25/01/2014
A ripple was felt by our team at The Heart of Horsemanship when we each heard Sharks off our coast were to be baited, tortured and killed.
We have a team of volunteers well educated in biodiversity, the environment and marine, as well as our second-to-none knowledge of horses, the land and animal behaviour.
The decision by our Government to do this baiting, torture and killing is against every intelligent and heart-felt thing we stand for.
By now, thanks to similar reactions to ours within our educated conservationist community, you will know that Sharks are a threatened apex species. Much information is available for you all online. We recommend you use Google to search the many critical reasons Sharks should be protected, despite their predator status.
We're lovers of the ocean at The Heart of Horsemanship. We travel to our beaches, and reverently share the ocean with all beings. Further, we respect the Shark as much as we revere the Dolphins we often swim amongst. Our herd of horses, like us, preferring to neither be stung by Jellyfish, nor mistaken for food by a shark, are appreciative of the ocean, but know when to leave. We believe everyone can be equally appreciative and respectful of the way of ocean life. Don't swim when Sharks are sighted, unless you understand their behaviour, and desire relating with them.
In 20 years of Ocean Horseplay, we've never been troubled by a Shark. We've seen others chased by hunting Dolphins, injured by their terrified and ill-prepared flight from the water. We've all left the beach covered in stings. Back the next day! We've surfed, we've swam with all manner of fish. We've divers and sailors amongst our team, surfers who's entire group of surfing friends are equally baffled at this method of "managing" Shark threat.
We're for a lot of great things at The Heart of Horsemanship. We're also FOR Sharks.
This gathering we told everyone who shared the ocean alongside us why we're for Sharks. We were heartened by the response. Not a single person that our team have met believes the decision by the W.A. Government is appropriate, let alone humane.
Our inspired act - to take a sign, to involve our horses, in our support of Sharks, was photographed to further add to the waves of support the crews at Support Our Sharks, West Australians for Shark Conservation- WASC, Save Our Sharks WA, Largest protest against culling/baiting sharks - a cause..., Snap Your Support For Sharks, Shark Angels, Sea Shepherd Perth, Sea Shepherd Australia, Sea Shepherd Margaret River, Sea Shepherd Global, and MANY groups around the World are generating now. Please use our images. Please credit our crew of volunteers and our wonderful horses - Whiskey, Presence, Billy, Matty and Pudding. We'd have taken more, but the cost involved is enormous, as was the time, and we must leave the beach by 8am.
Our friends may also know that while we were playing, uplifted by the Ocean and our friendship, one of our vehicles was vandalised, and our photographic equipment such as chargers and accessories were stolen. Jayne's spectacles were taken - a very expensive pair for she has odd eyesight, even private health cover doesn't assist with. Pania's mobile phone and her weeks earnings (on way to bank when open, after 9am). The damaged vehicle belongs to Greener Pastures Sanctuary, who have better things to pay for than the work of thieves and vandals.
We're all well, and count our blessings. We love you for your offers of old mobile phones and to root around your odds and ends for chargers that may help us! We've had a few small donations for the cost involved in getting to the beach, and the stolen donation. We will create a list of devices now short of batteries! Your offers and kindness are astonishing. We're for you too...
