I had a first hand encounter with the world where people and animals blur. I hit a bear and a bear hit me. No, it wasn’t a boxing match. It was a jay running bear rushing across the road. No slamming on of the brakes would prevent the collision. The bear cartwheeled impressively as a gymnast over the hood and into the woods.
I pulled to the side and cautiously got out and stared at my car, wincing. Badly bent, my Neon now had a front end like a Volkswagon bug. My headlight was gone, even the bulb. I went back to the back bumper and peered back toward the woods. No movement, no body, and a sense of self preservation said don’t look too close. If it’s alive, it’s upset. The following drivers checked to see if I was okay and I carefully climbed back in the car and drove on to work.
Once well clear of ‘possible upset bear’ zone, I got to work, pulled in the parking lot, popped the hood…and winced as my fingers hit slime. Leaking. Opened hood. Crack. Bent radiator. Old car. I’m….in….trouble…..don’t have money for this. No car, no get to work… Might be totaled… had to be towed home.
I still remind myself the bear was probably hurt worse. Either that or it was made of rubber. And I do feel bad.
I wish there was a way to teach wild animals to look both ways before crossing the road.
I’m Vernon. I’ve been around awhile, and seen a fair bit. Please don’t be put off by the fact that I’m a teddy bear. Give me a chance.
My first ever ‘teddy tip’ is about how people can benefit from the company of a teddy bear.
There is a myth going around that a person outgrows a teddy bear. That only someone immature carries it after they are a little kid, much less a grown up.
I assure you, this is a myth. Recent polls have shown that far more grown ups take a teddy to bed than was thought. A third of Britons admitted it. I don’t know about other countries, but I’m sure other countries would find similar results.
This makes a lot of sense. Grown ups live very stressed lives. They worry about bills and sickness and stuff that …. well, if you think of it that way, it could be a grown up might need the bear even more than the child!
Recently, we discovered a bit of fascinating ‘teddy’ history that we had been ignorant of. During the World Wars, British soldiers went into battle with teddy bears! Yes, really! They had eyes set high on their head and were called ‘soldier’ or ‘sweetheart’ bears. They were made by a company called Farnell, for the supply of teddies from the heretofor primary ‘bear maker’ was Steiff in Germany. And since Germans were who they were fighting, no more teddies were coming from them.
So if it wasn’t immature for a soldier to carry a teddy into battle with maybe an picture of their family, a letter, a small Bible (I’m guessing here) than surely it’s okay for everyone else! Are people in the twenty first century too wimpy for teddy bears? Are Americans so insecure that their teddy bear would seem inappropriate.
Horses were high on the list of what the earlier settlers needed. They were needed to pull the plow, take the family to church on Sunday or go to market. They were also the means of entertainment, giving rise to the challenge of which horse was best at his job. Which horse is fastest? Which pulls the buggy or runs under saddle fastest? Which does the fastest and best job pulling the plow.
Which breeds began first in America?
The Morgan was one of the first. He hailed from Vermont and the prolific little stallion became known as ‘Justin Morgan’ after his owner. He was also called Figure. He was described as a tough little all around horse, able to pull the plow during the week and participate in races on the weekend. These were both in saddle and in harness. These days he’s still a strong show horse, and many other American breeds show traces of him in their ancestry. During the Civil War, they were used as calvary mounts.
The Quarter Horse is one of the most popular breeds in the world. This horse is often synonymous with western events. But did you know his ancestry starts in Virginia? His ancestors include the thoroughbred and the morgan. The most famous thoroughbred sire for the breed was Janus. Eventually, he moved west and met up with the mustang, which contributed to his lineage. The breed was standardized out west.
Plantation Walker AKA Tennessee Walker
Originally born for the southern plantation owner to ride his land in smooth gaited comfort. This horse went on to become a prized show horse. He is also a wonderfully smooth trail and pleasure horse. His show career however is tarnished by the horrors of a practice called the big lick. That high stepping walk comes naturally, but some trainers use boots, chains and chemicals to make them step higher. It’s a shameful thing, because this is truly a lovely breed, sturdy but refined. The breed is most famous for it’s association with Tennessee, where the breed standard was finalized.
Claims to Fame: Of Morgans: One of them was General Sheridan’s Rienzi, AKA Winchester. Another one was named Ethan Allen. Rex was a silent film star.
Of Quarter Horses:
Buttermilk (from the Roy Rogers show: added note for those watching the horse slaughter debate. This beloved horse was taken off the slaughter truck!)
