Turning Despair into Hope for Horses - Keep the positivity going

Despair ...

 "to no longer have any hope or belief that a situation will improve or change"

 

I love Facebook and Social Media 

I hate Facebook and Social Media.

I love being connected to the greater world

I hate being connected to the greater world.

I know I don't live inside a bubble

I wish I lived inside a bubble.

I want to know how others think, love and cherish

I shudder at how little others think, love and cherish.

It's remarkable how quickly your positive thoughts and feelings one moment can deep dive into doom, gloom and despair the next.

I have 4 Facebook pages and anyone can follow any of them whenever you want.  It serves a purpose of capturing thoughtful moments, special occasions, inspiring quotes and a vehicle for some of my blogs.

I find it very hard to receive other people's facebook page images of dead horses, mutilated dogs and abandoned cats, then sleep easy at night!

I'm filled with despair at human kind and where we are heading with such ability to disregard the life and rights of others. Where has all our kindness gone? Where is our compassion?

I suppose that I have not joined up with some who cry out to stop sharing such images in case it does in some way help to raise awareness and spur people into corrective action.  Hope springs eternal!

I have even joined and supported one such group "help the horses of Fosse Park" and joined them to protest last year outside Parliament for better protection for neglected horses.  (See post from last year). 

I have learnt over the years from first hand experience, that with large animals the RSPCA acts only when a horse is actually on the verge of death,  - as happened last night right outside my own home.  This too should change and I wont donate to them until it does.

In addition to last nights tragedy on my door step, I am currently looking after 2 abandoned ponies, plus filly and foal - a total of four gorgeous hungry mouths - also close to my home.  Dragging 60 litres of water into their field each day and spreading a bale of hay out for them is all I can do, but I won't watch them starve to death or die from dehydration when I can do something no matter how small.

Abandoned Mare

With her foal and youngster

Overgrown, neglected hooves on the young gelding

Its such a topsy turvy world: the land owner (where the four under my watch are temporarily residing) does nothing with his land - its disused, full of broken glass bottles, wood pallets, butane gas canisters, and general debris.   There's no proper fencing to keep livestock off the road.  Yet, he's put a sign up (as is his right) warning that these horses will be removed if not claimed and taken.  Why?  What harm are these four doing?  Of course he is right to be worried, as 4 small ponies today, could easily become 10 or 24 in a matter of days or weeks...  

... It seems we abandon our horses as easily as we discard our litter all over the road side.

There are days when it gets to me and seems overwhelming.  There is such a sense of hopelessness as people all over the country report via social media similar problems and sightings of animals in plight. 

Is this the slippery slope down for mankind, how much further south can we head?

I hope not.   I chose (on most days) to believe not.  Each bad day, where I'm having doubts an 'angel' seems to appear in some form or fashion.  Take yesterday,  as I fed and watered the four 'strays' two men (strangers), approached wanting to know if the horses were mine.  One had brought a bag of carrots and another a small container of water for them.  I wanted to smile at the 3 litres of water for 4 animals thinking - that's not really worth bothering, but I answered their questions and thanked them for their help.  

The joy and relief to know other people will help and do whatever they can - however small is priceless; a tonic.  People do what they can, with what resource they have, and using what knowledge they possess, it's not up to those of us who may know a little more to go around putting others down with our facts and know how.

I am blessed to know people like Margrit Coates and Chris Day who remind me of the need to be positive around horses especially those that are suffering.  To be, as the quote above suggests  that bright 'light' for them in that moment.

Last night, as I drove off and rounded the corner, the Police and RSPCA were in attendance of a distressed horse they had now put out of it's misery. A woman walking her dog passed the field and  saw the horse in distress and called everyone she could think of.  She was wrapped in a blanket clearly in shock at what she had witnessed.

Life can be a cruel awakening if you are blanketed from it's reality.

These are the moments where hope is restored and where one by one each of us really can make a difference.  I expect that lady didn't sleep well last night but I hope in her heart she knows she did good today!  She did something, she took action and helped a horse in need.  

Now all we have to do is to start finding ways to take action BEFORE horses suffer so needlessly.  

If you feel you haven't done enough yet to raise your voice to support horses after all they have done for mankind through wars, agriculture, policing and sports, or simply because you see their beauty, and feel the wisdom in their eyes,  you can do something NOW.

On Valentines Day there will be a further protest in London.  Further details are on the dedicated Facebook page.

Join in! What have you got to lose? 

Both horses and humans have so much dignity to re-gain.

