blog.montanahorses.com

Montana's Fading Cowboy Culture by Jim Urquhart

2012-05-09T23:55:44Z

By Jim Urquhart

“It’s been a wild ride. Thank you.”

And with that Renee and Kail Mantle closed a chapter of American history. On Sunday the husband and wife team held the closing ceremonies to end the last of 11 horse drives they have completed with their company, Montana Horses, after racing over 300 horses through the western outpost of Three Forks, Montana.

The duo, a redheaded former theater major preparing for law school and a tanned wrangler who is a former rodeo champion, have been operating Montana Horses off a plot of land north of town since 1995 when they started with just 14 head of horses. Recently the plot of land has grown to 500 acres where they lease hundreds of horses, each one of which Kail and Renee know by name, to dude ranches and trail ride companies throughout the west and in many national parks. The Mantle family has a long tradition of supplying and tending to horses, leasing horses in various western states since 1964.

Last year the pair announced that they plan to begin selling the horses in their herd. According to Renee many of them will be purchased by their leasing clients. While the herd is being reduced they have added about 300 beef cattle to their land. The Mantles also plan to sell their ranch next to the Missouri River and possibly sail the world.

The Mantles opted in the direction of cattle after several years of battling to continue a thriving business in a market where horses are no longer profitable when compared to cattle; a story that seems to be becoming increasingly familiar with more stories of dude ranches and outfitters closing their doors after years in the business.

Every spring over the course of three days the herd of horses are gathered off the winter range from the mountains south of town and driven 35 miles to the Mantle’s 500 acres to be picked up by leasing clients after making a run through the middle of town where the streets are lined by thousands of people looking to catch a glimpse of the herd running past.

Doreen Lee, a wrangler from Cameron, Montana, taking part in her fourth drive noted that this type of working drive is becoming more a piece of history than contemporary knowledge. “Some day people will talk about how it was done and I can say I did it … I am so blessed to be part of it,” Doreen said.

The west is my home and ever since I can remember, cowboys have been the image of hard work, hard love and a real sense of integrity. Horses have always symbolized power and intelligence beyond what I am capable of. Without the two occupying the pastures and mountains I run to, the west doesn’t have the spirit I hold so dear. Montana is big sky country; some of the most pristine land in the world runs under the hooves of horses in this part of North America. The cowboys and cowgirls around these parts are built with hearts pumping strong and shoulders sturdy enough to carry the weight of the big sky and the mountains together.

There are cowboys and wranglers like Shad Broadman, a former world champion rodeo rider, who run through the mountains chasing barbwire fences and who is at home under the stars. In Shad I witnessed hard work and determination, but I also saw the kindness of the west. One minute he was a tough cowboy who could beat the hell out of the Marlboro Man and in the next moment he lit up with a youthful grin that breaks from under the hat when I showed him a photo I took of him riding his horse.

“I love the run and those horses… and I like the people,” Shad said. What separates this drive from the various dude ranches and trail drives is that this is a real working drive to bring the horses off the winter range and prep them to be sent across the west to their clients – but it comes with risk. Twenty-five year old Sara Fry, completing her third drive when a horse reared-up and rolled on her, luckily only breaking her clavicle bone and separating ligaments in her shoulder commented while holding her left arm in an sling, “it is the end of something you will never see again.” While standing near the horses, unable to ride again in the drive she said, “there is a saying, ‘the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse.”

Dr. Al Carr has been a wrangler on the drive for 10 years and is in charge of taking care of the injured people along the way. Most of the injuries have been minor with no fatalities, only minor head injuries and broken bones. There is also the steady cool care required while tending to a few wranglers after heavy nights of drinking by the camp fire. Carr summed it up as the drive was nearing an end, “the old west is disappearing right before our eyes”. On the fading cowboy culture, he added “it’s a goodness that defies imagination.”

Photographer Jim Urquhart documents the horse drive. Courtesy of Manuela Stefan

These strong horses have a sense of the world I have very rarely witnessed in people. They have the ability to look a man in the eyes and dissect his character. There is no faking it with a horse. They won’t buy it and they know they are the ones in control no matter who is on top. This is exactly why I don’t ride. They have the capacity to see through people and in many respects I am not ready to confront what they may show me.

At the end of the drive with the horses safely in their pastures, the Mantles dismounted with about a dozen of the horses surrounding them, vying for their attention. Renee said, “I think I did take a moment to reflect while riding on Main Street. It was awesome.” Kail noted he won’t miss the hard work required to successfully and safely complete a drive, “It’s gone as good as it has ever gone. We finally got good at it.”

“It is bittersweet, I will miss the mayhem,” said Renee.

The horse drives across the west may be coming to an end and the western way of life may be fading but through this assignment I was granted an experience I will always carry with me and hold so dear to my heart. The drive may be over, but it will live on with all of us that witnessed it.

(View a large-format selection of photos here)

Hats off to you for The Final Roundup.

2012-05-09T20:29:18Z

The Last Roundup --- An incredible success! Thank you all for your support,
your help, your love of horses and this event. A special thanks to our
family, neighbors, friends, crew, and the riders and photographers who made
this year so very special and such a FLAWLESS end to a real west way of
bringing home the herd. What a weekend of great memories, lifelong friends,
and a connection to something so truly meaningful. HATS OFF TO YOU ALL!

LOCAL RHETORIC

2012-05-08T13:56:07Z

Dear Readers - This was sent to us Sunday at 2:50pm while you were all
still unsaddling your horses. We just had chance to check email this
morning.

Hope you find this as humorous as we did. For the past ten years we've been
keeping the local little mindset to ourselves, but since this is the last
year we thought you could all use a little entertainment.

Kail

From: R Huff [mailto:batzion27@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 2:50 PM
To: info@montanahorses.com
Subject: horse drive

I just wanted to say it was thrilling to watch the horse drive on Saturday.
however, a good many people, hundreds, were SORELY disappointed at the stunt
you pulled by letting the horses out down below. That was a pretty low blow
just to keep the photographers happy, if that's what you did. We, my family
and I, and hundreds of others waited for the horses to show, when they
weren't budging from below. That was a HUGE disappointment and a bit
angering, since there's no reason that the horses coudn't be brought up. I
understand the photographers who paid to get good shots, but when you
advertise the drive, and you can't be bothered to inform people that they
will NOT see them run into the clarkston pasture, well,t hat's pretty low,
and a good many people are NOT happy to have wasted a couple of hours , and
gas/money today. I am sorerly disappointed in those actions. I had hope to
see the horses fly into the pasture, to have photos for painting references,
of which, when a painting sold, to send you a print, but well, kind of hard,
when we didn't get to see that finale.

