The Unbridled Heroes Project

Unbridled Heroes is awakening…. It has been exhausting but worth every second, every tear, every setback and every glory. What started as a mindset, a shift in belief has made our dreams possible, our voices for the voiceless are being heard and we will continue to fight for them. We are unbridled, anything is possible with structure and faith. We have started to dive in deep into a very corrupt system that goes beyond animal cruelty and the exploitation of our horses, one that is evil and is existing because WE are letting them. It is time to stop it, we are stronger, our spirit is unstoppable, and faith will lead the way. UHP will go about this in an alternative way, that is our style, our anthem, but we will DO SOMETHING. There is a whole pipeline of horses that are exported to Canada and Mexico in the most inhumane ways. Most often these trades are done by the most evil of men and women and these lives, beautiful innocent lives are caught in this awful system of greed, corruption and money. AMERICA, we can do better by what is a living legend, our horse.

The SAFE Act, which would ban the export of our horses for human consumption has been reintroduced in Washington. While everyone is so excited, this seems to be a pattern where the bill just sits and nothing happens. This year, UHP will make sure the bill does not sit, something will happen, we will move it through the house and senate by working with our legislatures to ensure that this time, we stop the madness. This is just the beginning. Enforcement of the laws is a whole different issue, but one step at a time. It’s GRIND time. Here is a link to follow the bill. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/961?fbclid=IwAR0cl9tgbnxv6Crn5PwWBtRN0XwBJYjuwFIUYh8XXuoFe6ZBFL4h6J4HOkk

With that, on our home base, our Rescues are thriving….. they are beautiful in every way and we have fallen madly in love with every single one of them. UHP is ready to launch our Heroes Program in Late March, providing our Heroes an alternative holistic way to heal.

We have linked up with a wonderful Girl Scout Troop from Mahwah, we are excited to be chosen as their bronze star project. Here is a picture of us brainstorming at the farm.

UHP has also been speaking, hoping for an Unbridled movement where we can inspire people to unbridle themselves and live their dreams. It has been a remarkable experience and we are so grateful. Here is an edited clip of our last speech. We are a 501-c3 and rely solely on donations. Please consider The Unbridled Heroes Project for any donations. We are so grateful for the support and love.

Our Partner, Cat Zimmerman has been super busy doing what she does best, gentling Wild Mustangs…. Below is her latest blog post which we took from her website, which you can subscribe to at: https://czmustangs.com. In bold below is what this amazing young woman has been doing. We are SO PROUD of CAT and the unsung hero behind both CZ Mustangs and Unbridled, Cat’s mother.

February 2019 is in full-swing and so much is going on at CZ Mustangs that I’m not quite sure where to start.

Unlike previous years, this winter, Cat has not one but two mustangs in training for Extreme Mustang Makeovers–one in Madison, Wisconsin and one in Ocala, Florida.

We picked up Kimber (Wisconsin mustang) in January after a very, very long drive from Florida to Mississippi to Illinois and back to Florida. Kimber is a long yearling and, personality wise, a cross between Beau (the 2018 Kentucky Makeover mustang) and Digby (the 2018 Georgia TIP Challenge). He started out a bit…difficult but came around quickly. Cat discovered that he’s a natural for liberty.

Just over a week ago, we picked up another new mustang. This one is SPICY and a real piece of work. She’s a buckskin filly, not even a year old. As usual, Cat was excited for the challenge because feisty fillies just add to her knowledge base for future training situations.

It didn’t take long for “Lil Miss Sunshine” to win Cat’s heart–originally named tongue-in-cheek but now that she’s simmered down, the name truly suits her.

Sunni’s adorable. She will be available for adoption in the near future. Now that she’s a little more pleasant to be around, Cat has to determine what the filly likes to do. Every horse needs a job and purpose, so we will keep everyone abreast on Sunni’s progress.

In addition, she’s preparing for the horse expo in Tennessee where she was invited to give clinics and perform.  We both love these events because it enables her to educate large groups of people about the programs offered by the Mustang Heritage Foundation as well as the amazing capabilities of wild mustangs–given proper training, most mustangs can be domesticated and compete successfully in any discipline.

