Roy Exum: Keep Your ‘Dirty’ Feed

  • Monday, May 25, 2015
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

Mark Twain once observed the difference in a cat and a lie is that a cat only has nine lives. You might remember that when you hear that a group of Tennessee Walking Horse trainers just donated two tons of horse feed “to aid and assist in the rehabilitation” of 55 horses that were rescued from deplorable conditions at a West Tennessee farm.

The truth is that the horses were taken to three rescue facilities in the state and, when two of the centers found out “who” was donating the feed, they refused to accept it.

It seems the sadistic “Big Lick” crowd in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry has hired a slick public relations firm known as the Ingram Group in a last-ditch effort to avert growing public scorn for those who consistently abuse and torture the iconic horses.

The Ingram Group, apparently oblivious to the public wrath that will come when it becomes known the firm has associated itself with known animal abusers, has apparently developed a plan where it will “plant” happy horse stories and other “positive propaganda” to counter the ongoing violations of the federal Horse Protection Act and the equally obvious soring that is now causing “Big Lick” horses to be banned from horse shows.

So in one of the first attempts to “be nice,” the idea was hatched to have the Walking Horse Trainer’s Association give a ton of feed to the horse rescue centers. A ton of local feed costs about $15 per 50-pound bag and, when Charlie Green Stables purchased another ton for the photo op, there were 11 trainers who gathered around the sacks of feed to grin for the camera

The problem is that everybody in the horse industry knows these same trainers have been cited dozens of times for violating the federal Horse Protection Act and are all well-known “Big Lick” activists. One man in the picture has been ticketed 17 different times by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors and, collectively, there has been far more paid in fines and suspensions than the two tons of feed cost. As one source reportedly said, “I just as soon take 30 pieces of silver than ‘dirty’ feed. We all know what the horses we rescue look like after these guys do the things they do.”

Equally charming was the catchy tune, “You load two tons of feed and what do you get? A picture in the paper and a hope people will forget” (with due apology to Tennessee Ernie Ford).

The trouble is, people won’t forget and no “spin doctor” in the world can salvage the “Big Lick” until the soring of horses is completely eradicated by the industry itself. And even with horse abuse becoming a felony in Tennessee, there is no sign the “Big Lick” has any intention of complying with the Horse Protection Act.

The Ingram Group had the audacity to suggest the "Big Lick” should eliminate “the uncertainty of the inspection process…to unite the breeders, owners and trainers behind a singular, strategic plan.” Oh please. A first grader can figure out if you eliminate the inspectors nobody will get any more tickets and suspensions.

And as far as a “plan” is concerned, flat-shod Walkers and “sound” horsemen are angry that the “Big Lickers” are bringing such negative notoriety to the breed that often they are held in contempt when, in fact, they would never sore or abuse their beloved animals.

The best way to help defray the cost of horse feed and assist with other needs of the horses rescued in April is to send a tax-deductible contribution to any of the three centers that are treating the 55 horses or the dog rescue center treating the 17 border collies that were also rescued.

Many were severely undernourished and the majority of the mares were pregnant, which requires different types of feed.

-- HORSE HAVEN OF TENNESSEE – Contact Nina Margetson, Executive Director, at (865) 609-4030. Donations should be mailed to Post Office Box 22841, Knoxville, TN 37933. Those interested in adoption procedures or needing more information can go to the website: www.horsehaventn.org

-- SAFE HARBOR EQUINE & LIVESTOCK SANCTUARY – Contact Sariah Hopkins, Executive Director, at (615) 997-0697. Donations should be mailed to Post Office Box 22, Cottontown, TN 37048. Those interested in adoption procedures or needing more information can go to the website: www.safeharborsantuary.org

-- VOLUNTEER EQUINE ADVOCATES – Contact Jamie Clifton, Executive Director, at (615) 708-5607. Donations should be mailed to Post Office Box 112, Gallatin, TN 37066. Those interested in adoption procedures or needed more information can go to the website: www.veatnhorserescue.com

The 17 border collies are at a safe location. Donations, adoption inquiries, and questions should be mailed to BFDR, 2413 Unionville Rd, Chapel Hill TN  37034. Please include your email address for a faster reply.

royexum@aol.com

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