Travis Xavier Farrier Service

08/24/2023

CRITICAL - PLEASE READ

New Language Proposed for the Federal Horse Protection Act Will Make Horse Owners Criminals

Federal lawmakers need to hear that you object to the new proposed language in the Horse Protection Act.

Animal extremist groups are attempting to expand the federal Horse Protection Act in order to exert their control over the entire horse industry. It will give an unelected “Horse Protection Inspector” and APHIS officials control over every aspect of the care you provide your horse and your activities.

If they get their way, the Horse Protection Act will apply to any horse that is being shown, exhibited, or entered into a sale or auction.

Some, but not all of the regulations are as follows:

- Your horses will be inspected at every horse show, exhibition, sale or auction by an unelected federal official with the title, “Horse Protection Inspector”

- Your personal information, information about your farm or ranch, information about your horse and your trainer and veterinarian will be kept on file for every single event you attend and will be submitted to APHIS and the USDA

- Your horses can be detained and removed from your custody for 24 hours by the Horse Protection Inspector

- Your horses' legs will be examined with a fine tooth comb, any blemishes, moisture, edema, cuts, abrasions, or scar tissue will subject you to a violation of federal law and disqualification.

- You will be restricted from applying fly spray or any other grooming products to your horse’s legs.

- If you win your class, your horse will be subjected to reinspection, and if your horse happens to clip itself, or get a rub from a boot, you will be disqualified

- Horse show and event management will have layers of paperwork to comply with

- If a Horse Protection Inspector is not available on the dates of your show or event, you will have to apply for a variance at least 15 days ahead of time

- Your horse will not be allowed to receive any therapeutic care at a horse show, exhibition, sale or auction unless it is performed by a veterinarian. This includes salt water baths, cryotherapy, massage, chiropractic adjustments, PMF and more.

- If your horse requires some therapeutic or preventive treatment or medication, complete veterinary medical records must be submitted to the Horse Protection Inspector along with treatment schedule and prognosis.

We have carefully dissected the language and created a document highlighting the most egregious regulations.

It is up on our website, along with a link to the 129-page document which has been submitted to the federal government.

At the minimum, you must take the time to read the information we have provided so you know what the result will be if you decide to ignore this and to not get engaged.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Become a member of Western Justice, and donate more if you can.
You can make a tax-deductible donation to our 501c3.
BECOME A MEMBER: https://www.westernjustice.info/memberships

SIGN THE PETITION
We have set up a petition on our Rural America in Action platform
Sign the Petition: https://bit.ly/Stop-The-Horse-Protection-Act

PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMENT PROCESS:
The language has just been submitted and the comment process to the federal government and policymakers has opened. Comments are recorded and weighed. We will have some sample comments for you to follow but they must be in an original format. Keep in mind, that you do not have to write an essay, you just need to provide your name, why you are a stakeholder, and that you wholly object to the new proposed language.

Link to Comment: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/APHIS-2022-0004-0001

Link to Additional Information: https://www.westernjustice.info/horseprotectionact

08/15/2023

Los Angeles Rodeo Ban Update

-RODEO BAN UPDATE-
COWBOYS AT THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING THIS MORNING:

Western Justice and members of the Western Sports Industry Coalition are in Los Angeles, waiting for the Los Angeles City Council meeting to start.

They will be speaking during the general comment period.
The meeting starts at 10:00 AM PST
You can watch by following this link (link should be live when meeting starts): https://lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=119875

Cowboys:
Dorencamp Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Esteban Escobedo FMCH California
Dave Duquette Western Justice
Todd Lavergne - LA Pony Rides

01/18/2023

Message from Western Justice. Another push is needed to provide comments in support of Rodeo, Barrel Racing, Team Roping, Horse Shows and Livestock. The direct link to the comment page is in the original post.

01/07/2023

𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙤 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙗

33.8 years: average age of ropers at the time of injury, ranging from 8 to 65 years.

64% Percentage of ropers who would replant their thumb again if given the option.

73.3% were successful.

26.7% were not.