Rebecca

From: Montana Horses [mailto:info@montanahorses.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 7:49 AM
To: 'R Huff'
Subject: RE: horse drive

Rebecca,

The home pasture is 2000 acres, the horses were let in the same gate they
always go in and once they enter the gate, we let them go where they wish.
This year, they chose to head north to the top of the ridge where NO ONE
could see them.don't know why, that's just what they did. We don't stage
anything. NO photographers got any shots, including the paying
photographers. The horses run for a mile and a half from Trident and we
WILL NOT make them do anything else except rest, where ever they choose to
do it. The Drive has always been about the horses and their safety. Last
year they ran through the fence down low by the road and several got cut up.
We were happy they chose to put their heads down and rest instead this year.

Sorry you were disappointed - but you never have to be disappointed again.
We are not conducting this Drive again. YOU and your ilk, the "something
for nothing" crowd, are EXACTLY the reason we will be gone. You have never
thanked us, you have never helped us, you have never even talked to us, but
were courteous enough to send this bitch letter to air your frustrations and
be mad at us because the horses did what horses do.

We conduct a Horse Drive to bring our horses home from winter range.
Period. Any benefit the public ever got from witnessing this beautiful
event was free. As it was this year. It costs us thousands of dollars to
bring these horses through town, and paying guests and photographers cover A
PORTION of it. We lose money every year. Next year we will not.

Again, sorry you were disappointed and angered. But, you'll have to go find
something else to be offended by next year.

Kail and Renee

Montana Horses, Inc.

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

9700 Clarkston Road

Three Forks, MT 59752

(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax

info@montanahorses.com

www.montanahorses.com

Board of Livestock Temporarily Suspends Brand Recording Policy

2012-03-15T16:15:39Z

Montana Department of Livestock

301 N. Roberts/PO Box 202001

Helena MT 59620-2001

On the web at http://liv.mt.gov

cid:image001.jpg@01CA06CF.EAF1EA00

Thursday, March 15, 2012 / For Immediate release

Contact: Steve Merritt

Public Information Officer

Montana Department of Livestock

406/444-9431

Board of Livestock Temporarily Suspends Brand Recording Policy

The Montana Board of Livestock has temporarily suspended its brand conflict policies, giving brand holders who missed the December 31, 2011, rerecord deadline an opportunity to reapply for their brands.

â€œOut of 55,000 registered brands, we had a handful of ranchers who missed the deadline,â€ said board chair Jan French, a cattle rancher from Hobson. â€œThis suspension will allow those who missed the deadline but actively use their brands to get those brands recorded. In short, theyâ€™re not going to lose their brands.â€

Conflict and recording policies will be suspended for owners of brands that expired January 1, 2012 under the following two conditions: Brands can only be issued in the same name, species and position as previously held, and brand owners must prove the brand was active during calendar years 2009-2011 through one of the following methods:

Â· Per capita fee payments;

Â· change of ownership inspection;

Â· change of pasture inspection;

Â· lifetime inspection;

Â· annual inspection;

Â· market tally;

Â· hide inspection.

Copies of these documents will be accepted. Department staff may provide duplicates. The cost of any duplicate is $10 per copy.

As a result of suspending its brand conflict policies, the department will not have a list of expired brands available until after May 15.

The fee for application will be $100 for recording plus a $500 late fee. The suspension will remain in effect through Monday, May 14 at 5 pm. All payments must be received by this time. POSTMARKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

###

The Flexion Test and Vet Checks

2012-03-11T15:39:06Z

We recently heard from a woman interested in buying one of our trail horses.
She just looked at two horses from other sellers and though they fit all of
her criteria, they "failed" their vet checks at a local vet (who will remain
nameless). This is the second time we encountered a buyer in the same
unfortunate situation. This is our response:

I respectfully want to discuss your experience with your vet checks. It is
almost unheard of to have two horses, offered in good faith with the
qualifications you mentioned in your email to me, legitimately "fail" a vet
check. It is either the worst luck in the world or there are other factors
to consider. First, if they failed the flexion test, take it with a grain
of salt. It is widely known to be an unreliable gauge of soundness. In
some clinics as many as 75% of all horses tested fail it, the older the
horse the more likely they are to fail it, and some horses fail it one day
and pass it the next, or fail it with one vet and pass it with another. Dr.
X has a higher than average percentage of horses fail the flexion test and
have a negative vet check than any other vet we have ever heard of. Please
understand the nature of vet checks; when a vet is asked to find something
wrong with a horse, he will. It seems that Dr. X is especially careful to
take his commitment to alert the buyer of any and all potential issues very
seriously. Unfortunately, buyers do not know how much weight to give his
report and are not equipped to pull apart the elements of a vet check and
apply them to their specific situation. He apparently does not explain this.
This results in many great horses being considered unsound who are perfectly
able to handle the job they are asked to do and live long and productive
lives. I hope the two horses who "failed" their vet check and broke your
heart did not fall prey to this.

A vet check should be a tool you use to help assess the health and
suitability of the horse for your situation, not and yes or no judgment.
Horses do not FAIL or PASS a vet check, it is simply an assessment. There
are some things that are deal breakers, like sight, lungs, disease, or real
physical unsoundness. A flexion test should not be a deal breaker. We
categorically refuse to consider the flexion test a basis for our assessment
of a horse's soundness and will not offer a horse to a buyer who would use
it as a deal-breaker. It is that ambiguous, unreliable, subjective, and
misunderstood.

Is there are chance one of those two great horses you just looked at might
deserve another look?

Renee

Thanks for your letters to the Montana Department of Livestock on our behalf.

2012-02-03T23:50:57Z

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to our earlier plea for help
concerning the loss of our brand. We are off to the Board of Livestock
meeting in Helena on March 12 & 13 to plead our case. We hope you can
attend in person and/or send letters of support so that we can present them
to the Board during our appeal. When we find out the exact time we are to
appear, we'll let you know.

The letters should include some or all of the following and explain:

1. You know Montana Horses and/or the Mantles, personally or by
reputation,

2. We have many horses and actually use our brand as a major part of
our daily horse business,

3. ALL of our many horses have the brand and ALL have lifetime brand
inspections issued by the MT DOL,

4. We are responsible and respectable people and have a legitimate and
large scale horse business with name recognition around the world,

5. You know us to respect the laws and that we would not knowingly
place ourselves in such a position to compromise our livelihood,

6. That the circumstances that caused us to record our brand late were
extenuating and caused by a death in the immediate family at Christmas,

7. Since honest mistakes happen and sometimes there are legitimate
extenuating circumstances that cause oversights, DOL policy should include a
"grace period"; that those brand holders about to lose their brands should
be notified prior to the loss; and that late filings should be subject to
normal and reasonable penalty instead of immediate revocation with no means
of appeal. Though the Mantles situation is in your immediate influence and
attention, you understand this might apply to others in a similarly
unfortunate predicament and you believe it is in the best interest of the
livestock industry to re-visit the policy.

