphy has raised a point worth noting: the changing/rearranging of (this) old Mustang GenePool. God help us!

[Brian Brannon]

Mike: I LOVE your music....and I honestly KNOW that you are a decent person. But, I DO think that you need to reassess the input you may have gotten from the local ranchers.....after all, they haven't seen a wild horse since Christ was a cowboy, and wore leather britches! Look at the "over-view".....BW

[Brian Brannon]

Oh! By the way Mr. Murphy....we ain't never met! :0)