The following story I wish I could say is fictional but sadly it is true and very recent.
As many people are aware, I have my horses in a few different places…… Salinas, CA., Prunedale, CA., Norco, CA. and HorseShoe Bend, ID. I have been lucky enough to breed and raise some of the very best foundation Morgan Horse bloodlines and sharing these bloodlines with as many people of like mind is very important to me and to the breed. As it is well stated on my website, the following horses were in HorseShoe Bend with Terry Jenson of the T bar K Ranch and Cattle Co.
OGO Higuera Rio Bravo ( Higuera Bandido x Circle H Merlita ) Chestnut Stallion – proven to produce quality foals and only intact son of Higuera Bandido the stallion I have based my entire breeding program on.
OGO Circle H Hunnewill ( Higuera Bandido x Circle H Merlita) Bay no white gelding
OGO Circle H Romanesque ( Vining Lamar x Circle H Merlita) Chestnut Roan Flaxen Stud Prospect
OGO Shawalla El Cortez ( Vining Lamar x Golden WinterMist) Palomino gelding ( gelded without my permission not by Terry Jensen)
OGO Primavera Red Oak ( Vining Lamar x OGO Bellota Del Oro) Chestnut stud colt ( belonging to Amy Don Scheroder)
On the evening of May 10th I was notified that OGO Circle H Hunnewill and OGO Shawalla El Cortez were no longer in Terry Jensens possession and OGO Higuera Rio Bravo, OGO Circle H Romanesque, and OGO Primavera Red Oak were in extreme danger of being disposed of as well.
Thankfully to some very quick action by numerous people the three named horses above were rescued from what could have been a horrible fate.
Thank you to the Idaho City, Idaho Sheriffs dept for their instant attention on this matter as well as thier high quality investigative action. The sheriff was able to use thier well honed detective measures to identify who disposed of my horses and make the appropriate calls to get the chain of information moving. Their ongoing help in this matter just shows how lucky we all are to live in such a country that has such hard working and honest law enforcement. More detailed thanks will be given when the investigation is closed.
Thank you to the Idaho state brand inspectors Larry Hayhurst and Herb Faust who did double duty to track down the paper trail on my horses and continue making the phone calls and asking of the questions that allowed me to at least know where the end of the trail was for my horses. Larry and Herb I know it was a lot of extra work but know that your job is an important one and for those of us who need you, you have proven you step right up to the plate without batting an eye.
Thank you Terry Jensen for working so hard for the quality and history of this American made product of the Old West, The Foundation Morgan Horse.
With my thanks now expressed I am very sad to say that the fate of the two horses were too late to save, OGO Circle H Hunnewill a beautiful example of what every gelding should be……. stallion quality in the gelding package. and OGO Shawalla El Cortez to my knowledge, the most concentrated Foundation Shawalla bred horse in the entire world….. they were shipped like unwanted garbage to a slaughter house enduring god only knows what sort of travel and terror. After being unloaded into most likely some sort of holding lot then shuttled into a chute awaiting their turn in the kill box where the smell of blood and death and screams of fear had to be over whelming. They were hopefully, best case scenario, stunned into unconsciousness before being hoisted up by one leg to hang, still living but hopefully unconscious, until reaching the destination where their throats were slit and they bled out. I will not describe anything else other than the best case scenario as the graphic nature of that description would clearly be much much worse and very likely was the case.
I am attempting to gain the help of the Idaho State District Attorneys Office Mr. R. J. Twillgar (208) 392-4485 to criminally prosecute the man that disposed of my horses.
If the DA feels that laws have been broken and the case meets the qualifications to take and procecute, I have made a promise to the memory of my horses and to others that have had their horses stolen and never recovered to prosecute this horse thief under the fullest extent of Idaho law.
Full details of this matter are unable to be released at this time due to, all Americans, even scummy ones, are allowed the right of, “Assumed innocent until proven guilty”. As a proud American I will honor that until the party is either proven innocent or proven guilty. If proven guilty as a Proud American I will exercise my right to Freedom of Speech.
Any and all prayers and well wishes are appreciated.
Thank You,
Wendy LeGate
OGO Morgan Horses
http://FOUNDATIONMORGANHORSES.COM/
(And thank you to the Best Web Master in the World Bj de Castro who as a animal lover stopped everything on her vacation to make this article available as soon as she heard that such harm had come to these beautiful and loved creatures.)