8. Brands have value, are often considered property, some have been
known to sell for thousands of dollars, and the )V( is particularly
attractive and easy to read and is assumed to have great value.

9. Describe how you are familiar with our operation, how you know us,
and how you view our presence in the livestock and horse world. You might
be able to speak to the size of our ranch, our good reputation as
responsible horse owners, and how far our sphere of influence extends
throughout the US and other countries.

10. Explain that you have seen us utilize the brand, seen the brand on ALL
of our horses, that you have seen and understand our horses travel
frequently and are pastured on ranges away from our home, that the brand is
highly recognizable and recognized as ours, and you consider the brand not
only part of our horse's identity, but also a major part of our ranch's
identity.

11. Our contribution to the Department of Livestock, through brand
inspections and per capita livestock taxes alone, is substantial and
documented and should be taken into consideration.

12. The )V( is still recorded to the Mantles in Wyoming in the same
location on horses, is in good standing and has been for many years. The
Mantles still maintain a family ranch in Wyoming. (Wouldn't it be an
unnecessary hassle and cost to have to brand our horses in WY and ship them
into Montana, only to re-inspect them in Montana with a Wyoming brand that
USED to be a Montana brand?)

CONTACT: Please address your letters to: (http://liv.mt.gov)

Montana Department of Livestock

Executive Officer Christian Mackay

Board of Livestock

301 N. Roberts, #3

Helena MT 59620

And please send a copy of your letters to us:

Montana Horses, Inc.

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

9700 Clarkston Road

Three Forks, MT 59752

(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax

info@montanahorses.com

BRAND RE-RECORD FACTS AND POLICY: Every 10 years, the DOL requires existing
brand owners to re-record their brands and pay $100. ALL registered brands
will be re-recorded into your name if you apply for your re-record by
December 31st. A letter is sent to your last known address explaining this.
You are NOT notified if you missed the rerecord deadline. If you missed the
rerecord deadline, you have until March 31, 2012, to reapply for your brand.
Your application will, however, be processed as a new brand application and
there is no guarantee your brand will be reissued. During a re-record year,
The DOL reserves your previously recorded brand exclusively in your name
until March 31st (a 90 day period), after which it is released to anyone who
wishes to purchase it for $100. You may make a new application for a brand
anytime. However; regardless of prior ownership, it will be considered a
NEW application and is required to adhere to other stipulations. Currently
in Montana, there are certain brands that are no longer allowed (for
instance, single iron brands, ) brands, or others that might be easy to
alter or are in a certain location on the animal). If you apply for a newly
disallowed brand REGARDLESS OF PRIOR OWNERSHIP, you will be denied if you do
not do so prior to the December 31st deadline in a re-record year. There is
NO GRACE PERIOD for late re-records of brands no longer allowed under new
application. There is NO NOTIFICATION to those about to lose their brands.
There is NO FORMAL REGULATION OR POLICY explaining the process that led to
or the standards applied to new brand applications.

OUR INFRACTION: We sent in our paperwork to re-record our brand 2 weeks
after the December 31st deadline and our )V( horse brand is no longer a
brand they will issue under a new application. We have been told there are
many other livestock/brand owners in the same situation.

OUR EXTENUATION CIRCUMSTANCES: We did not receive the letter informing us of
the upcoming deadline. (Many producers have explained they did not either.
It is conceivable that many addresses change over ten years and forwards
expire.) We did not become aware of the re-record until late November after
an unrelated call to the DOL. Immediately after, Renee (I am solely
responsible for this paperwork) was called away from the ranch and ranch
business to deal with the illness, hospitalization, and death of an
immediate family member. I lived with my Dad until early January. Sherrie
Daniels died December 23rd. Upon my return, I began catching up with the
paperwork and was notified by a friend who happened to be perusing potential
brands to purchase and noticed ours had not been renewed. (FYI - ours would
not be purchasable by another party either.)

OUR RECOURSE: The Department of Livestock has not sent our official
rejection, but we have been informed they will. With the exception of the
public information officer, the Department of Livestock, in particular
Christian Mackay and John Grainger, have been very helpful in explaining
this situation and how we must proceed. We can appeal the decision to deny
our brand to the Board of Livestock (http://liv.mt.gov/public/board ). We
have asked to be put on the agenda for the next BOL meeting. We have been
notified that we will be on the agenda, but not yet sure which day. If we
fail at that level, we will be forced to resort to the courts, where we feel
(and have been told by legislators and attorneys) we will prevail.

Again, we cannot thank you enough for your help on this. Though it is
unfortunate we have put ourselves in this position, we sincerely believe the
Department of Livestock will be convinced to reissue our brand to us and
change policy to allow such ill-fated situations from causing destruction to
the very industry it represents.

Most gratefully,

Renee

Montana Horses, Inc.

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

9700 Clarkston Road

Three Forks, MT 59752

(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax

info@montanahorses.com

www.montanahorses.com

A Plea for Your Help from Renee at Montana Horses

2012-01-25T20:52:18Z

I have lost a family legacy. I am in need of help from the people of
Montana, our friends, clients, and the livestock world to convey to the
government of Montana the tragedy in this mistake on my part and
misapplication of policy and regulation on theirs. For this purpose, I ask
you to weigh in, on my behalf to plead my case. I hope that with this
process we can also see that laws are made for reasons, the enforcement of
which must speak to the reason for the law, not to the process. I think in
Montana we can still hope this is the case. If not, more is lost than I
feared.

So, here's the story, uncomfortable as it is to tell:

Our horse brand is a )V( on the right hip of our horses.
The brand was given to Kail when he was a boy in Wyoming. When we got our
start in Montana we brought his horses up here to start our business. We
registered the brand here so we didn't have to re-brand our horses and so we
could be a legitimate Montana operation. The family ranch and brand still
exist in Wyoming. It is synonymous with our herd of horses and the Mantle
name. It is sort of a badge in the West, a source of pride. It brands the
owner, too. It has become part of our ranch and family identity.

We've branded hundreds of horses with this brand, as we grew our initial
herd of just a few to several hundred here. It is a safe assumption that
right now there are more horses with the )V( brand in Montana than any other
brand. Our horses are freeze branded, so they show up really well and it is
a nicer process for the horse. We have had the Department of Livestock
write hundreds of lifetime brand inspections with this brand, costing
thousands of dollars. Thousands of people know the )V( brand is ours, as we
trail hundreds of horse through town every year in the Horse Drive and send
hundreds of horses across the country every year to work. It is recognized
across the West. Most brand inspectors know this is our brand, since our
horses travel for a living and it is their travel license. We are compliant
with all brand laws. We do it right, we pay the fees, we obey the laws.
This also costs thousands of dollars, but we genuinely respect the
institution. This is our livelihood.