Heavy frost adds to the beauty

Today is a new day.  Tomorrow will be too.  I thank goodness for nature, for landscapes such as this morning and for heavy frosts that lace your eyes with a freshness that inspires hope. 

This morning's slow sun rise

Help For Horses: A Human Shame

On April 16th 2014 - where were you?  Will you remember this day in 5 or 10 years time from now?  

Many of us remember the day JFK was shot, Presley died, Lennon was killed, or more recently the loss of Princess Diana.  These are days of tragedy. These are days where key figures or role models died, often prematurely, or at the hands of others.

We also recall our wedding anniversary, birthdays and even our horse's birthdays.  These are uplifting days.  Special days of celebration. 

April 16th is a day I will always remember but not solely for the above reasons.

I spent the day in London's Parliament Square protesting the important cause "Help For Horses".

In many ways the day was born from tragedy and death; specifically the needless death of horses left to starve by negligent, uncaring, irresponsible people. The kind of people who live next door to you, across the road from your mum, or who went to school with your brother.   

Yet, it was also a day of celebration where people who had listened to their heart, acted on that.

Where people put aside their own need for convenience, an easy life, the need to earn a living or simply conserve their energy,  people who got on their feet, commuted to London and stood up for something bigger than themselves.

 - They gave a voice to horses who without them, would remain unheard!

So whilst it was a day of tragedy and celebration it quickly became a day of HOPE.  It was about the future.  It provided a glimpse into what human passion and compassion can achieve for others in this case Horses.

For every person attending, for every passer by it was the first day of a new future.  A future where the life of one horse called 'Hope' who died needlessly,  too weak from malnutrition to stand, died lying in a muddy puddle ignored and invisible to passersby,  all but for a few.

If you have not come across the story of Hope and the Fosse Park Horses left to fend for themselves behind a shopping mall in Leciestershire, without adequate grazing, water, shelter and safety, then Mark Johnson's Face Book page will bring you up to speed.

As a result of one mans' eyes and heart being wide open, a few hundred of us descended on Parliament Square for a peaceful, organised protest on April 16th 2014. None of us knew what to expect or what to do nor if we could actually make a difference - but everyone felt compelled to have a go.

What made the day a tragedy beyond the needless death of Hope and the carcase of the unknown dead horse at her side, was the absence of our legal systems apparent ability to help prevent these deaths, and many others like it.

Conservative estimates to date suggest over 7000 horses in the UK are facing death by starvation and neglect.

In this country (after all we are civilized and sophisticated) we have laws to protect animals and govern their welfare. It's one of the pinnacles of being an 'animal loving' Nation.  Below, are some highlights from The Animal Welfare Act 2006:

"It is against the law to be cruel to an animal, you must also ensure that all the animal’s welfare needs are met".

"Owners are responsible for ensuring that their animals’ welfare needs are met.  These include the need:

• for a suitable environment (place to live)
• for a suitable diet
• to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• to be housed with or apart from other animals (if applicable)
• to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

"The law also increases the minimum age a person can buy an animal to 16 and prohibits giving animals as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age".

"Anyone who is cruel to an animal or does not provide for its welfare needs may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison".

Knowing this law exists, in plain easy speak English served as a catalyst to head to Parliament Square.  The tragic irony today, is that despite having laws in place to protect animals and to prevent the needless death of Hope - no one is seemingly responsible for it's enforcement! 

Most aspects of modern Government requires visibility and transparent reporting.  This means data management and statistical monitoring of how the laws are being in forced or helping rectify a wrong.  Crime stats, unemployment levels, benefit fraud, disability levels, Council spending are all monitored and reported to the Public. What are the Animal Welfare statistics?  Who measures and monitors an improvement in animal care?  When are statistics released? 

With any situation be that in Business, Government or domestic home life, if something is agreed upon - someone is given or takes responsibility for doing it!  They are held accountable. The results of their work can be called upon to be demonstrated.  So, in the UK, today...

WHO is responsible for the number of horse deaths, each year?

Maybe the day we have such a key performance indicator for animal welfare, we will find someone willing to drive necessary improvement and change.  Find someone who understands that pretty words and documents alone, won't stop the suffering of our horses.

Monitoring the end result will be only half the job.  Members of the general public who stopped to talk to us at the protest suggested we lobby for laws to make it harder for people to own a horse in the first place.  Good idea, why not?  Currently you don't need a license to have a horse.  No proof needed of a suitable living environment, financial means to support a horse for life, or any written test to show you actually know what you are doing and know how to look after one. 

Horse ownership is all too easy.  Horse abandonment is even easier.   

This is why we spent the day voicing our call for 'help' and action.