58.3%: Percentage of patients who reported roping performance at or above prior-to- injury levels.

75% of individuals lost their thumb during a dally. Of these: 38.9% lost it while heading, and 61.1% lost it while heeling.

Full report summary from UT Southwestern Medical Center Study: https://teamropingjournal.com/ropers-stories/rodeo-thumb-research-on-whether-to-save-or-amputate/

12/02/2022

Heads up Texas!

The push to ban horse-drawn carriages is put forth by animal rights extremists who have zero cares about lawful operators. 

09/21/2022

Great news

09/14/2022

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐬

It is the goal of the extremely well-funded animal extremist movement to destroy our culture city by city. Without intervention, time-honored lifestyles and livelihoods could be displaced and outlawed.

"𝙏𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩"
While far from reality, shocking and emotional rhetoric is used to provide false information to the public and law makers that western sports equipment, such as cotton flank straps and spurs, are used to inflict pain and suffering on livestock.

The deceptive yet effective legislation restricting the use of equipment such as spurs and flank straps originated in Pittsburgh PA. It quickly spread and was adopted by several eastern cities and states, including:

· The state of Ohio which prohibits the use of spurs.

· Baltimore County, Maryland prohibits calf roping and the use of spurs.

· St. Petersburg, Florida prohibits rodeo.

· Greenburgh, New York prohibits rodeos on town property.

· Fort Wayne, Indiana prohibits rodeo.

· Leestown Virginia and Southampton, New York have effectively banned rodeo by prohibiting the use of bucking straps and spurs.

· Rhode Island prohibits all calf roping except breakaway roping, thus also resulting in steer roping being illegal.

Animal extremists attempt to disguise their real intent with the claim that “we’re not trying to ban rodeo, just devices used in rodeo.” However, a closer look at SHARK’s website shows us that this is exactly what they aim to do. The next two comments are directly from their website.

“Southampton, New York effectively bans rodeos by prohibiting the use of electric prods or shocking devices, flank or bucking straps, wire tie-downs, sharpened spurs, bull hooks and bullwhips at rodeos”.

“Leestown, Virginia has also effectively banned rodeo by restricting the use of flank straps, electric prods and spurs”.

The number of anti-rodeo laws already in place is startling, and demonstrates all too well the insidious, incremental way animal extremists are advancing their agenda. Also, from SHARK’s website:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has exposed the sham of rodeo by banning their “tools of torture”; By prohibiting the use of electric prods, shocking devices, flank or bucking straps, wire tie-downs, sharpened or fixed spurs, and rowels in rodeos, the rodeos can’t force the animals to “perform.” Pittsburgh is a blackout city for rodeos and their cruelty.

𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩
Several large West Coast municipalities have fallen victim to the extremists’ agenda and their “Tools of Torment” tactic. Rodeo is now prohibited in Napa County, San Francisco, and the city of Pasadena.

It is painfully clear that the old adage “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile” holds true.

Similar ordinances prohibiting essential equipment used in rodeo, bull riding, and equestrian events are currently under consideration by the City of Los Angeles and Alameda County. Alameda was successfully swayed into passing legislation banning the children’s mutton busting event and is currently proposing an amendment prohibiting the use of spurs, cotton flank straps, and non-breakaway ropes. If amended, countless equestrian events and livelihoods will be adversely affected forever.

Although our efforts are still underway, Western Justice and the unprecedented Western Sports Industry Coalition have achieved significant progress in preventing Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, from passing a resolution on this deceptive and far-reaching legislation. Without our efforts it would have likely passed last year.

Now, we must fight as never before; instead of playing defense against the animal extremist movement, we must take a proactive approach. Western Justice and the Western Sports Industry Coalition are leading the charge to file lawsuits, if necessary, against the municipalities that are allowing animal extremists’ ideology to take hold. We have the team in place to produce the highest possibility of victory.

𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳.

This is a national issue that can only be resolved by everyone participating in this fight, either as a member of Western Justice or the Western Sports Industry Coalition.

𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚.

Photo credit: Jodie Baxendale