Every ten years it is necessary to re-record your brands. Everyone in the
livestock world and in their right mind makes sure their brand is
re-recorded on time. It is extremely important. This re-record was due
December 31st, 2011. It is an easy procedure, costs about $100 a brand, and
is accessible now online. I am told the Department of Livestock issues
reminders in the mail and announces this process in newspapers and radio,
maybe even local TV. (The next brand re-record deadline will be December
31st, 2021, FYI.)

I, however, did not re-record our brand on time. So I have lost it.forever,
I am told.

Why? Here's the uncomfortable part and where I ask you and the State of
Montana to be human: I just found out in late November from the Department
of Livestock that the re-record was happening. I did not receive a notice
in the mail (they still might have our old address from the last decade), I
do not listen to the radio or get local TV or newspapers where I live. I
called the Department of Livestock about a lien filing in late November, or
I would never have known it was due. So, I put that info in the "get to that
sometime before the end of the year" category in my mind. Shortly
thereafter I was called by my father to come live with him while we cared
for his wife of 34 years in her last few weeks of life. I lived in the
hospital, away from my ranch and business, caring for my family until just a
few days ago. Sherrie died on December 23rd from bone cancer. Her obituary
was in the paper at Christmas, I know this because I wrote it. That was
about the only business-like deadline I handled. I missed the deadline for
the brand re-record, among many other things. (I was late with the
thousands of dollars of Department of Livestock taxes I was to pay on
November 30th for those same horses, but they just charged interest on that
- they didn't take our horses away.)

When I returned to the ranch, I filed for the brand two weeks late. I am
told that it will not be re-issued. PERIOD. It is now considered a new
application, not a re-record. There is no grace period, despite the fact
that they hold all unrecorded brands until March 31st before they release
them. The )V( today will not be issued because its location and content
might conflict with another brand (a legitimate concern). However; had I
filed in time it would have been re-recorded to us with no problem. These,
apparently, are unbending rules that date back hundreds of years. Three
weeks ago we had our brand. Today we do not.

Kail's legacy (now ours) is gone. The )V( in Montana is no more.because of
a technicality. I am told there is no way around this.

If we do not get the brand back in the State of Montana we have few options.
Here they are, as I understand them: 1) Re-brand hundreds of horses. 2)
Spend thousands of dollars and countless hours for new lifetime brand
inspections. 3) Lose forever priceless years of marketing and identification
(it is honestly like having to change your name) OR - Move to Wyoming. The
latter is honestly the more enticing option. In Wyoming (which might have
more livestock than Montana) our brand is safe and secure and the DOL does
not have a public relations officer or an unbending set of concrete rules
which somehow along the way lost their original intent - to protect and
serve the livestock industry and community in the state.

Please understand, this is not an issue of the brand - it was ours 3 weeks
ago. It is an issue of a deadline. If we thought for a moment that
re-issuing this brand to us would be harmful to horses, people, or the
industry, you know we would not request it.

The intent of the law, the very Department, is lost.

In March, I will appear in front of the Board of Livestock to plead my case.
The Board of Livestock are just people, like us, who are livestock producers
in the State and who represent us. In as dignified a manner as I can
muster, I will ask them to re-issue our brand to us, hopefully without
crying. I will explain the legitimate extenuating circumstances that caused
my tardiness. I will verify the size and scope of our operation and provide
detailed accounts of the number of horses and their travels. I will provide
evidence of the familiarity most brand inspectors have with the brand. I
will show records and details about our compliance with the laws and
financial investment in the brand and the enforcing agency. I will exhibit
the material damage losing the brand will cause. I will reiterate our
presence and influence in the industry. I will beg for understanding.

And I will bring reinforcement. That's where you come in.

Please help us, if you can, by providing letters (or personal testimony if
you want to travel to Helena) that might help me with the above. Help me
explain to the Board of Livestock the importance of our brand to us and to
our business, your familiarity with it, your experience with our legitimate
use of the brand, your witness to our compliance with brand laws and
deference to the enforcing agency, your understanding of the size of our
operation and the number of horses who have this brand, your experience with
our horses, your respect for the way we conduct business, your feelings
about the brand, and especially your hope that a government agency might
still have rationale rooted in the people it serves.

The question I will ask the Department of Livestock, The
Board, and you is this, "Are we a nation of laws for law's sake? Or are we
a nation of people who create and fund the enforcement of laws to protect
and serve ourselves, the people? Why does the Department of Livestock, a
government agency funded by livestock producers exist if not to serve and
protect the very livestock producers who created and fund it? And are we
not livestock producers? If the harm in re-recording our brand did not
exist on December 31st, but did on January 1st because of an arbitrary
deadline, then is there real harm in re-recording a legitimate brand to a
legitimate livestock producer, the allowance of which will not serve or
protect other livestock producers?

If a motion is necessary to legitimize it, then I will
suggest this and hope you will too, "I move to allow a grace period
following a ten year re-record, to take into account human error." I
suggest March 31st, the same as all other brand holds. I will suggest a
delinquency letter of warning be issued to those about to lose their brand
and even suggest a hefty monetary penalty to discourage late filings and
cover department costs. I believe this is in the best interest of the
livestock producers of Montana.

Direct your letters to the Montana Board of Livestock or send them to me, be
sure to identify yourself and I'll take them along in March.

We are deeply indebted to you for this.

Many, many thanks,

Renee

Montana Horses, Inc.
Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle
9700 Clarkston Road
Three Forks, MT 59752
(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax
info@montanahorses.com
www.montanahorses.com

Grasshopper Glacier

2012-01-08T16:42:32Z

When a million prehistoric grasshoppers of a now-extinct species got caught
in a storm and died of the cold, they landed on a glacier where they are now
embedded in ice in the Grasshopper Glacier in the Beartooth Mountains, in
Montana, at 11,000 feet.

The Beartooths are our absolute favorite summer pack trip destination.

Let us help you plan your backcountry trip into the mountains this summer.
We have great horses, trailhead advice, and itinerary planning services.

Montana Horses, Inc.

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

9700 Clarkston Road

Three Forks, MT 59752

(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax

info@montanahorses.com

www.montanahorses.com

A recent honest question about horse precessing from a non-horseperson and answer.

2011-12-06T23:37:53Z

Why is it a good idea to slaughter horses? A lot of folks are having a knee
jerk reaction--like Black Beauty is going to end up in a Big Mac. You posted
something a while back bringing up issues I think people don't realize. Care
to reiterate for your old pal?

Thanks for asking, pal.