Finally, Cat has been invited to give clinics in the springtime and summer in different states. We are thrilled to travel, especially since she will finally get to see mustangs in the wild, an experience I planned on giving to her last year but I unexpectedly wound up sending her and another person to the 2018 Mustang Magic instead. I cannot wait for her to see mustangs running in the wild at last. What a magnificent experience she will have and I’m super excited that I will be there with her.

The Unbridled Heroes Project has been working tirelessly on our end to get to the right people to get this reintroduced. The fight is hardly over, we need to get both head of the Agriculture and the head of the energy and commerce committee to pass this through. Then the Speaker of the house needs to push it through and it will have to pass in both the house and the senate, then to the President to become law. This bill has been here before where nothing happened. Now it is action time, now we put on the pressure, now we get it done!! WE FIGHT FOR OUR HORSES. There is still so much to do. We will putting up ways you can help this cause by next week. THANK YOU!!

“Federal Legislation Announced to Ban Horse Slaughter
Posted on January 31, 2019 by frontrangeadmin

“The slaughter of horses for human consumption is a barbaric practice that has no place in America,” U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan said.
Protecting American Horses From Slaughter and Consumption

On January 30th, U.S. House Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) reintroduced the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act to end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. The legislation would prohibit the sale and transport of equines for slaughter which would prevent horse slaughter plants from operating in the U.S. and also ending the export of U.S. horses across our borders to Mexico and Canada for this purpose.

Over 100,000 innocent horses are exported for slaughter each year with intense suffering occurring even before they reach the kill box. Kill buyers cram horses into semi trucks usually obtaining them from low-end auctions or owners looking to re-home or sell their horse for free or cheaply. Very often they (or their workers) pretend to be a safe home or even a rescue.

The horses who are not immediately shipped to slaughter often spend time at “kill lots” where they are in filthy conditions with many becoming dangerously ill from contagious diseases. Those in transport often go for over 24 hours without food, water, or rest. Depending upon point of origin, they can be transporting within the U.S. long before reaching the border into Canada or Mexico.

At the slaughter plant, the horror intensifies as the exhausted, sick, injured and terrified horses endure multiple blows to the head in attempts to render them unconscious via the captive bolt method. Gunshot methods for killing regularly involve numerous shots as the panicked horse moves frantically around in the kill box.

Years worth of public polls show a strong percentage (at least 80%) of Americans wanting to ban horse slaughter.

“Horses have a special place in our nation’s history, and these majestic creatures were not raised as food for humans,” U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky said. “The SAFE Act would prohibit any horse slaughter plant from opening; and also end the sale or transport of horses and horse parts in the U.S. and abroad for the purpose of human consumption. I am proud to reintroduce this bill and work with Congressman Buchanan to put an end to this practice.”

“The slaughter of horses for human consumption is a barbaric practice that has no place in America,” U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan said. “I will continue to lead the effort with Congresswoman Schakowsky to ban domestic horse slaughter and end the export of horses abroad for slaughter.”
Horses are not raised as a food animal in the U.S., and they receive a number of medications and other drugs during their lives that make them unfit for human consumption. Front Range Equine Rescue’s legal actions at the state and federal level during 2012-2013 were based upon these facts.

The SAFE Act would prevent millions of taxpayer dollars from being wasted to allow plants to operate in the U.S. where numerous violations were documented when these facilities were open in the past. Regulations and methods for killing at a U.S. plant would not have any significant difference. Horses cannot be slaughtered humanely. Opening U.S. plants does not stop horses from crossing the border as kill buyers have contracts with various slaughter operators. Just like in the past, they would work to fill quotas for each facility whether it’s in the U.S. or in Mexico and Canada.

A similar bill in the Senate is expected to be introduced”

Date	All Actions
01/30/2019	Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Action By: House of Representatives
01/30/2019	Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Action By: House of Representatives
01/30/2019	Introduced in House Action By: House of Representatives

What is right….. in your heart, deep in the confines of your own mind and soul, only you know what that means to you and only you can figure out what that is. Dare to dream, to make a difference in this world. This is YOUR one life…. it is a gift. We have been so busy at The unbridled heroes Project. We are developing the curriculum for our Spring Heroes program which will launch in less than three months. This program has been constructed with special thought into every detail, one that will guide our heroes back to a place where the soul can truly heal in the purest form. We have learned so much from our team, Chirpa, Hope, Shiloh, Amirah and Buddy and are awed by how much these souls can teach you, if you listen….

