giddy up y’all

8354078628_a14b5dec48_bSigh….do people really think that what they write on the Internet is private?  And when they yickety yack no one will dish on them?

And I so love (yes love) when I am referred to by those who just ummm…doth protesteth too much.

Here’s the 411: I did not go looking for irregularities in horse rescue.  I am not rescuing a horse, have never rescued a horse, no longer ride. This all started because of strange postings on Craig’s List.  Not really knowing many in the horse community, I had no idea how this issue would literally explode.  I still have no clue who put up those Craig’s List postings.  But whomever they are, they exposed a seedy underbelly.

All these people rolled up and started commenting.  Apparently this is a HUGE issue in the racing and horse community.  Once Pandora’s stall was opened more stuff was found on the internet and more and more people left comments.

This is not an advertised blog.  Yet here are all these people caring about the same thing.

So it ends up this horse hurricane is centered around a non-profit called Turning For Home and as I understand it a woman who helps dole out these horses leaving the professional life named Barbara Luna?  As I have come to understand it based upon the MANY MANY comments of others left on these posts she works with horse rescues?  The one that piqued my curiosity, was the one that kept cropping up as a topic on those Craig’s List ads was Off The Track Rescue run by a woman named Jessica Basciano .  Until the Craig’s List ads I had never heard about ANY of this.

OTTBOff The Track Rescue unless someone can tell me differently does not appear to be a non-profit or even a formerly formed business, does it? Can anyone find anything other than a fictitious name registration?  Note, that is nothing illegal, but most rescues I know of are non profits so they can accept donations for which people get a tax write off and so they can apply for grants.  Because why? Rescue is EXPENSIVE.   Comments on these posts from people involved with this Jessica and from Jessica herself seem to indicate that the Barbara Luna seems to give like an allowance per horse she places with them?  Is that enough money and quite honestly without a non-profit status or falling under the umbrella of another non-profit isn’t that a taxable nightmare?

Anyway, the fur has been flying since I first mentioned funky Craig’s List ads.   Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth.  Some of the comments left by those PRO-rescue can indeed be interpreted as harassing or threatening and the tales of what 8354078868_5d2d47b3dc_bhappens when the horse sets complain about this rescue is a little odd isn’t it?

And also odd the Where’s Waldo of it all as far as locations of this rescue.  They say Glenmoore, but then there are also references to Phoenixville and Oxford and then lots of refuting a couple of the locations like they don’t exist but people see these rescue horses in these fields so what is up with that?

And then there is the chatter between some of this crew on Facebook after they read things here and comment.  And they do things LOL like refer to “that blogger” and “everyone who thinks they are a writer”.  (Oh honies, silly youse gals, I am a writer)

Yes, if I perceive something as a threat, harassment, or anything else I will indeed publish the name, e-mail addy and I.P. address publicly.  Duh. It’s my blog and maybe in the further reaches of Chester County bullying and harassment is ok, but not where I live.  And I want it to be clear who is saying what.  This is all something very ordinary, and if they were talking to a reporter in traditional media do they seriously think they would all be unnamed sources? And who the heck is making them verbally regurgitate all over the Internet?

I said it before, will repeat it again:  if everyone is on the up and up and all these horses have a proper paper trail in and OUT of state – if they all have tattoos that match those coggins things (never knew what that was until this started), if all the prospective homes for these horses have been properly vetted like they do for other animal rescues, if ALL the vet records are made available for prospective families and those who have already adopted horses, why fuss?  If it is all on the up and up, no worries necessary, right?

But is all the right stuff happening or just more questions and layers and layers of innuendo and comments I sure as hell didn’t seek out? And there are so many questions now that yes, the traditional media is looking at all of this as I understand it.  Apparently what happens to horse once they leave race tracks is somewhat of a hot button topic across the country, isn’t it?

Also at issue here for me is what this group called LAPS actually does. After all if they actually did their job would there be so many darn comments on horse rescue???? And what about this Barbara Luna and Turning for Home?? Of all people, she can explain what the heck is going on.  She can definitively state what horse went where, what monies went with, what records went with and one would also think she would know the ultimate destination of these large, expensive animals, right?

Lurking media?  Please cover this and settle this issue once and for all.  I am tired of much ado about horse rescue. And yes, if I think of something as being menacing, threatening, or harassing, I will post a comment in its entirety including e-mail and IP addresses.   Truthfully I can do that with ANY comment.