Justin AKA Doc’s Keepin Time (Black Beauty, The Horse Whisperer)
Of Walkers:
Trigger Jr. (One of Roy Roger’s horses) and Champion (One of Gene Autry’s) were Tennessee Walkers. Note that there was more than one ‘Champion’ and more than one ‘Trigger’, they were not all walkers.
Of Crosses:
Champion (Gene Autry’s original) was half morgan and half quarter horse.
Obviously, these are only a few of America’s horse breeds. More on the others later.
As current events sometimes inspire designs and creativity, Starhorsepax Designs is going to the ‘bear’ experts for teddy bears viewpoints on the issues.
The Journalist: Vernon, My oldest Teddy Bear.
Here is a sampling of what's coming up:
Teddy Bear Abuse: ie hiding guns and drugs in bears and ruining there chances to be adopted. Forcing teddies to ‘smuggle’ illegal weapons. Rated X behavior toward teddy bears.
Teddy Bear Acts of Bravery: Leaping out of planes to spread love, comforting kids in hospitals as they face the terrifying machines and treatments.
Teddy Bear Encouragement Ideas: For a kid who has trouble reading aloud or speaking, a teddy bear will listen without judgment over fumbled words.
There was a time when I believed the argument that it was better for the horse to be put down at slaughter then suffer neglect or abuse. Many still believe this.
But then facts struck me in the face. It’s evidence, not emotion, that rules on these issues, contrary to what the pro horse slaughter lobby claims. This is not just a bunch of bleeding heart horse lovers.
The reasons why American’s should ban horse slaughter are not just about caring about horses, it’s also in our own, best interest as well as the best interest of our neighbors.
Three prime reasons why American horse slaughter is dangerous to our welfare:
Our health: – between the hormones and the medicines equine athletes are given, American horse meat is unsafe for human consumption.
Our environment: – reports of communities near these plants include such horrible affects range from blood backing up the sewers to the smells of the plant cast offs contaminating the entire area.
Our ethics: – ‘humane’ means compassionate. And the word comes from human.
By denying the horse – or any other animal – a compassionate means to an end comes back and bites back by adding stress hormones to the meat, as well as possible virus and bacterial infections due to a stress weakened immune system.
By allowing the slaughter plant into the neighborhood, we are risking the safety of that neighborhood. Far from creating jobs, it will send quality jobs away because no-one wants their business in sight or smell of a slaughter plant.
Our economy: – In order to prevent cruel stress causing treatment during shipment and slaughter, we would have to fund inspections. We would have to enforce and prosecute those who use cruel transport and slaughter techniques to save a quick buck. We would have to be willing to pay for the clean up and enforce the environmental protection as well.
It may seem complicated or contradictory, but it does begin with ethics. Ethics about both our own food safety and our neighbors. Ethics about the right way to treat any living thing, even one destined for slaughter.
Why are horses NOT food animals: Due to their anatomy and high spirited nature, horses are not killed as easily as cows.Here is the process:
The Sale: Maybe it’s a retired racehorse or outgrown pony. But it’s not always in poor health to begin with. The buyers want meat, not skin and bones. Also it has to be in good health, at the very least not obviously sick. Slaughter plants don’t want obviously sick animals. However, they can’t tell at auction if the animal has been given medication.
The Feed Lot: The owner cares little for the animals health and the reports of treatment in these places is appalling.
The Transport: The horse is crammed into a truck with multiple other horses, if it resists it may be forcibly subdued and injured. Reports include mention of intentional maiming and use of electric cattle prods. They then face a horrible, pain filled journey to the plant.
Here is a big red flag.Due to European union guidelines, the slaughter plant isn’t going to just take obviously sick animals or those with no meat value. Some are actually TURNED BACK or TURNED LOOSE. To die on their own at the slaughter plant. This means the whole ‘overabundance of neglected, sick horses’ is moot. These are exactly the horses they don’t want.
At the slaughter plant: The stun bolt used on cows doesn’t work, often neither does the gun. In Mexico, sometimes they use a knife which only paralyzes, but does not render the horse unconscious.Meanwhile all the horses in line behind hear and smell the panic of the horses before them. This means that when killed you get the meat of a panicked, stressed out animal.
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEOS
Horses and Stress: Obviously all these facts add up to one load of meat filled with stress hormones. Stress also weakens the immune system, and makes it more susceptible to disease and infection.
