April 24, 2008
Save Our Wild Horses
In case you have not heard, there is a very heated issue erupting here in Nevada around the protection of wild horses. The Department of Agriculture has plans to round up hundreds of wild horses for slaughter because they claim the horses are starving and do not have enough land. What is perplexing is that no one has witnessed any starving horses, and instead only seen healthy horses grazing in plentiful pastures. And regardless if there was a population problem, surely more humane practices could be implemented like relocation and sterilization of some of the herd, which have been intermittently used.
Celebrities such as Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg have done radio spots urging people to call Governor Jim Gibbons, (775) 684-5670.
Listen to the radio spots here:
Protestors gathered outside the Nevada Capitol yesterday holding brooms and plungers emphasizing their desire to see the Department of Agriculture “cleaned up.” Media outlets all over the West have picked up the story including:
- San Jose Mercury News
- Monterey Herald
- The Modesto Bee
- Sacramento Bee
- Las Vegas Sun
- Contra Costa Times
- The Press Enterprise
- And many more!
Also, you might want to check out what this local Nevada blogger has to say. Clearly, this is an important issue to many people and rightfully so. The horse is an integral part of this Nation’s history and an iconic symbol of the West. And might I add, GREAT FOR TOURISM IN NEVADA.
You might remember a blog post we did back in November 2006 regarding the American Horse Act. This issue hits close to home. You don’t come to work everyday for a company called, Twelve Horses, and not on occasion think about why you built your brand on that name.
We will bring more information to you as we receive it. You can also visit http://kbrhorse.net/news/vre-nda11.html
Posted in Nevada, Reno-Tahoe, Social
April 24th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
The horse is perhaps the most powerful, creative, intelligent and fastest creatures on this planet. It’s the metaphor that we derive our brand from. Many of us own and ride horses. The Nevada tourism economy benefits from our wild horses. This is an issue we hope that can be resolved in the interest of the well being of Nevada’s wild horses and our State’s tourism brand.
July 21st, 2008 at 3:49 pm
[...] horse issues in Nevada continue to hit the national news stream, months after a media blow up which caught the attention of Willie Nelson and Snoop Dog. In this Episode of Horse Power we talk [...]
November 16th, 2008 at 8:51 am
A Navajo Legend
Before the Spaniards brought horses to the Dine (Navajo), they told about the Sun-God’s walking across the heavens, carrying the sun on his back. When he reached the west, he hung the sun on a peg, so that it could cool off. He spent the evening with his family, resting after his long journey.
After he was rested, he removed the sun from its peg, apparently hid it in some way as he retraced his steps, and returned in the darkness. In the morning, he started on his westward trip again. Of course, the ancient story continued to be told long after the following one was created.
The Sun-God, Johano-ai, starts each morning from his home in the east and rides across the skies to his home in the west. He carries with him his shining gold disk, the sun. He has five horses–a horse of turquoise, one of white shell, one of pearly shell, one of red shell, and one of coal.
The skies are blue and the weather is fair, the Sun-God rides his horse of turquoise, or the one of white shell, or the one of pearly shell. But when the heavens are dark with storm, he mounts the red horse or the horse of coal.
Beneath the hoofs of the horses are spread precious hides of all kinds and also beautiful blankets, carefully woven and richly decorated. In the days gone by, the Dine (Navajo) wove rich blankets, said to have been found first in the home of the Sun-God. He lets his horses graze on flower blossoms, and drink from mingled waters. These are holy waters of all kinds–spring water, snow water, hail water, water from the four corners of the world. The Dine (Navajo) use such waters in their ceremonies.
When any horse of the Sun-God trots or runs, he raises not dust, but pitistchi. It is glittering grains of mineral, such as are used in religious ceremonies. When a horse rolls and shakes himself, shining grains of sand fly from him. When he runs, not dust, but the sacred pollen offered to the Sun-God is all about him. Then he looks like a mist. The Dine (Navajo) say that the mist on the horizon is the pollen that has been offered to the gods.
A Navaho man sings about the horses of the Sun-God in order that he, too, may have beautiful horses. Standing among his herd, he scatters holy pollen and sings this song for the blessing and the protection of his animals:
How joyous his neigh!
Lo, the Turquoise Horse of Johano-ai,
How joyous his neigh,
There on precious hides outspread, standeth he; How joyous his neigh,
There of mingled waters holy, drinketh he; How joyous his neigh,
There in mist of sacred pollen hidden, all hidden he; How joyous his neigh,
These his offspring may grow and thrive forevermore; How joyous his neigh!
When do we say STOP? When do we tell our children about animals through a picture book only..when do we say enough, of the senseless slaughter of animals..have we not lost enough with the bison and the loss of wildlife through wildfires?
I am sickened by this option…it should NOT be an option we have a purpose upon Mother Earth to protect n serve and that does not just apply to 2 leggeds…as we walk a chosen path, the creatures great and small walk the path we allow them to have..it IS up to us to say STOP!
December 24th, 2008 at 5:05 am
OMG i hate it when i see a pic of horses! Its like my heart is breaking into little piceses!
January 26th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Who are we to think that there is nothing we can do to preserve the wild horses of our country?
September 25th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
You know some one told me that people were going to boycott beef on jan, 1 for 30 days has anyone heard about that?