We don't actually slaughter horses, but support the continuance of legally
processing horse meat governed in the US.

Horses are considered livestock (governed by the same laws/transportation
rules/FDA/USDA/etc) and taxed as livestock. Because there is still a real
market for horse meat, and because they are private property, there must be
a utility value for the commodity. Granted, the US widely regards them as
pets and the country rarely eats horse meat, but there is still a base level
of utility entrenched in the agricultural world and highly
regulated/taxed/governed by animal agriculture institutions.

When you jerk the utility value out of the market, you instantly turn
hundreds of thousands of horses into this ambiguous classification, and
drastically reduce the value of the property. It's literally a "taking".

In real world speak, here's the nitty gritty:

When a horse is "unwanted" (or crippled, dangerous, sick, old, unrideable)
or has no other higher or better use or isn't someone's pet, he can be sent
to a processing facility and some value in meat can be retained. He has
monetary value, though at the lowest level. He feeds the masses. I've eaten
it, in Switzerland, weird, but not bad - won't probably do it again. Horses
die, just like humans, but their natural end is to slowly starve to death
because they can't process feed after a certain age. Humans almost always
interrupt the starvation, by putting them down. Most responsible owners do
it humanely - some use a vet, some use a gun, some send them to a processing
facility for meat, and some horses die horrible neglected lives from shitty
owners who don't feed them or put them down humanely.

Until 2007, there were US regulated meat processing facilities in the
States. The well intentioned (but completely out of touch) animal activists
could not get a bill passed in Congress to outlaw horse processing after
many years of attempts, so they outlawed it through the backdoor - they
unfunded the federal meat processing inspectors, who were mandatory in the
US to process meat for human consumption. In one stroke, they put four US
facilities out of business. There are still facilities in Canada and in
Mexico processing horse meat. They are still processing as many horses as
before, except now the horses travel ungodly hours to facilities in Canada
and outright macabre unregulated facilities in Mexico. It is truly inhumane.

The utility value of the horse dropped to ZERO. So, those owners who might
need to put down their horse now do not have humane processing as an
alternative (where they would in years past have even seen a value for the
meat in the amount of about $300 per horse - for reference, ours cost an
average of $2400 to purchase and cost $700 a year to feed, so you can see
this isn't much, but at least something). Most can't afford to feed them,
let alone hire a vet to put them down, and most don't have the ability (or
balls) to do it themselves. US slaughter was a HUMANE alternative to
starvation and neglect. (More regulated than cattle, by far.)

Recently, after the GAO released an in-depth study about the unintended
consequences of the end of US slaughter facilities, Obama signed a bill to
re-fund the federal meat inspectors, which opens the door for construction
of US regulated and owned horse processing facilities. If in the US, we can
keep them humane and re-establish the value of the horse. (Even PETA praised
it, as well as the Vet Associations, not just the horse industry.) This is
why you are seeing a rush of end-of-the-world freak-outs.

Unfortunately, all the activists did was cause the SAME NUMBER of horses
slaughtered each year to endure trips to unsavory out of country facilities.
In addition, those who might have fallen on hard times and were no longer
able to care for their horses just turned them out to starve or fend for
themselves, because they knew if they went to the sale they would likely get
charged a disposal fee instead of being paid for the meat.

Like I said, we don't slaughter our horses, we put them down on the ranch
when their times comes and end their lives gracefully. The owners of Black
Beauty would not turn him into a Big Mack. But the reality is: Humane, US
regulated horse processing of unwanted horses does need to be available as a
choice.

No, I don't eat horse, but many people do. That's their choice. It would be
the same if some group (like the HSUS dinks) decided it was inhumane to eat
chicken, or beef, or fish - and went about stopping all beef processing. OR
better yet, if perhaps the anti-smoking crowd decided it was wrong to smoke
cigarettes, but knew an all-out ban was impossible, so passed a bill to
un-fund the licensing process.

Long enough explanation?!

Thanks for caring enough to ask -

R

Montana Horses, Inc.

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

9700 Clarkston Road

Three Forks, MT 59752

(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax

info@montanahorses.com

www.montanahorses.com

Is "I Hate Hunters" going too far?

2011-11-18T19:20:27Z

Thankfully, hunting season is drawing to a close. I have developed an
ardent distaste for most hunters. Though we have spent most of our lives
promoting and defending hunting, which was a source of business revenue and
a sport and family tradition in which we frequently participated - no more.
I am inflamed right now because there are two trespassing hunters shooting
their guns within a few hundred feet of my home.again. I just posted a "You
Are Trespassing" note (with phone number, I am not anonymous) on their black
Dodge Durango from Bozeman, but really wanted to paint it with orange spray
paint on the side of their vehicle. I didn't, because ultimately I would be
punished legally far worse than they. Last week, we chased forty head of
horses back into their pasture through the gate left open by trespassing
hunters. Last year, hunters in a river boat took six bucks off of the
neighbor's private hunting ranch. My father and I actually watched them
through binoculars as they wiggled the post that held the No Trespassing
sign from the ground.

Notice a higher percentage of irresponsible, illegal, resident hunters in
recent years? They drive up and down the roads in orange, glassing private
property for which they have no regard, trespassing, leaving gates open,
driving through private property and over public land, spotlighting,
injuring countless animals with no kill, shooting out signs, and
disregarding their surroundings. They use their 4-wheelers and pickup
trucks to drive to the game, shoot it out their doors, and then load it in
the back. This clearly isn't for meat, since they are all well employed,
judging the gear and vehicles they drive and the fact they come out in
droves on the weekend. Sportsmen! With the passage of I161, we have further
constricted the ability of licensed outfitters to escort hunters responsibly
into the backcountry, so the inept are pouring in there, too. A record 95%
incompetence was seen this year with men leasing our horses for self-guided
hunting trips. Their ignorance was surpassed only by their arrogance. No
more! I won't put my horses through it.

Here's my public statement: STAY OFF PRIVATE LAND. GO BUY YOUR OWN. I
HAVE AN ORANGE CAN OF SPRAY PAINT IN EVERY SADDLE BAG AND VEHICLE I OWN AND
AM ITCHING TO USE IT. At the very least, go use the public land for which
we ALL pay, just don't cross my property to do so. And don't whine when the
money from out-of-state hunters drops to a level that the public can no
longer afford access, or when the private land owners all lock you out, or
when the tags go up in price, or when the ticket writing regulators turn
their eyes to you for lost revenue. No doubt, regulation, tags, or
permission will not enter in to your decision to grab a six-pack and head on
down the road to your nearest railroad access. That's not the public,
right? That's just business.

Unfortunately, those who need to read this won't. And some who do will use
it as fodder for a wacko ill-conceived gun-control or anti-cowboy or hunting
agenda. Well, so be it. I'm tired of defending the booger-eating-morons.