Horses and Drugs
Horses are not considered food animals. Look in the medicine cabinet or trunk of you average horse barn and you’ll find proof. They are treated as athletes or companion animals.
The labels of bute and other medicines do warn against use in food animals. Bute is proven to cause liver failure and other issues when combined with standard house hold drugs in humans. This is only one medicine but I focus on this because it’s as common as aspirin.
In order to be assured the horse doesn’t have drugs in it’s system, you’d have to have a complete record of the horse’s life. You’d have to have drug testing done.
The Economy and Environment: Locally speaking, horse slaughter plants have been disastrous for the local economies. They leave a swath of environmental contamination behind them. No-one wants their town associated with a slaughter plant. It ruins the local tourist industry. Far from giving jobs to locals, they usually hire illegal immigrants and criminals. There are reports of the blood leaking into the sewage! Would you want this in your neighborhood? Let alone house?
And where exactly does horse meat go?
Americans in general do not eat horse meat. In some European countries it may be a delicacy. But even they don’t want our hormone and drug tainted horse meat. In fact, they are already embroiled in scandal as horse meat has found to have been illegally sold in place of beef in multiple countries and leading to recalls in such big companies as Nestle and Burger King. Everything from school lunches to prepackaged TV dinners has been affected.
Now considering the health risks, do we really want this in America? Why should we pay our tax money on USDA inspections for foreign investors and a few fat cats to slaughter horses and sell the drug laden meat to foreign criminals to pass off as beef?
It won’t stop animal neglect or cruelty. That involves the human heart. And it won’t get rid of the already sick or neglected. Even if it did, selling sick animals for meat is unconscionable.
We can’t afford it financially. We can’t afford it morally. You want less horses? Stop over breeding. But we are not going to find the solution in a slaughter plant.
Okay, I’ll admit it. There is something that can make us easy going teddy bears mad.
We love being cuddled no matter how much you squash us, no matter how many times the kid drops us in the mud. We’ll forgive you leaving us on the park bench or the restaurant and rushing back all in a panic. We’ve forgive having pulled ears, losing an eye and all assorted injury that comes with being a teddy bear.
But doing some things to a teddy bear that should be illegal – and is, in a way.
Smuggling nasty stuff inside us. Drugs and guns hurt people and we do not appreciate being carriers for the greed and violence involved.
Using us as spy gadgets or bait for evil purpose. By that I mean anything other than as nanny cam bears, meant to protect the young.
It is our considered opinion….we, meaning all the teddies of this family….that there should be legal punishment for this. I know that the whole illegal gun/drug and invasion of privacy can be brought up on charges. But it is our belief that these people who would abuse a teddy in such a way that it causes the teddy to harm others should be legally restricted from owning or handling a teddy for a length of time.
Yes, you heard me right. NO cuddling for the creep. The only thing us teddies want is to cuddle and comfort people. The worst thing you can do is cause people to fear the teddy bear. I sometimes dream of the teddies who will never know love, because they are now locked in an evidence warehouse somewhere due to the crime of a human. And there they shall likely stay unless destroyed.
Welcome to our first Teddy Tips Blog, hopefully to be featured weekly. I’ve been around awhile, so I’m going to give you tips on what I’ve observed with you humans that specifically relates to love and Valentine’s day. My name is Vernon by the way.
Vernon Bear
1. First, Please do not take it out on the bear if your boyfriend got you a teddy instead of a diamond or chocolates. You might want to seek counseling however on this desire to reject a teddy bear. A teddy will never abandon you, reject you, betray you or nitpick if you don’t have it’s dinner ready. It also will last long after the chocolate is eaten and flowers wilt and very possibly long after the boyfriend is gone.
2. Please do not hurt others with your teddy bear.You’ve received a wonderful gift. Don’t be mean to those who got nothing. How would you feel if someone did that to you?
3. If you did not receive a teddy bear, I assure you there are many teddies out there longing for a home with you. They will be just as cuddly if you buy one for yourself. And you can pick out your favorite. Adoption fees are especially low right after the holidays.
4. Please remember a teddy bear given as a gift should come without strings.Don’t let someone convince you to give up something you can never get back just because they gave you a bear, no matter how wonderful the bear. Wait for your forever love. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, that’s okay. It doesn’t happen to everyone.