UHP is dedicated to being a voice for the voiceless and daring to make massive change within our laws regarding livestock cruelty. We are appalled by the things we are learning daily, and WILL do something about it. We have two cases we are working now regarding the abuse our horses face daily. While we have seen the evilness firsthand, we will not back down to those who bully the weak.

We are so grateful to our supporters and SOOOOO grateful for our golf cart, especially in these freezing temperatures!!! The Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation, THANK YOU AGAIN!!!! Unbridle yourself world!!!!

Pamela Aisenbrey, one of UHP’s board member wrote this beautiful article on what has transpired the past few days…. We are so grateful to the Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation…….

The Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose Board consists of active and retired Police Chiefs, as well as Associates, Affiliates and Honorary Life Members of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association. The Foundation supports and provides the educational and financial needs of active and retired US Military personnel in Bergen County and their families. The foundation has partnered up with organizations such as Mahwah Marine Moms, Heroes to Heroes, Boots up, BCC Student Veterans Emergency fund, U.S. War Dogs Association and Pony Power Therapies.

They can now include The Unbridled Heroes Project, based out of Allendale NJ, to their copious list of non-profit associations. This non-profit horse advocacy and rescue farm, founded by two military Veterans in September of 2018, Amy McCambridge Steppe (Marine) and Mark Steppe (U.S. Army), strives to revive the unbridled spirit in both the rescued, Wild American Mustangs headed for slaughter mills as well as local Military Heroes. They offer a place to come together and witness the extraordinary connections one can make with another unbridled spirit through equine therapy. The 501(c)(3) non-profit also intends to make a difference in the lives of these suffering animals and to be steadfast in it’s mission to change the laws to better protect them.

On Saturday December 29, 2018 and on behalf of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation, the Foundation Chairman, Chief Donald Rossi, Retired Emerson PD and Chief Thomas Shine, (Old Tappan PD), who also serves as the President of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association, donated an extraordinarily, pristine golf cart to the Project. As it is difficult and almost impossible for struggling or disabled Veterans to explore the vast land on which the Unbridled Heroes Project occupies, the cart will serve as a means of transportation; not only for these Military Heroes but also for the staff and volunteers to keep the farm thriving and achieving its pursuit. This incredibly kind donation came forth with the help of Kenneth Olsen, owner of Rockland Golf Carts, located in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Rockland Carts specializes in service, repair, selling, renting and customizing all major makes and models and service Southern New York, Northern New Jersey, and Central New Jersey. 

The Unbridled Heroes Project is immensely appreciative and grateful for this much needed donation and is looking forward to working with The Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation in the future. While UHP is marketing their programs towards Veterans, they believe that every person can be a hero in his own capacity. Through art, liberty horse training or comradery at a safe facility to gather, individuals can tap back in to that primal part within and begin to heal.

What an incredibly emotional month it has been. As always we are grateful for the tremendous amount of support and are focused on our mission, all three aspects of it!!! I can not be prouder of the team behind UHP… without them, non of this would be possible. This weekend, I will introduce to you our team, one by one. They all deserve a special tribute, and I really want to give them a thoughtful write up. So for now, I will leave you with some gorgeous photographs, taken by the extremely talented David Radney!! Enjoy!! Also…. our mini horses will be arriving Monday!! We rescued them from Cranbury, NJ over month ago. They have been in quarantine, but are healthy enough to come home. Not sure how much our Mustangs will like that, but we will blend into a beautiful herd as we have done. Please stop by this weekend and visit our gift shop for beautiful chic bohemian jewelry, woodwork and more!!! MIND, BODY AND SOUL, we are truly one hundred percent doing that for our rescues. I have seen that term used hastily within rescues, and I must say, that is all we care about at UHP.