Cats, Horses, People, Critters, Etc.

["Karen J. Zelinsky" <kjz2@juno.com>]

Being an animal person, not just a horse-nut, I want to say how HAPPY I
am to hear the positive things about caring for cats from you folks that
have been posting recently.  I come from an animal house family - mother
bred persian cats for years, before she hung it up and helped SAVE
critters and start a local animal welfare group.   

It's interesting how people care for their animals.  It reflects (to me)
on how they feel about people and life in general.  I have found, in my
equine massage work in the last few years -- in and out of many stables,
racetracks, showgrounds, backyards -- how many horse people aren't
necessarily good to their OTHER animals.  It has turned my stomach to see
people putting tons of money on their show animals and not care if one of
their "barn" cats has an injury or is obviously in dire need of help.  A
cat's life is cheap to some of them.  Or the ones that will primp their
dogs, but not their cats. Selective critter love.   The fastest way for
my blood to boil is for mistreatment of ANY animal.  If a person doesn't
care for the smallest critter, something tells me that they really don't
care in a healthy way about their horses.  You could say it starts from
the "bottom" and works up.

 I really feel that you endurance people, of all the horse people whom I
have met, are simply the BEST people in the horse connection.  Of course
you care for your horses like no one else, because with endurance horses,
quick fixes don't work, a use 'em and lose 'em theory doesn't work, and
making money is not an issue (YET.....) -- it's just an incredible
long-term commitment to quality care.  You folks probably (have to) plot,
plan, and DO more with and for your critters to produce the goal of
ride-worthy horses than anyone does caring for themselves. Human athletes
must have an easy job compared to you folks -- they set their own goals
and can research and perform and do their jobs, but when you combine that
with another critter than can't talk our language!!  Wow!!  Look at how
stressed out people like Angie get when trying to figure out the why of
her horse not working perfectly -- trying to diagnose and analyze 'til
their blue in the face, and hopefully, in the end the persistence will
pay off and everyone will share the findings of how problems were solved.
 

Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you all how much hearing from people like
you helps my heart.  I am not the only one out there who loves all
animals so much.  You all do too!!

Smiling in PA, at my critter geriatric ward...
Karen, ESMT
Keely - 21 year old and getting younger arab mare,
Alex, the saved Standardbred - likes this pasture more than the track!
Tootsie, my 17 year plus one-eyed, three legged saved barn cat who can
give more love per pound than almost any critter can!
Kate, my 17 yr. old kitty found playing in the middle of a 4 lane highway
- another love machine
and the others that passed through here - 2 horses making it to 30, older
cats, dogs, and on and on......  

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