HORSE TRIPPING BILL VOTE TODAY!

How would you feel if you saw this at a rodeo?

"You are in the front row. A bony Arabian mare stands so close you can see the scars on her flanks, and the terror in her eyes. Three men on horseback swoop down on the mare, chasing her with swinging lariats, until she's galloping 25 miles an hour. Each time the mare races round the ring, a fourth man aims a rope at the mare's forelegs. The goal: to topple her to the ground, and win points.This mare has already been lassoed several times - those scars you saw were rope burns that carved away inches of her flesh. But this time the mare won't get up again. She crashes head over heels, breaks her leg, and is euthanized."
Ambuja Rosen, Independent Journalist

Today Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has an opportunity to take an important stand on principle by signing into law Senate Bill 1115 that will render the cruel practice of "horse tripping" illegal. Phoenix Councilwoman Thelda Williams says she considers the activity "barbaric".

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Horse tripping is the practice of roping the front or hind legs of a galloping horse -- causing it to trip or lose its balance and come crashing to the ground -- for the purposes of entertainment or sport. This cruel and inhumane activity is practiced in 3 of the 9 events held in the charreada, or Mexican-style rodeo. The tripping is intentional, and points are awarded for dropping the horse. Horse tripping is an under-ground activity similar to dog fighting or cockfighting. "Few horses survive and it usually results in broken legs, internal damage, and death", said Williams who once supervised the Maricopa Sheriff's Offices Animal Cruelty Unit. In a bi-partisan effort, Senator Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix have sponsored State Bill 1115. "This sounded odd and I didn't realize it went on in Arizona", Paton said. "I felt like it was something that needed to be fixed. I don't like to watch animals killed for sport". Horse Rescues have rescued many wonderful horses whose injuries from this malicious abuse led to massive medical complications requiring euthanizing the horses. From the inception of this BLOG Page, readers are familiar with my passionate stand against this cruelty and I urge Governor Brewer to demonstrate her leadership and compassion in signing this bill into law immediately.

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The bill would also apply to ponies, mules and donkeys. To be clear, this legislation excludes horse racing, training, bran ding or traditional rodeo sports such as steer roping or bulldogging. Violators who knowingly trip these animals for sport could be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by two days in jail and a $1,000 fine (a soft sentence that needs to be made tougher).

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A second animal-welfare measure was packaged along with S1115. That bill was introduced by Rep. Nancy Young Wright, D-Tucson. It would give county officials the authority to inspect privately owned dog kennels anytime once a written complaint is filed. The bill recently cleared the Legislature. In my view, horses are beautiful creatures of God's making. They are very spiritual in nature, and have been responsible for helping to industrialize America. In addition to their majestic beauty and popularity at nationwide horse shows and competitive events, horses assist disabled adults and children at Therapeutic Horsemanship's. One local organization that I support is listed on the right hand column of this BLOG Page, Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship. The anniversary of my Cousin's passing later this month was mentioned in a phone conversation I had with her mother (my Aunt) yesterday. I know if my Cousin were still with us, she would be very interested in the outcome of this bill. I will be waiting and watching for news today.