5. Teddy bears are about love. Loving someone means wanting them to be the best they can be. If someone apologizes by giving you a bear, that may be sweet. But if they are apologizing for hurting you, consider if you are really doing the loving thing by taking them back. One time might be a fluke. Two times? Seek help. No-one using you for a punching bag is the best they can be. They have a bad habit and need help to break it. If they refuse counseling and advice of family and friends and keep hurting you, consider pressing charges, even if you have to run from them and hide. If you love them, do you want them imprisoned for murder? Bad temper and bad habits can lead to this even by accident. Better a small charge now and a warning from the police than a life sentence and your family losing you forever. Loving them doesn’t always mean obeying or staying with them. Sometimes it means letting go so they can learn to be better people.
Until next time, this is Vernon Bear, signing off.
Welcome to the first blog post on horses and what they meant to society. Yes, I said FIRST.
This is inspired by recent arguments regarding the question of horses and slaughter for food.
I’ve seen a fair number of people ask “What’s the difference between horses as meat and other animals?” I hope this series will help.
First up: Transportation
Long ago, somewhere so far back no-one can recall, someone discovered a horse was more than meat. They could carry or pull loads, or even people. A tribe, a clan or group of people living in harsh conditions and struggling to survive could do better than eating horses: they could use them to carry them to someplace better. Someplace where there was ample food and supplies for everyone.
Thanks to the horse, the ocean and highest mountains are the only limit. As long as you feed and water the horse, he will take you to where you can feed yourself. He can let you range further afield from your home and get back in a day with the results of your quest for food. He can take one further to trade for food or other supplies. He can carry messages to neighbors and kin who are further away.
Now we take it for granted. Most of us are used to having cars, buses, bikes, trains and planes to travel. We have phones and faxes and internet for messages. But it all began with the horse.
Of course, sometimes people still bumped into each other and challenged each other over who got the food. But the horse in war is another post. Stay tuned.
Hugs are proven to reduce stress. Reducing stress has a positive impact on your health. But some people are not comfortable showing their emotions, especially in public. This holiday was made to encourage people to recognize the benefits of a friendly hug. As a matter of fact, it has spread beyond the US and is ‘celebrated’ in other countries. It is officially recognized but is not a legal holiday. (Sorry, you probably won’t get off work on this one!)
Obviously we would highly recommend that you share your hugs with your furry companions as well.
If you sadly can’t find a human to accept your hug, grab your favorite stuffed animal and hug away. They love hugs too. And hug benefits, to some extent, work for teddy bears too.
Frivolous. Dictionary definition: carefree and not serious. It’s antonym is considered: serious or important.
Today, I came to the ironic realization the other day that ‘frivolity’ is actually extremely important. And this is how it came about:
I was scrolling through teddy bear images, just to brighten a gray day. And I came upon the headline about the Boyd’s Bear store in Pennsylvania closing. More people out of work and darn it, I’ll never get to visit. But it was the comments that really drew my eye.
There were comments calling teddy bears and teddy bear stores frivolous. The attitude was that teddy bears were a waste of time. After all, they are a toy or collector item. They usually just sit and look cute. This got me to thinking. Are they ‘pointless’ in today’s society? And suddenly I was indignant. I thought of people jumping up and down in war paint at football games. I thought about those same people turning up their nose at those of us who are science fiction and fantasy fans and convention. I thought of people who hunt for sport. And what about people who chase a little white ball around a golf course as a hobby. I suddenly wondered who is one person to claim another’s hobby is frivolous.
In this modern world we fret about war, about gun control and paying the bills. We may have a roof over our heads and food, but that doesn’t mean we have all we need. True, we have more than many. But we have a spiritual and emotional needs too. And all that stress takes it’s tole on our well being, on our emotions and even our physical health. Without frivolity, without laughter and smiles, we would self destruct.
Nearly all hobbies have one thing in common: the ability to get us to relax. Most have another feature as well, they improve our skills in some area. Maybe it’s hand and eye coordination, or creativity, problem solving or physical education. But they are all ‘play’ for the one who loves to do them.
I can’t imagine that anything that keeps us from self destructing, calms our tattered, overworked nerves and keeps us healthy is truly unimportant. So I’ll keep my teddy bears, thank you. And when I can’t buy, I’ll look and draw. Because it relaxes me. And that is anything but frivolous.
![Teddy in the Lillies](http://<a href="http://s1177.beta.photobucket.com/user/WildHorseFantasy/media/bearlilies_zps13cead14.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/WildHorseFantasy/bearlilies_zps13cead14.jpg" border="0" alt="Teddy Bear in the Lilies with Scripture"/></a>)