I say, CALL THEM OUT. I'm not content to watch the last of a very noble
tradition choked into extinction.
R

Last Call for Last Drive | Winter News

2011-11-17T17:16:43Z

Montana Horses, Inc.

FALL 2011 NEWS

Dear Friends,

As we head into the holiday season, please know we are thankful most for YOU - our dear friends, loyal clients, fearless riding partners, and collaborators in grand adventure.

We're wrapping up the last hunting season here at Montana Horses and sending horses off to winter vacation. Having just returned from our own vacation (we spent a couple of weeks traveling with Kail's dad, Lonnie Mantle, through his old Army stomping grounds in Germany and floating the Rhine River), we're putting nose to grindstone to stock up for winter and settle in for a bit.

There are a lot of changes happening here at the Mantle Ranch and in our lives. Check out some of the news in this letter. We look forward to visiting with you. So, pick up the phone, send off an email, let loose a carrier pigeon, and let's be in touch.

Our very best wishes to you and yours for a Happy Thanksgiving,
Kail & Renee
Montana Horses, Inc.

406 285-3541 | info@montanahorses.com

THE LAST HORSE DRIVE! May 3 - 7, 2012

We've scheduled the LAST Montana Horses Annual Spring Horse Roundup and Drive for May this coming year. It will be a grand time in the old town! Coming through on Derby Day and the Rodeo is in town, too! We're also hosting a reunion for those of you who wish to return and escort the herd through Three Forks in the wagon. Come see your old riding buddies for the last one. There are only a few riding spots left (we're taking 30 this year and there are less than 10 spaces left) and a couple photography expedition postions available, so if you have ever dreamed of crossing this off your bucket list...DO IT NOW! The world is not making any more real horse ranches or authentic horse drives, this is the end of an era. Don't miss your chance.

For more Drive info - click here.

To reserve your spot now - click here

Red Rock Hound Three Forks Hunt is April 27, 28, 29, 2012

Western Recreational Riding Lessons

Beginning and Novice Adults

Once a horse-crazy girl and now having a mid-life horse crisis? It is not too late to learn to ride, enjoy riding again, or to make your love for horses and your desire to enjoy Montana by horseback a reality. FINALLY - A riding lesson program and instructor specializing in the 4-Fs: Fat, Frightened, Female, or Forty? Become Fit, Fearless, Female, and Fabulous.

Sign up now for hourly lessons at the newly opened TWISTED SPUR ARENA with Renee Daniels-Mantle and you'll be enjoying horses, a fun local horse community and events, and riding in the beauty of Montana's mountain trails, ON YOUR OWN by spring. YOU CAN DO THIS!

PROVE GENTLE LESSON HORSES FROM OUR PROFESSIONAL STRING OF LEASE HORSES
PRIVATE, PROGRESSIVE RIDING LESSONS DEVELOPED FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS AND ABILITIES
BEAUTIFUL INDOOR HEATED ARENA AT TWISTED SPUR ARENA, CONVENIENTLY IN BELGRADE
HORSEBACK ADVENTURE AND TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH "RED NECK TRAVELS" AND "THE WILDERNESS WENCH SOCIETY" AND SUMMER RIDING CLUB AND "THE ULTIMATE HORSE COURSE"
"RIDE YOUR ASS OFF" GROUP FITNESS RIDES
$85 Private Lessons, indoors at Twisted Spur | $70 Private Lessons, outside or at the Ranch | $50 Semi-Private Lessons | $35 Group Fitness Rides

Call to schedule now! 406 285-3541 or renee@montanahorses.com

In This Issue

Last Horse Drive

Riding Lessons

Horses for Lease in 2012

Christmas Gift Ideas

Mantle Ranch for Sale

Quick Links

Mantle Ranch for Sale

Montana Horses Website

RESERVE 2012 LEASE HORSES BY JANUARY 1st.

As we go into our last year of horse leasing, please let us know by the 1st of January if you plan to lease your summer horses again. We will be offering our horses for sale throughout the next couple of years, with first right to purchase going to existing lease clients in 2012. New rates and contracts are posted onlinehere.

Seasonal and Short Trip horses are available throughout the summer of 2012. No hunting horses or fall leases will be offered.

Great Christmas Gift Ideas!

"The Roundup" FIne Art 2012 Calendar - $39.95 atwww.shop.montanahorses.com

Hand-tied Cowboy Rope Halters - $32.50 at

www.shop.montanahorses.com

2011 Horse Drive Prints are available again atwww.collages.net (Use Event Name: Montana Horses Roundup 2011 and Password: 36906)

Buy the entire collection of photos from Val and Stephanie's 2011 Roundup Collection on CD. Low-res $119.00 (suitable for internet) or high-res $595 (suitable for high-quality printing).

www.Shop.MontanaHorses.com

Mantle Ranch for Sale

Montana Horses headquarters is for sale.

500 acre Montana horse ranch for sale near Bozeman, along the Missouri River.

9700 Clarkston Road Three Forks, MT 59752 406 285-3541 info@montanahorses.com

Sometimes Life Requires a Stirrup Cup

2011-11-06T17:29:40Z

Sometimes Life Requires a Stirrup Cup

There is a tradition in the foxhunting world of offering a stirrup cup those
about to ride out. It is a drink, usually port wine or sherry, offered to a
rider when her feet are in the stirrups and the hunt is about to leave. The
Scots call a stirrup cup Â"dochan doruisÂ", a farewell drink or drink of the
door and often offer it to guests when they are about to leave. The
English, shown through hundreds of years of literature, offered a stirrup
cup, or parting drink, to those about to set off on their travels.

As an occasional foxhunter and frequent rider, I can attest that the small
shot of alcohol takes enough of the edge off of nerves to forge forward with
what might be an intimidating or challenging ride. It dulls the very first
reactions to a daunting task, fear and anxiety. I personally am an advocate
of the stirrup cup. IÂ'm a much better rider when I drink.

I have just returned from travel and have now fully embraced the grand
tradition of the stirrup cup in all above context. This might initially
translate to Americans as having returned from Europe as an alcoholic.
Perhaps true, I hope to justify the problem or at the very least invite
others to appreciate a truly valuable custom.