(To avoid any belly aching about the screen shots from Facebook, if you don’t have your privacy settings on and the little globe is showing, it means you are showing these posts to the world. )

If nothing bad is happening, then the record will be corrected, but posturing is not proof is it? So when this gets back to being about the horses, let me know ok?

At the end of the day people, I did not originate this topic.  It was out there with plenty of stuff publicly available. But hey, I am just a ninny, right? So what do I know?
I see this as a made for Lifetime TV Moment of Truth Movie some day there is so much yackety yak…..

wading into a potential manure pile

not snapped to anyone’s lead line

groundhog day came early…

horsegate…oh, the drama!

the funny thing about asking questions about  horse rescue…

horsegate…oh, the drama!

Photo courtesy of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue and their public Facebook Page

Photo courtesy of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue and their public Facebook Page

Here I was minding my own business, moving onto other topics, taking care of my family, seeing a dog through chemo and WHAM!  I get sucked back into Horsegate, not yet a movie.  As in Much Ado About Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue.

When last I heard about all this stuff, I heard from the owner of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue, Jessica Troxell Basciano. It was 12/8/2012.  She sent me comments she asked me not to publish.  I decided to honor her request for the time being (as in not forever).  I am beginning to regret that as it seems this blog is being contacted by her posse, her protégés, her employees or her pals? (Just a hunch, yes?)

I am generally speaking an experienced blogger and tolerant and understanding when people get upset or heated about a topic.  I also know when to call a spade a spade when comments cross the line.

Yesterday the comments on “the funny thing about asking questions about horse rescue” exploded.  So I nosed around the horse community and someone tells me there was some sort of court date yesterday?  Possibly near Oxford PA? (I am asking because I don’t have the docket so can’t say definitively – if I did have the docket which is indeed public information I would post it.)

Anyway, comments from a Christina, Alice, and I don’t remember who.  At first I thought they were comments threatening towards me for writing about this in the first place.  That in and of itself kind of pissed me off in the whole First Amendment of it all.  I saw crazy ads on Craigslist, so why couldn’t I write about and ask questions about them and a horse rescue? But the comments as per a clarification by the poster Christina (thank you for apologizing to me by the way), were directed at someone else – someone who must have testified in court.

I said to “Christina”:

I wrote about this topic, I have moved onto other topics and for a topic that is purportedly such a “non-issue” it seems to be a problem. ….If you took in horses on the up and up, have all the records, have those coggins things people talk about and so on and so forth you are good, so why respond to anyone anywhere in a threatening matter?

I have been patient with people on both sides of this issue and have tried to be fair to whomever this Jessica is.  As a matter of fact at her plea, I did not post some comments she left when obviously upset.

Then there was a post by someone named “Heather” who told someone else she wasn’t angry and couldn’t care less (but she still felt the need to comment.)

Alrighty, quite the tempest in the stable teapot don’t you think?

My Spidy Sense is tingling and if there wasn’t something funkalicious going on, why would people keep leaving comments?

Jessica Basciano and Barbara Luna what say you on this?  The horses start with Barbara and Turning for Home before coming to Jessica and Off The Track Throughbred Rescue right?

Again, if this Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue ends up being totally legit with a good non-profit status, etc, etc I will update the posts.  Just like if this Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue doesn’t end up being legit and isn’t really a non-profit, etc, etc I will update the posts.

But it is four days before Christmas and I am sick of the happy horse manure quite frankly.

I do not take threats lightly, and I live in a part of Chester County with very helpful and friendly law enforcement.  More importantly, a lot of people read my blog, including fairly influential Chester County folks any rescue or rescue owner might wish to cultivate.

So rein it in ladies.  I don’t do girl fights and intimidation.  I am a lot of years out of high school, so let the mean girl of it all go.

If this is supposed to be about the good of the horses, then stop making it about the people and personalities.

And media out there that I know watches this blog a story on this would be nice as it is getting to be a bit much in the drama of it all, don’t you think? Besides since it is in some court room somewhere in Chester County there might be something to all of this after all, maybe?

