2 Nevada men plead guilty to killing wild mustangs

By SCOTT SONNER

RENO, Nev. (AP)—Two men changed their pleas June 16 and acknowledged that they shot and killed five wild mustangs in Nevada in a case that flooded U.S. prosecutors with thousands of e-mails from around the world expressing outrage at the slaughter.

Todd Davis, 45, admitted in federal court in Reno that he and Joshua Keathley, 36, had been drinking and used "poor judgment" when they shot the horses with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle in November near the Nevada-California line.

Prosecutors said they offered no plea bargain and intend to seek the maximum penalty of one year in jail and $100,000 fine for each at the sentencing set for Sept. 14.

"The intentional and malicious harassment, abuse and killing of federally-protected wild horses should not and will not be tolerated," said Dan Bogden, U.S. attorney for Nevada.

In changing their pleas, the two Lovelock men admitted to U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert McQuaid that they shot the horses about 150 miles northwest of Reno, a violation of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.

"We'd been drinking a little," Davis said. "We saw some horses and used poor judgment and shot a few of them."

Keathley said the two were looking for places to do some trapping when they came across the horses in the rugged high-desert rangeland on the edge of the Sierra Nevada.

"We seen the wild horses," Keathley said in his brief explanation to McQuaid. "We killed a few of them and then we left."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami said they shot into a herd of eight to 10 horses and watched at least four fall to their deaths.

"We feel justice has been served at this point," Fahami told The Associated Press after the court appearance, adding that she and Bogden combined received a total of approximately 24,000 e-mails and letters.

"There has been great public interest in this case. And it's not just in Washoe County, not just in Nevada, not just in the United States," she said. "We've received e-mails from all over the world."

The men were charged in January with "maliciously causing the death of a wild horse" after the U.S Bureau of Land Management offered a $10,000 reward and the Humane Society of the United States added $2,500 for any information leading to criminal convictions in the case.

Activist Terri Farley, author of the popular "Phantom Stallion" series of children's books, attended Wednesday's hearing in support of prosecutors seeking the maximum sentence.

"I really hope the judge nails them big time," she told AP. "They are adult men, not kids. They are out there drinking on public land and using it as their own private shooting gallery."

Some horse protection advocates had criticized the government's decision to charge the two men with only one horse's death. Fahami said that was due in part to the inability to determine which man shot which horse.

"We charged the case based on the provable facts we had. (One horse) is what we could prove," she said.

Whole story is here.

New content on the website

There's a lot of new stories on the website, www.stayinintheloop.com. Check them out!

Long time no see!

Sorry for the delay in posting on the Stayin' In The Loop blog. Been busy, busy around here.

There's lots of news on the STIL site for your reading pleasure. Check out the latest news and information in the horse world collected by High Plains Journal editors.

In the May 3 issue of HPJ, read about the $3 million dollar gift to the American Quarter Horse Association; the Alltech animal health and nutrition symposium coming up May 16 to 19; Extreme Mustang Makeover; and the Tri-City Horse Short Course in Newcastle, Okla., May 20, 27 and June 3.

Read all the stories here.

Tying a hackamore knot with Pat Hooks

There's a little more to the following knot tying instructions than meets the eye. I had the pleasure of working with Ray Hunt on several occasions and this one particular time he shared with me the hackamore knot. Now other than just chewing the fat, what I didn't have figured out at the time was why Mr. Ray shared the knot with me.

I had started a colt that weekend and little did I know, Mr. Ray had watched me pretty close like. After the first ride was in Mr. Ray gathered me up during the break and shared the knot with me--pretty close to the same instructions you see below. Now as Ray rolled his toothpick into the corner of his mouth he said "get that working for you good enough you can get it at the lope."

Next time I worked with Mr. Ray he asked how my knot tying skills were coming along, so I took my piggin' string out and showed him. With a smile as broad as Texas, he was curious to see if I could tie it at the lope? Well beings I was full of pride and in the ripe old age of my twenty's I threw a leg over the same colt I had started previously and showed him I could tie the hackamore knot at the lope.