Travel to foreign countries can be intimidating, especially with family,
which can be daunting and especially to Americans, who can beÂ…well,
American. Different languages, currency, customs, modes of transportation,
time changes, jetlag, and the ever-present fear of being recognized as a
tourist, can lead to crippling fear and anxiety. This, in turn can cause
one to completely miss the joy of travel and ruin a trip, or even a
marriage. Some cases can be severe and downright Continental, resulting in
phrases heard over the relaxed din of local chatter like, Â"How could you
forget the tickets, Margaret?Â" followed by, Â"I remembered your shaving cream
when I stayed up all night packing while you snored in the living room in
front of the TV, didnÂ't I George?Â" Â"ItÂ's not my faultÂ" Â"I said one bag per
person, not three, you figure out how to get to the next train in four
minutes,Â" and my personal favorite, Â"Holy crap, whatÂ's that in dollars!?Â"

Luckily, over thousands of years the Europeans have developed a very healthy
appreciation for alcohol and have incorporated it into their daily lives.
It is available, without judgment, at all hours of the day and from even the
most unlikely places. The Germans serve beer at breakfast. The French
serve Champagne and brandy in their coffee at all hours of the day. It is
major part of every communityÂ's agricultural production and the majority of
it is consumed locally. It is pervasive in all lands, permeating delicately
through all levels of a culture.

It took me about four days to lose the ingrained inhibition and have a glass
of wine at lunch. After the perfect attitude adjustment (one glass, unless
in Italy), I was able to slip into that European plane that exists alongside
ours and enjoy the ride. My liquid courage gave me rosÃ© colored glasses.
My husband even started insisting I have a stirrup cup each day somewhere
around 11am. It was the key to unlocking sincere enjoyment of two weeks of
travel through six countries, translating five languages, utilizing four
modes of travel, with three family members.

This knowledge is my personal gift to all would-be frustrated American
travelers.

My toast and wish to you is, Â"May you lead a life that requires many stirrup
cups.Â"

PROST!

R

Pressure and Release - The Language of Horsemanship

2011-07-28T19:55:52Z

PRESSURE AND RELEASE - The Language of Horsemanship

Throughout the years, we've taken special note of the communication between
people and horses. Training a horse and successfully riding a horse
require good communication. When there is an issue or a problem between
horse and rider, it is almost always the result of miscommunication. Riders
are sometimes speaking a language their horse does not understand. In our
explanations or training, we are sometimes speaking a language that not
every rider understands. Ultimately, all involved must understand and speak
the same language.

Understanding the basic concept of pressure and release is the key to
communicating with your horse. It is the most fundamental concept in the
relationship between horse and human and can be applied not only to riding,
but to all horse handling from near or far. You are already using these
concepts every day with other people and all animals, but perhaps you haven't put
it into words. In order to communicate with a horse, train, or correct
misbehavior, the rider must fully understand the basic concept of pressure
and release.

All horses learn the same way, by responding to your application of pressure
and release. Repetition and reward. Apply pressure (request) until the
horse performs accordingly, then release immediately, which is the reward
for accurate behavior. Horses seek the release, it is how they learn. This
is used on something as simple as asking a horse to step over an inch and
off your toe, changing leads in an arena, and something as broad as
asking a herd of running horses to change direction from half a mile off.
All communication is based upon pressure and release.

With humans, imagine this scenario to understand the concept of pressure and
release: I walk up to you standing in the living room. I place my hand on
your shoulder, look you in the eye, and gently push you back, while asking
confidently and calmly, "Step back just a step, would you?" Depending upon
our relationship, you might first respond to my touch with a bit of
confusion, but as I ask verbally and simply, you move back a step. I say
"Thank you" and drop my hand from your shoulder. Humans communicate well
together. If you had been worried about what was behind you, you would have
hesitated or looked back before moving. If you did not trust me, you might
have resisted my pressure, even pushed back, or asked "why?" If you were a
child or didn't understand English, you would have relied more on my
physical direction for instruction and my general intention, reassuring eye
contact, or attitude for understanding. However; if in my mind, my
demeanor, and my actions, I clearly conveyed to you what I wanted, you would
have moved and we would have just learned the concept of pressure and
release together. The next time I placed my hand on your shoulder and
gently pushed, you would immediately take a step back. The next time, you
might even take a step back by just seeing my hand move toward your
shoulder, or one word "back".

The exact concept can be applied to horses. In fact, you can apply the
exact actions to get the same result. The truth is, you are already doing
this every time to touch, ride, or handle your horse. You halter the horse,
apply a bit of pressure on the lead rope asking him to follow, and you
release the moment he moves in the right direction. You don't drag him all
the way to the hitch rail, you ask him once and release the pressure when he
does the right thing - moves the right direction. While riding, you ask
your horse to stop by gently pulling on the reins, when he stops you release
the pressure by dropping your hands. You do not continue to pull on the
reins when the horse has stopped. You ask your horse to move to the right
by placing a bit of pressure on his side with your left leg. As soon as he
moves, you do not continue to push him into the rail or off the cliff.

Try this, either while standing next to your horse or even from above in the
saddle: Place your hand on your horse's head, between his ears at his poll
or from the saddle at the upper part of his neck. Gently place downward
pressure on his head until he drops his head even just a fraction of an
inch. (This could happen immediately, so be ready.) When he moves his head
even the slightest in response to your pressure, IMMEDIATELY release the
pressure. You can do this without moving your hand much at all, just a
little pressure downward and immediate release when he moves the correct
direction away from your hand's pressure. Your hand can remain in place,
but remove the pressure. Now repeat. Now repeat again. Soon, you will be
able to drop your horse's head all the way to the ground by simply placing a
bit of pressure on his neck or poll and releasing it when you get the
reaction you want. If you do not get the reaction, hold the pressure or
slightly increase the pressure until he finally moves, but release
IMMEDIATELY. The horse must feel the release to learn. If you are late, it
is very confusing. You must be clear and quick, or you will be telling him
to do something he already did! (Miscommunication = Misbehavior) If he
fights it, just continue to calmly hold the pressure and wait for the
CORRECT response. If he lifts his head, continue with pressure. Release
ONLY if he drops his head. He will seek the release - the reward. You will
have communicated with him. This is basic pressure and release.

Once you understand this very basic concept, you can apply it to all actions
you have with a horse. Verbally, physically, mentally, you exert varying
levels of pressure and release to do EVERYTHING.

It is just as easy to train a horse as it is to mis-train a horse. All good training or bad behavioral
issues come from the reinforcement of this basic concept. I apply heavy
pressure in the form of a well-placed spur and perhaps a spank in the rear
to a horse that has learned to be barn sour and immediately "die" (release
all pressure) when he heads out in the right direction. I apply light
pressure, shift in balance, or maybe just "mental" pressure (intention) to a
horse with whom I communicate well when I want him to change a lead or
direction, pass sideways to a gate, or cut livestock in an alley. Being in
the groove, communicating and understanding your horse is incredible!

This is a language you and your horse already know - you do not have to
teach it, you simply have to realize it. The goal is to understand the
concept, practice the concept, and end up communicating in the same
language. With that communication, all things are possible.