And for you true horse rescue types, here is yet another Craigslist Ad that makes me scratch my head – it is out of Douglassville, which I have no clue where that town is:

horse ad

For those wondering who is on first, let alone who is on third, here are links to the posts and comments….except the ones I am withholding for the time being that is:

wading into a potential manure pile

the funny thing about asking questions about  horse rescue…

not snapped to anyone’s lead line

it’s not nice to criticize, but…

……It took that reporter from the Daily Local/Mercury almost a month to report on skeet shooting leaving Ludwig’s Corner.  I think that’s a bit ridiculous.

By SARA MOSQUEDA-FERNANDEZ smfernandez@journalregister.com

Posted: 03/05/12 12:57 pm

WEST VINCENT – Ludwigs Corner Horse Show Grounds will no longer be home to the Chester Springs Skeet Shooting Club.

The gun club, which had been established on the grounds for about 60 years, disbanded on Monday, Feb. 6….According to Jacobs, the contract for the gun club’s use of the property as a shooting range allows for a 12 month notice to end the lease, giving them until February 2013 to stop using the site for skeet shooting.

“It’s just amazing that they were thinking of us instead of themselves,” said Jacobs…….Most of the complaints related to the noise [WERE] caused by the sport, however, according to Jacobs, when the neighboring houses are sold, the contracts inform new owners that they will be living next to a gun club.

  Jacobs also said that the club, which was founded primarily by World War II veterans, was not only renter of a portion of the property, but also gave the association significant donations, and provided several volunteers for the events held at the grounds, most notably the Ludwigs Corner Horse Show.

Oh and here’s a lil’ update from the Sainted Chicken (think maybe The Daily Local can check this out?):

Hi
People have asked what happened at the township hearing (Feb 13, 2012) for the Pam Brown Corrective ordinance. The video is on the Township website. In a quick synopsis, there was a resident that asked what the changes were and would the changes be explained. He was told that “the ordinance had been on the website for months and that he should have read it” (paraphrased). Shortly thereafter, several people (Patty Kozac, Michelle Thomas, unidentified others) pointed out that there was change towards INCREASE in density, not reduction. The Supervisors denied the claim for several minutes stating that is was a decrease. It was realized that the wording did INCREASE density. The Supervisors took almost a ONE HOUR executive session while the crowd waited and now will perform further review. Apparently, the Supervisors did not read the ordinance either.Nor do they follow the law, once again. To meet in Executive Session, the subject must meet certain criteria.

http://www.lgc.state.pa.us/deskbook06/Issues_Citizens_Rights_02_Pa_Sunshine_Act.pdf     See page #42

For the density discussion Meeting February 13, Video Part 1, 24.24 minutes to 32.30 minutes. The rest of the hearing is gone. Poof! Disappeared. I understand that the hearing went from 7:30 pm to about 11:00 pm. Only 30 minutes of the hearing is available. Why? ANOTHER video missing. Most likely to prevent the viewer from hearing the Pam Brown discussion. Just like the missing December 16 video which most likely is to keep the viewer from catching Clare Quinn calling a resident a “bitch”, (which Clare Quinn denies).

The hearing has been continued to April 2 for the Pam Brown Corrective Ordinance and will continue to field questions and figure out what has been changed and why. I recommend people be there. I understand the last hearing was well attended.

By the way. In today’s Pottstown Mercury, a sad article on the demise of the Skeet Club in Ludwig’s Corner.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120305/NEWS01/120309793/ludwigs-corner-skeet-shooting-club-disbands&pager=full_story
It is my belief this is the strategy of the township to erode finances from the Horse Show to push them towards a sale of the property to the township. Support the Horse Show. Become a member. Attend the event. Remember those that are still attempting to take it away, albeit subversively.

To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

Disappearing public meeting tapes?  Wow that is so Good Government for West Vincent, isn’t it? I mean good lord, I criticize Lower Merion but they make the meeting tapes available and run them on public access television. Radnor is even easier access to things of a sunshiney nature.  Look at West Vincent and their “minutes may be available” of it all.  Seriously?  Aren’t they required to make things like this available, not lose meeting tapes, minutes, etc?  Who are the state reps and state senators that serve in and near West Vincent? I am also curious to know is West Vincent this bass ackwards because they seceded from the rest of the Commonwealth of PA and possibly the U.S.?    Seriously, the more I hear about West Vincent the more I wonder how the State hasn’t looked closely at them and the way they do business at a minimum.  Mayberry politics at their worst. West Vincent needs sunshine and a good broom.