Read the rest of the story here.

Controversial ad targets Oklahoma equine dentist bill

A group of veterinarians in Oklahoma are hoping a controversial advertisement will convince state legislators to kill a bill that would allow horse owners and their employees to buy and administer veterinary prescription sedatives used in teeth floating procedures.

HB 3202 also amends the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act to allow individuals who are not licensed veterinarians to float horses' teeth if they meet state certification requirements.

The advertisement that appeared in Monday's edition of The Oklahoman newspaper links the measure to illegal use of the drugs clenbuterol, a steroid allegedly misused for weight loss, and ketamine, a tranquilizer sometimes used as a "date-rape drug." Four veterinarians who oppose the bill sponsored the ad, which claims the legislation would facilitate illegal drug sales.

"There are unscrupulous people in every profession," said J. Mike Johnston, DVM, one of the advertisement's sponsors. "Someone could become certified and never float a tooth, just to be able to get their hands on the drugs,"

The state's House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this month. The state Senate is expected to vote on the measure later this week.

If passed, the measure would be the third change to Oklahoma's veterinary practice act since 2008 when an amendment established felony charges for anyone practicing equine dentistry without a veterinary license. Lawmakers stripped the felony charges from the act in 2009 after professional rodeo rider Bobby Griswold was charged with the felony.

Griswold, who graduated from an equine dental school but is not a veterinarian, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced to serve eight months probation. Griswold said equine dentists do not routinely use the drugs in their work. The advertisement represents some veterinarians' final effort to prohibit dentists from practicing in Oklahoma, he said.

Story from The Horse website, www.thehorse.com.

Have an event coming up?

Do you have an equine event coming up? How about listing it on our Stayin' In The Loop website?

Post your event here.

Equine dentistry bill gains Oklahoma House approval

A spat lasting more than a year between veterinarians and equine dentists may be galloping toward a conclusion.

Veterinarians for the most part aren’t pleased with House Bill 3202 because the state Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners was left out of a compromise that led to passage of the bill March 4 in the House of Representatives, said Rep. Brian Renegar, a veterinarian who is opposed to the bill.

Renegar and Rep. Don Armes, who is backing equine dentists, often called "tooth floaters,” verbally sparred on the House floor before members passed HB 3202 by a vote of 71-25. It now goes to the Senate.

The bill would allow equine dentists, or horse teeth floaters, to practice in the state without facing criminal charges. They now face misdemeanor charges.

Armes, the author of HB 3202, said the veterinary board would certify equine dentists if they have at least 80 hours of training from recognized schools. Equine dentists would be certified annually as nonveterinary equine dental care providers. They would be charged a $200 certification fee and would be required to have four hours of continued education to have the certification renewed.

Read more here.

State slaughter bills pending

by Pat Raia

Legislators in several states are again considering bills that address the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

In Florida, lawmakers are reviewing a pair of bills that would make it felony to slaughter horses and sell their meat for human consumption in that state.

SB 1708 and HB 765 both prohibit the mutilation or killing of any horse and forbids the transport, distribution, sale, and purchase of horsemeat for human consumption. If enacted, violators could face mandatory minimum penalties of $3,500 in fines and one year in prison. Both bills are under committee review.

The proposed bills are in direct response to a series of horse poaching incidents in South Florida during the past year, said HB 765 sponsor Rep. Luis Garcia. The butchered remains of at least 21 horses have been found in Miami-Dade and Broward counties since last January.

Read the full story here.

March 1 Stayin' in the Loop

Stories and photos from Stayin' In the Loop in the March 1 issue of the High Plains Journal are available now at www.stayinintheloop.com.


TAHC provides update on equine piroplasmosis disease investigation
The Texas Animal Health Commission continues to investigate the spread of equine piroplasmosis from a South Texas ranch, which was first detected in October 2009. Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne protozoal infection of horses. At least one species of tick, Amblyomma cajennense has proven capable of transmitting the blood parasite. This species of tick is endemic to Texas and several other southern states. Further research is under way to determine if there are other tick species capable of transmitting the parasite. The disease may also be spread between horses by unsafe animal husbandry practices such as sharing needles or equipment that is contaminated with blood.
Read the rest of the story here.

