ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

They shoot our horses – don’t they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2LtusVQ ... ature=plcp

She leant against the slip-rails with an apple in her hand
an offering of friendship to a mate
A brumby who’d been rescued from an agonizing death,
who now stood quiet and docile by the gate.
His soft and questing muzzle took the apple that she held
he ate it with a measure of delight,
then poked his head over the rail and blew into her hair.
She never worried once that he might bite.

She asked in her child’s simple way as little children do
‘ Why do they shoot horses ? That makes me sad.
Why would you hurt an animal that is so good and kind?
Was it because they did something real bad?
We learnt at school that horses were the backbone of our nation.
They worked for us and carried men in war.
This country wouldn’t be the special place it is today
without horses. What do we shoot them for?’

Her small face clouded over; there was a tear in her eye.
She stroked the soft and downy chestnut cheek
and laid her face against the whiskery muzzle that was there
to overcome with sorrow now to speak.
And how could one tell her that we shoot horses from the air,
and leave them to a slow and lingering death;
or truck them off to knackeries to end their life in fear
and pain. Should we not sorrow for their death?

The brumbies of our nation carried our young men to war
and worked hard on many an outback run.
Pulled carriages for Cobb and Co on rough and dusty roads
and safely carried our kids just for fun.
They helped explore this nation back in very early days
going without water and often feed
Some the only companion to a bloke out on the land
they were a mate, not just a trusty steed.

Yet we stand mute and silent now and let the carnage rage.
Horsepower to-day purely mechanical.
How can we now in conscience turn our back on living things
and exercise a will tyrannical.
Please spare a moment, give a thought, exhort the voice of reason
Let people power be heard across our land
Let it be known our Aussie heritage can’t be sold short.
We need to save our Brumbies and their bloodlines while we can.



Maureen Clifford © 03/12

Very well written Maureen. Unfortunately if we identify something as a destructive feral animal sentimentality doesn't count.

Thanks Neville - it is not so much the culling that gets my goat as the perceived to be efficient, but in fact inefficient and cruel method of doing it. I confess to a degree of sentimentality as well - we can't save them all more's the pity because they would be eating themselves out of house and home and seeing animals starve to death is not a pretty picture either.

But unless people are aware of the magnitude of the problem and it is huge - how can they help. In my head these horses are like the pound puppies they are the ones we should be saving. They are a resource that is already there. No need to be breeding up designer hacks. I say that for the same reason I say always take a dog from the pound - don't support puppy farmers. The resource is already available. Living and breathing and loving and giving - so why kill it and then replace it with another. It is taking the idea of a throw away society to obscene levels.

Sentiment aside - no animal deserves to die in agony. There has to be a better way

Thanks for taking the time Neville to read and comment. It's appreciated.

Cheers

Maureen

Agreed Maureen. Any culling needs to be done in a way that the animal does not suffer. We've had cattle slaughtered here for meat and it is instant and there is no suffering. I wouldn't do it otherwise.

Heather

I agree Maureen. I hate the thought of culling the brumbies, but recognise that sometimes it has to be done.
However, it is the way that they do it that is so bad. Aerial culling should be banned. There is no way that anyone could argue it is humane!!
What they did in the Kosiosko National Park a number of years ago was a disgrace.
A couple of years ago, they did a culling of brumbies up in the Kimberley region of WA. Hundreds of horses were shot, not with a clean shot to the head, but in shoulders, necks, backs, etc - and left to die a painful death. The culling was discovered when a very young foal wandered close to death into a neighbouring station. I saw some photos of the aftermath by a man who found them, and they weren't pretty!!

I wrote a poem at that time - will post it, with no apologies!!

Irene

Irene if that is the same cull that I mentioned in the video clip they shot 660 horses and as you say only 1 foal survived - disgraceful. The horses in the video clip with the Kosciusko prefix are the ones saved from the snowy mountains the ones with Tanami are the Western Australian ones - all of them were saved by Hoofs10 but of course there are many other organizations out there doing a good job as well.

Maureen. I grew up with horses as everything through the 30-50's was all horses.Our family operated a tanking sinking business with horse right up until tractors were introduced. Horse then, were like quad bike's today in farm work. They should be treated with respect until the end.

Hi Maureen,
Not sure what video you are talking about, but yes, it would be the same cull.
Only the foal didn't end up surviving.
It survived long enough to get to the neighbouring station, and alert people as to what had happened, but it was too sick, and died a few days later.

Can you give me the link to the video you are talking about?
Catchya
IRene

Have put the link up under the poem title Irene. Lovely to see it appearing on Hoofs web page

http://www.hoofs2010.com/

I am so happy they could make use of it -take a minute or two to have a browse though their site they do amazing work.

Totally agree Noel

They should be treated with respect until the end.

and that is exactly the point

How privileged you were to have had the opportunity to work so closely with such lovely animals. As a kid in England from the age of about 8 I spent every summer holiday from daylight to dusk working with donkeys on the beach at Margate giving kids donkey rides (don't think they do it any more) and when we came to Australia I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to help as a strapper at racing stables at Ascot. Every chance I got I was there. I've had an abiding love for horse every since.

Cheers

Maureen