Christian Cowgirl

Animal Sacrifices

Christian Cowgirl — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:51:37 +0000

As an animal lover I always found it difficult to understand why the God who created animals, would command the sacrifice of them. It seemed incredibly cruel to me.

Then I read verses like the following by David in Psalm 51:16-17.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

What? That really confused me. Did God want sacrifices or not?

Molly, Hurricane Katrina Rescue Story

Christian Cowgirl — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:48:45 +0000

Hurricane Katrina, August of 2005, was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the U.S. Although this occurred over four years ago, I just recently read the true story of the rescue of a plucky little pony.

Fifteen-year-old Molly had been left behind when her owners fled the hurricane. She spent two weeks alone in her stall with only a little food and water. When Kaye Harris heard about the pony, she brought her to her nearby farm. Molly spent several happy months there, but in December was viciously attacked by a rescued pit bull named Red. Molly suffered abdominal, throat and leg wounds and her vet, Dr. Allison Barca, did not expect her to survive.

The blood vessels leading to her right front hoof were damaged. One day when the vet was changing her bandage, Molly’s hoof fell off. Dr. Barca thought she would have to put the pony down, but Harris suggested a prosthetic. They met with Dr. Rustin Moore at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Although skeptical at first, after seeing Molly Dr. Moore said, “Molly’s demeanor to me after watching her showed me she’s smart, could lie down on either side, she liked to be around people and would let people help her.” He decided she would be a good candidate for the surgery, although he had never performed one of that type before.

After the one-hour surgery, Molly was able to walk on a cast that doubled as a temporary prosthetic. Five weeks later she was fitted for a permanent prosthetic, for free, by Dwayne Mara at Bayou Orthotic and Prosthetic Center. Mara had never made a prosthetic for an animal before. Molly's artificial leg sports a smiley face imprint on the bottom.

“This was the right horse and the right owner,” Moore insisted. “Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She’s tough as nails but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood that she was in trouble.”

Dr. Barca cautions that Molly’s operation should not get other horse owners’ hopes up too high. “It’s not the kind of thing you could do on just any horse,” said Barca, who credits Molly’s willingness to lay down as an important step in her recovery.

Fractures and other injuries to the limb opposite to the amputated limb are the most common cause of euthanasia following this type of injury. Equine limb prostheses are currently available only for amputations below the knee or hock. Molly’s small size, low weight, and lower energy level also contributed to her successful recovery from the amputation. Another important factor is the commitment of the owner, who must be willing to provide daily care over the lifetime of the horse.

Harris states that Molly prefers to have the prosthetic limb off, but also seems to ask for it to be put back on at times. "And she asks for it - she will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.”

Since her recovery Molly has had a new job. Kaye started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. They’ve been to various places in Louisiana, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky and Alabama so far. Molly is scheduled to be in the Equine Village during the World Equestrian Games in 2010 in Lexington, KY.

LSU video about Molly and the surgery

Molly's Website

I couldn't find the exact number of horses that have successfully undergone amputation and prosthetic limbs, but the number is very small. Here are links to a few others.

Thor - former successful jumper, victim of abuse and neglect

Jude - donkey whose leg was cut off trying to free himself from barbed wire hobbles (that's what it says on the site, I have never heard of such a thing and hope that they do not exist!)

Gideon - stallion with hind leg prosthetic

Luigi - donkey born without a lower left front leg

Sitka - mare who has all 4 legs, but an injury to right front hoof caused it to permanently bend backwards

Steve Edwards, Mule Trainer, Pastor - Cowboy Christian Ministries

Christian Cowgirl — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:59:45 +0000

Going through life ups and downs, Steve went to hear his brother Paul give his testimony of his new life in Christ. Steve says that people in the church came up to him asking where he went to church. Steve told them he didn’t need church; his church was the desert and the mountains. Folks in the church said they would start praying for him. In 1982 Steve and Susan heard a message about salvation. Steve says he couldn’t believe it (salvation) was free (Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.). Steve had a hard time believing the whole Bible was written to show the way to our Creator.

Steve had a 5th grade reading level when he graduated from high school. When he began reading the Bible, Susan and their kids did the reading. Steve claimed the verse James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” This is part of Steve’s daily prayer. In 1992 the church Steve was attending called him into the ministry. Steve was ordained through Hi-Way Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist church. Steve holds cowboy church every time he has a clinic for training mules and does most of this preaching from the saddle on a mule.

Steve is located in Queen Valley Arizona and is one of the leading authorities on mule training. Steve has been featured on RFD TV and at expos such as Equine Affaire, Equifest, Ride The West Hoosier Horse Fair, MHC Horse Expo Mane Event, and Festival of the Horse. For more information about Steve, mule training, and mule tack visit Steve's website - muleranch.com

Master’s Degree in Patience

Christian Cowgirl — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:37:14 +0000

Before becoming a Christian I had very little patience with myself. My self-worth was wrapped up in my performance. My expectation was that I should be able to do everything well, even when it was something I had never tried before. I happened to be very good at a lot of things – academics in school, art, and many sports, but there is always going to be someone better than you or something that you just can’t do, so I was often frustrated with myself.

When I became a Christian, at age 27, I learned that my worth is based on being a child of God, not on how well I performed. I prayed that God would give me patience. I guess I assumed it would arrive in a package with a bow on top or something, but that is not how God works.

Patience is not something God gives you, it’s something He develops in you, over time, as He takes you through difficult or frustrating situations. Over the years God gave me three daughters and led me to homeschool them. Not that children are a “trial” in a negative sense, but they do require a lot of patience. I’m happy to say that all three of my daughters are past the point where I have to help them with their math!

After 15 years of homeschooling I felt like I had become a pretty patient person, achieving the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in patience. Then this past summer I bought a mule, a spoiled mule that was quite used to getting her own way. Maybe God looked down on me and thought I was becoming a little smug about my level of patience.

I’m looking forward to working with my mule, Sassy, and realize that I have not quite arrived when it comes to patience. Perhaps Sassy will take me on to the Master’s level. Right now I’m studying mule training videos from Steve Edwards the “John Lyons of the mule world.” Steve is also a Christian. You can read his testimony here and visit his website muleranch.com.

James reminds us that it is through trials and the development of patience that we are made mature and complete. I hope that you also are growing in patience each day with your equines, family members, friends, and acquaintances.

James 1:2-5 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Abusive Training Practices

Christian Cowgirl — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:15:21 +0000

I wrote previously about my buddy sour mule, Sassy. I was searching Youtube yesterday for mule training videos to see how I could help her overcome this annoying problem and came across this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L9qpfH72c8

The people in the video claim to be “training” mules. This is not training. It’s animal abuse. As I watched, I alternated between feeling sick to my stomach and wanting to give the “trainers” some of their own medicine.

In case the video is removed, here are the “highlights” of the video.

This mule had a tire tied to his saddle and was forced to drag it around. Then for some reason they started throwing things at him, including the tubs/buckets shown in the next two pictures. If he stopped moving, they used a long whip to make him move.