Equine Well-Being Symposium planned March 10 to 12 in Manhattan
Kansas State University will host the International Equine Well-Being Symposium March 10 to 12 in Manhattan at the K-State Student Union's Forum Hall.

"This is a symposium for anyone who has horses or is involved in any aspect of the equine industry—or is just a horse enthusiast," said Chris Blevins, assistant professor in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine. "Our objective is to bring the latest information on basic equine welfare to horse owners and enthusiasts and stable owners and managers, and to certify and document equine welfare for individuals and farms."

Read the rest of the story here.

Photos from EquiFest 2010, held in Wichita, Kan., Feb. 12 to 14.

New Pat Hooks Column in Feb. 15 edition of High Plains Journal

In the Feb. 15 issue of the High Plains Journal, the Stayin' In The Loop page features Pat Hooks' suggestions to keeping a young horse's feet moving and finding his forward gears.

Read Hooks' column here. Pat Hooks normally appears once a month on the Stayin' In The Loop pages.

EquiFest of Kansas

Equifest of Kansas was held in Wichita, Kan., Feb. 12 to 14. Read all about it in the pre-show promotion here.

Daily presentations by world-class clinicians and trainers featured Ken McNabb from Wyoming, presenting Discovering the Horseman Within; Kay Meredith from North Carolina, schooling riders in Dressage; Al Dunning from Arizona, teaching Reining and Cutting; Linda Allen from Texas, conducting Hunt Seat and Jumping clinics; Scot Hansen from North Carolina, with Trail Riding and Horse Training tips; and TV and Radio host and author Rick Lamb, a Wichita native now from Arizona, provided a series of horsemanship lectures.

For the first time, EquiFest of Kansas presented two exciting new events: the Ultimate Horsemens Challenge, presented by Boulevard Beer, Feb. 12, and a Ranch Rodeo presented by Hunn Leather Products, held during the evening Feb. 13 at EquiFest.

February 1 Stayin' in the Loop pages

The new stories have been posted on the Stayin' in the Loop Site, www.stayinintheloop.com for Feb. 1.

For this issue we featured Texas A&M's blacksmith on staff at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Equifest of Kansas to be held Feb. 12 to 14 in Wichita, Kan., and a program the New Mexico Livestock Board and the New Mexico Racing Commission are implementing.

Check it all out here.

Craig Cameron to be at Garden City Farm Show

Clinician Crag Cameron will be at the Garden City Farm Show in Garden City, Kan., Jan. 26 to 28. To see more information about this event or Cameron and his techniques visit his website here.

Jan. 26 - 28, 2010
Garden City, KS Event: Garden City Farm & Ranch Show
Address: 209 Lake Ave
Garden City, KS
Contact: Finney Co Expo Center

Website: gardencityfarmshow.com
Admission: No charge

The new Stayin' in the Loop stories are on the website.

Go check them out and tell us what you think.

Mustang Magic set to wow Fort Worth Stock Show

Mustang Magic returns to the world-renowned Fort Worth Stock Show Jan. 22 and 23 with expectations of another standing-room only crowd.

Mustang Magic, powered by Wheaties Fuel with support from OmniAmerican Bank, will return to the Stock Show and feature 11 trainers from across the country who have already shown their mettle as mustang trainers. [Read More]

Inhumane or needed?

Check out this article from a Missouri newspaper.

Here is the link

Tell us what you think....

Welcome to the blog...

Stayin' In The Loop started nearly three years ago as several pages in the High Plains Journal/Midwest Ag Journal. The pages, dedicated to the working horseman feature useful information related to the equine partners on the ranch.

In the upcoming issue of the Journal, there will be features on various events coming up in the coverage area, as well as information on how to teach your horses to track cattle in Pat Hooks' latest column.

Check out www.stayinintheloop.com for more information.