The ANNIVERSARY

The Anniversary of

the Death of 3 Strikes Ranch

.....there is a lot of discussion happening

about what should the actual date be

which would mark the anniversary of the

saving of the horses that remained

in the hands of Jason Meduna,

or you could call it the

end of 3 Strikes Mustang Ranch.

It would seem natural that the date would be when

the last surviving horse was removed from the hell hole

that engulfed so many others; a final count that will

never be known for sure as to how many perished.

We will never know how many innocent babies died,

out in those sand dunes of Nebraska.

The land so abused, as abused as the horses;

in the care of Meduna and his wife.

For myself, the first anniversary was March 6 of 2010.

I started taking pictures long before that day of March 6, 2009,

but it was that Friday afternoon that he walked

out of the trailer, and noticed me on my 4-wheeler.

It was Friday, March 6, that he saw me taking pictures.

*

It was that afternoon:

he knew that I knew.

*

This picture was taken Saturday, April 10, 2010

It is already different from when I first saw it earlier. My mom stands in the background. That day Mom, Dad, and I went to the bone pile. They had never seen it; in person. As we crested the hill and the bones were in their view for the first time, there was a little gasp. My dad said, "That's not right." My mom said, "Oh my God." It is hard to imagine someone just dragging a bunch of horses to a pile and leaving them to rot. It's hard to imagine until you stand at the pile, and those bones become bodies of helpless, loving and innocent horses. Horses of all ages. A baby laying by it's mom in bones over the hill. A sight that those who were out there could have seen, if they just could have been allowed off the trail, because the trail was so close. Many would have driven right by this pile....they did not hear the cries of the horses. They did not listen. They listened to Jason. Now, people are listening. The horses and burros will always be remembered. Time will go on, more horses will have unimaginable endings somewhere else, but some horses will be saved.... By loving, unselfish people who do what they do, because they are called? or because they just know they are needed. So in their compassion they reach out and give all they can to help. They do this time and time again. The strength they have is something I cannot imagine; but it is something I could only hope to be blessed with. Thank you Mom and Dad for all you helped me with during this whole entire ordeal. And thank all the people who had anything to do with the saving of these wonderful animals. You can find more information about the survivors on various sites. Start with the NE200:

http://nebraska200.horsereunions.com/

One of my favorite songs, "Bless the Beasts and the Children"...I think I'll go sit down at my piano now. I haven't played this in ages. I imagine I'll have a whole new perspective on the song.