Returning home after a day like April 16th can be anti-climatic. On this occasion, for me it wasn't.

Although most of us were emotionally tired we were also spiritually refreshed. Many of us hit the pub for a swift 'half' relieved we weren't the only ones that had turned up on the day!  Others of us sat up late chatting on face book sharing the days' photos and videos with new found friends from the day.

I felt confident that every person there that day knew this was the beginning.  A plan to move us forward from here will emerge.  Mark Johnson is not alone and can not be left to single handedly take it forward.   He should however be very proud of having stood up and created a space into which others could also show up, join the call,  and cumulatively put our humanity to good use.

Members of the public who stopped and spoke with us on the day, shared their shock and horror at the realisation that our so called Great Nation could be so backward, so uncaring.  Women openly cried at the pictures we held of dying, suffering horses and the cruelty of human complacency.

Tourists alike be they Germans or Scandinavians that I personally spoke with were in disbelief that our Queen isn't doing something about it.

"The only time she smiles is when she is watching her horses race" said one tourist to me.

Maybe the queen's head is stuck in the royal sand along with much of the public, and many fellow horse owners. As with other posts on this blog Awareness is the first step.  A step we have taken and will continue to take as it's not a 'one hit wonder'.

No-one from the public could see any rational for blaming the current plight on the failing Economy, the Police or inadequate Animal welfare charities, it's actually more simple than that.  The Laws exist.  We have the Laws to protect and prevent.  The issue is no one is enforcing the Law. 

A German family asked me if taking our horses to slaughter wasn't better than chaining them to a lamp post without food or water?

A Scandinavian family asked me "why do people have horses in England if they are not taking care of them for life?"

Both are good questions.  It seems as a nation everything is too simple; having a horse, and ditching a horse!  We are a nation of 'throw it away, get another' and with the ease of replacing an old shoe our countryside is now adorned with unwanted sofas or fridges, and now Horses too!

What can you do - today, tomorrow regardless of your age, health or financial means?

Put an end to Horse Tipping! 

 

Put an end to suffering, neglect and abandonment

 

by....

1. Keeping your eyes open and your senses aware of any horse in distress.  
2. Check it out further.  
3. Report it to the police, RSPCA, local vet AND horse sanctuary.  
4. Don't stop there, take photos, contact your local press.  
5. Expose!
6. NAME AND SHAME - as one member of the general public suggested. 

(A more comprehensive, official plan of action will I am sure be forthcoming, but till then those are my thoughts).

In my own words, from a life spent in corporate business environments one thing for sure is that it is the 'squeaky wheel that gets the grease'.  We have to be that squeaky wheel, and keep on squeaking to get the traction on this Law, that all horses deserve!

April 14th, 2014  was a day for  the Horse, in this year of the Horse.  

For your horse, mine, a friend's horse, and all those horses yet to be born,

It was and will be a day to remember! 

It was a day I felt my own passion and love come to the fore, 

There will be many more great such days to come. 

For More Information on the Animal Welfare Act:

www.defra.gov.uk
Helpline - 08459 335577

Good versus Bad and the unknown Others

What do you see first...?   

Good, Evil or both?

 

What we see impacts how we live, what we do, what we think and how we feel!

Many girls like myself went to bed with Fairy Tales littered with battles between Good and Bad, white and black witches, young girls and evil step parents - where victory usually fell to the "Good"!

Then, we grew up and gradually realised that the Tales were flawed; the just deserts don't always go to the 'good girls and boys'. 

In my quest to find a better more natural way of living with my small horse herd I've come across wonderful people, horses, places, inspiring thinking and heart warming stories. I've also come across stories, videos, and in some cases real life encounters with people I'd class as in the 'bad' camp.   Then once in a while Ive stumbled on stories so sad or situations so dire, that it has pulled me down, deep into an inner debate about the future of man kind and our value add to the planet.  Last month, the plight of horses left to die in Fosse Park, Leceistershire was one such true story.

It's left me wondering, is there more good than bad out there?  Do we have a future as a compassionate responsible planet, nation and community?

The dawn of 2012 and the prophecies that it would be "the end of the world" was not about the world ending in its physical form, as per some interpretations, but it was about humans ceasing to be the way we are, and finding a new, more enlightened way. It  was a prophecy about our spiritual evolution.  Not God or Allah but spirituality meaning our ability to connect with everything around us, become more of who we are and value all living creatures - two or four legged, winged, scaled, black or white.

