A Walk Across America for Horses

This is for the week of June 9th thru June 12th

This week was a long wet week in the heat and humidity. Gave me plenty of time to think thou. The more info that gets presented to me the more I have become disgusted with the people that are in powerful places of influence. I was given a list of drugs that are commonly given to horses. Then spent several hours with a vet going over which drug does what and if there are any set with-drawl times and how it is absorbed into the system. Horses hold toxins different than cows sheep ect. so we spent a lot of time looking at the research and asking questions. This vet does mostly small animal and had not really thought about the horse slaughter issue, she took lots of notes because she has family in Montana and was very interested in the environmental info and the moral issue of the drugs being in the horse meat. A lot more questions about testing and safety.. All great points just hadn't fully explored those issues in my own mind.

Another call from (anonymous). Good news is people on pro-slaughter side are beginning to worry about the transport ban being passed. But the turn side is lots holding onto crippled and lesser quality meat horses are looking for an out for these horses. Not cost effective to hold any longer. Talking of dumping or ?????????? Don't know how valid this is but was brought to my attention and makes sense.

Then the pro-slaughter talking about trailers with rounded corners and peacefully walking horses into the plants with flags. Honestly do they really think something walks into its death peacefully. That was crazy to read about. Do they really think people will believe that. The bad part is I guess some people will believe that and think that it is true. UGH They need to go to a plant and watch but not only watch but hear and smell and feel. It changes of some of the hardest in the business.

I asked on old slaughter transporter why he quit hauling livestock and went to hauling oil field products?!?!? His answer surprised me. He said he hauled cows for many many years and always unloaded at the dock and left. He had a great offer to haul horses to the plant in Kaufman, TX. His first load he had to get paperwork and made the mistake of walking inside the wrong door and witnessed the knock box and the killing of a horse. He said he got his paperwork and left. Laid down for a nap a few miles down the road and awoke with a terrible nightmare of what he witnessed. It has been many years since that night and he turned in the keys and quit hauling livestock that very next day. He still remembers what he saw and he could never be part of it again. He was in his 50's and a seasoned hauler and one of the last people I would expect to hear that from. He said his boss wouldn't haul into them personally because of moral reasons and fear he may actually have to witness it. Pretty bad to hear. It really is very cruel even to seasoned people with little emotional ties to horses. I have seen it with my 2 eyes also and feel very strong about the cruelness of the process as it was at the time the plants were shut down here.

A piece of good news. Eric's friends are now becoming more involved with the walk and I am hoping will come walk for me and give me a little break to visit family and get clothes that fit ect. I want this walk to continue to move forward and get the points to many many people. I had questions of letting someone fill in for a hundred miles but need clothes not falling off hips and contacts and a few small things like hugging my kids. I am determined to make it the whole way across the country myself so even if Jonathan fills in for me for a week I know I will come back and walk the section myself just to prove to myself I really did walk across the country for the horses. Every step from Atlantic to Pacific for the humane treatment of every horse. None thru the cracks and holes. I will keep all updated and hope he does.

Can't wait for the Equine Barn Affair this weekend. Getting the word out!!!!!!!!!!