R

Big Announcement! Mantle Ranch for Sale and Montana Horses FAQs

2011-07-14T22:40:53Z

Announcing the biggest and best news of Kail Mantle's and Renee
Daniels-Mantle's mid-lives! We have finally and fully embraced all of the
cliches surrounding forty-something and are planning to sell the ranch and
sail around the world…literally, while we're still young enough to enjoy it,
each other, and before senility sets in – though some may think it already
has.

So, we are offering our gorgeous 500 acre ranch, which for many years has
served as our home and headquarters for Montana Horses, Inc. as well as a
great many rip-roaring good times, for sale at www.mantleranch.com. We'll
be making some BIG changes in the coming months. If you are still reading,
you are probably interested in those changes and how they might affect you,
or you are overcome with morbid curiosity. Either way, here are some
answers or a little more information.

1. Why are we selling? (see above) We're ready! Over the last 20
years (yes, it's been that long) we have developed an incredible business,
an incredible ranch, a herd of the absolute best horses in the world, and a
life we love. Life's been very good to us, because we had a vision and the
ambition to achieve it. We were never afraid of chances or hard work. The
joy was in the journey and now we're ready for another. We can retire when
we're too old to move, when we are sitting in the manor with blended peas
dripping from our chins, or we can take advantage of the assets for which
we've sacrificed and go enjoy some of the weekends and holidays we've worked
through for the last two decades.
2. Where are we going? We have no idea! The world is our oyster. We
will always have an address in Montana near Bozeman, because it is our home.
We have a network of friends and family here, our pastures and horses are
here, and we love it here.
3. What are we going to do? We'll probably never be far from the horse
business. The sky's the limit and we have some ideas. Whatever we do,
we'll include Kail's new man-dog "Acey" and "Tyke" and involve The Other
Woman, wine, travel, sailing, warmth and writing in the winter – and Montana
and our horses in the summer and fall. What a life!
4. When are we going? ASAP, though we'll phase out over as long as it
takes to do it responsibly.
5. Will we sell Montana Horses, Inc. – the business? Probably not. We
have not come across a soul we would trust with our clients or our horses in
this business. We're selling the ranch - land and improvements. We'll
probably have a big garage sale, but the RFD goes with the place.
6. What about our lessees? We will take care of everyone to the very
best of our abilities, especially our commercial clients who rely upon us
for their livelihood. Following this Summer Season, we will begin to make
arrangements with our lessees individually, which might include the purchase
of their lease horses at a very competitive price and terms.
7. What about our horses? We are committed to finding good homes for
our horses. They are our family, our only kids. Most of our working horses
will be for sale when the time comes and as we determine they should be
available for sale. We will offer first rights of refusal to our lessees,
and then very carefully begin to sell our horses by private treaty. Our
horses are in high demand. We will NOT sell our working horses for bid or
at auction. Our solid stock will be priced firmly between $2500 - $7500 per
head, depending upon the horse and their age and abilities. Our well-bred
AQHA ranch line will be offered separately. As they become available, we
will catalog our horses online and sell them individually, according to our
usual practices. The Kid Horse Sale in October will be held as usual.
8. HORSE DRIVE? The 2012 Horse Drive (May 4-6) will be our last Horse
Drive. If you've ever dreamed of removing this from your bucket list, now
is the time! We do still have some spaces for riders and on the Photo
Expedition, so book now or forever regret it. We have decided to NEVER
utter with regret the words, "I wish I had…" You should, too. This will
be a monumental Drive, in Three Forks on Derby Day, and it is sure to be
memorable (and probably tearful – especially if you whack your nuts on the
saddle horn).
9. HORSES FOR LEASE? While they are still available. We're going to
take things as they come and if we are in a position to offer them in 2012,
we will make the call in January as usual, and honor all contracts to which
we commit.
10. HEROES AND HORSES? No change. This program is not location
specific and we are devoted to providing this opportunity for as long as it
is still of benefit.
11. PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITIONS? The last scheduled Expedition is during
the Drive in May 2012. However; who knows what we'll dream up for later?
12. ULTIMATE HORSE COURSE? Closed. The new owners will determine its
future use as a private training ground or public offering.

We're happy to talk with you about our plans and dreams or answer any
questions you have. We're also grateful for any help you can give us as we
go about the next phase. We're selling this ourselves, with no brokers, so
we appreciate all you can do to get the word out. Stay tuned to our website
www.montanahorses.com and blog for details about the ranch and horses. And
later, check out our travels at www.rednecktravels.com.

Finally, a heartfelt thanks to all of you over the years for making Montana
Horses a success story and giving the Mantle Ranch in Three Forks a history
of which we can all be very proud.

Kail and Renee

kail@montanahorses.com
renee@montanahorses.com

Montana Horses, Inc.
Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle
9700 Clarkston Road
Three Forks, MT 59752
(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax
info@montanahorses.com
www.montanahorses.com

Equine Herpes Virus Quarantine Lifted on Gallatin County Horse

2011-06-25T17:28:37Z

Montana Department of Livestock

301 N. Roberts/PO Box 202001

Helena MT 59620-2001

On the web at http://liv.mt.gov

cid:image001.jpg@01CA06CF.EAF1EA00

Friday, June 24, 2011 / For Immediate Release

Contact: Dr. Tahnee Szymanski

Staff Veterinarian

Montana Department of Livestock

406/444-5214

Equine Herpes Virus Quarantine Lifted on Gallatin County Horse

The Montana Department of Livestock today released from quarantine a
15-year-old gelding in Gallatin County that tested positive for Equine
Herpes Virus (EHV-1) two weeks ago.

"We're pleased to report that the horse has been released from quarantine,
and that Montana should be in the clear in regard to equine herpes virus,"
said Dr. Tahnee Szymanski, MDOL staff veterinarian. "The premises that was
under quarantine is now no different than any other facility with regard to
risk."

MDOL on June 11 reported that a clinically healthy horse in Gallatin County
tested positive for EHV-1. The horse had attended the National Cutting Horse
Association Western National Championships in Ogden Utah, April 30-May 8,
where horses from around the western United States were exposed to the
disease. A total of 90 confirmed EHV-1 or EHM cases and 13 horse fatalities
were reported in 10 western states.

Szymanski commended owners of the Gallatin County horse and facility for
their proactive approach to handling the situation.

"The owners did everything right," she said. "They isolated the horse after
returning from the event in Ogden, and did everything they could do to
reduce the risk of transmission and exposure. They really went above and
beyond what they needed to do."

All travel restrictions on horses coming into the state have now been
dropped, Szymanski said. The state had been requiring a statement on CVI's
(certificate of veterinary inspection) to the effect that incoming horses
had not been exposed to any horses exposed to the disease.

"We're back to business as normal in regard to travel and events," she said.

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