It was predicting an important 'tipping point' in our evolution where we would start to consciously choose a dark existence or light, despair or hope, negativity or positivity.  2013 and the years ahead, are about an  'energetic shift' away from struggle towards a more fulfilling existence. 

In summary, on December 21st, 2012 (always an important day for me as it's my birthday) the scales would tip - one way or the other, towards black or white.  It would set the course for our future.

A year on and I'm still wondering do we know how to make that shift?  A life spent in comfy co-existence with hurt, blame and punishment isn't easy to shed.  So, will it all 'turn out ok' at the end of the day? What's the evidence for or against?  Certainly, the start of 2014 has felt very mixed to me.

The dawning of the Year of the Horse gave me cause to celebrate in the hope of inheriting or aspiring to emulate some of the energies implicit in the horse - his/her energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent spirit born to be free and expressive.

So far this year has been a year of having my eyes opened to another reality.   A place where humans are steeped in cruelty, disregard, violence and punishment.  Seeing videos and images showing animals (not just horses) on the receiving end of our in-humanity is utterly sickening.  Learning that people whose work we have followed don't practise what they preach can fill us with disbelief as we suddenly question our beliefs .... "well if he or she can't walk their own talk, what hope do I have"?

In a previous blog I've freely admitted my own cowardice at facing unpleasantness, in life!  At times because it feels too overwhelming to become fully aware of the details of atrocities that families, animals, nations suffer, on a daily and hourly basis.  (Did you know in Africa an elephant is killed by poachers every 15 minutes because humans want their tusks)!  How did we stoop to such an all time low?

But then, with each recorded 'plight' there is a silver lining.  Usually in the shape of a Good Samaritan.   It so often starts with a single human being, deciding (or spontaneously) moving to act!  Add some bravery and willingness to be outspoken and suddenly there are followers, public awareness and a campaign to change things for the better.  The Fosse Park plight is one such instance with a peaceful protest now planned for April 16th in London.  (For details see my facebook post).

Being honest, it can be too easy to switch off the play button on the video, walk away from the horse tied to a stake without food or water, or ignore a mother's violence towards her child.  These are those 'black' moments and it is a conscious choice we make each time we do nothing.

When we find ourselves thinking 'we can't make a difference' - we can!  Mark with the Fosse Park horses has demonstrated this so very clearly, it all started with the compassion and love felt by one man towards horses in plight.

In Joe Camp's book 'Born Wild' he lists American women fighting in the law courts the unlawful activities of the Bureau of Land Management and their violation of the wild Mustangs.

Authors, bloggers, speakers and trainers who really want change are not afraid to voice their opinions; thank goodness!  It won't mean they are all right, or all of the time.  As Ive written before, if it makes you want to run away from their version of the truth, maybe we should linger a little longer, just long enough to question what deeper truth we are trying to avoid by turning away. Oftern there is an important life lesson for us to be learnt. Yet, at the same time I continue to urge us all (at the same time as being open), to also be discerning and evaluative enough to find out our own individual 'truth'.  Notice what we are drawn towards and what resonates with us, and what does not.

Better to be curious and discerning versus closed and blind; following like the proverbial Lemming without stopping to think why and what else is out there? 

Bottom line, one of the worlds best selling all times book The Law of Attraction holds a tight belief that what we expect, desire and believe in will manifest itself.

If we believe we are unlovable, chances are we will be on our own.  If we don't believe in commitment we'll fall in love with partners who leave us or are married and aren't free to be with us in the first place!  If we view the world as a favourable place (see one of my life long friends work, book, blog The World is a Safe Place), we will find much to be happy about.  If we believe the world is un-favourable 'life's a bitch and then you die' we're likely to find lots of uphill struggles along the way.

So to a large degree, what is around us; Good versus Evil, will be a mirror reflection of our view of the world.  It will grow along with the growth of positive or negative thoughts and feelings emitted by us, our friends and family, neighbours, colleagues and countrymen.  We,  singularly and cumulatively will impact what is around us.  We can therefore, chose to believe (and will find evidence to back it up) that every fallen horse  is a reason to give up and give in, believing we are alone in our angst and unable to fight it.  Or, we can see it as an opportunity to bring into view all those unknown good Samaritans out there, waiting to make a difference!

We will still face a year of frustration but alongside it we can nurture gratitude and appreciation. Starting with ourselves, today, and, allow it to grow for the benefit of us all, and so many unknown Others.

For me personally, I owe a massive debt of gratitude to an 'Other'  known simply to me as "Mark the Fosse Park man" with a heart and a willingness to act that has restored my faith in the Unknown Others out there waiting for their calling.  I hope that includes me too.