AMHR Nationals in Okla

[C Mitz]

Here is some reality with the AMHR National Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

As of Nov.1, 2008, the State of Oklahoma has made it a Felony to practice Veterinary Medicine without a license. This includes teeth floating, massage therapy, chiropractic and anything else the State Board may interpit as veterinary medicine. The penalty for practicing in any of these fields, considered as veterinary medicine, is up to four years in prison.

I will not be coming to the National Show or any farm in Oklahoma, because of this.

The time has come for horse owners to stand up and band together and fight to keep

your right to choose who cares for your horse. Please believe me, this is just the beginning

of the State's movement to decide who cares for your horses.

To those clients that have counted on me at the past AMHR National Shows, I apologize for not being able to continue my services.

Sincerely,

Carl Mitz

 

[eagles ring farm]

So sorry for this to have happened

We are in NJ so too far from you to take advantage of your services

wish we were closer

but a big loss to your clients, as they feel you are the best in the industry

Hope things can be changed for the people in OK

Lori

 

[Songcatcher]

I think this is a very unfortunate situation and the result of "big government". Those who want government to "give" them all their needs, need to realize that such a government will also take away all their rights.

I love my country, but hate to see the way it is going toward more socialism and totalitarianism.

 

[Sandee]

Sorry to loose you at Nationals. My horses are the ones that will suffer. We have tried MANY different people for teeth and you either hypnotize them or just have "magic" fingers! They have always been better and calmer after your treatment than any one - including the vets that I've tried.

Thanks for your past service and you have a PM.

 

[Sandra L.]

What has happened to land of the free and the home of the brave? We are suppose to be the leading country in the world. Other countries have strived to be like us, create our type of governments. I refuse to give up! Just because this is a law now does not mean it has to stay this way.

Do people think bad laws cannot be changed? I for one refuse to tuck my tail between my legs and hide under the table. I do not intend to give up on the American way.

It is high time the American people realize that we put Senators, Representatives, Govenors and on down the list in office and we can take them out of office. I am fed up with status quo.

I am not a very political type person, but I do know that I am tired of politicians trying to push me out of the horse business and/or punish horses.

Where I live, in Henryetta, Oklahoma there is not a vet that can even float minis teeth. They not only do not have the equipment, they lack the know how. Currently my vets are angry/upset with me because I went out and got somebody to give Little Man false teeth. They are not willing to discuss this, just not interested. They aren't the only ones.

If you aren't mad about this law yet, then let me ask you this....are you okay with letting horses suffer? No, I already know your answer. Miniature horse people are passionette people.

Stand up and fight for your rights.

 

[wildoak]

Carl,

Any news on how things stand here in Texas since the hearings were postponed?

Jan

 

[Leeana]

I am so sorry this law went into effect, how sad

 

[Thunder]

It appears the medical professions have learned the ways to pursue their own desires like many have done in the past. They are now putting many of their own in the senate or house on both state & federal levels. Then they are trying to build their professional boundaires just like alot of other professions have already done. I believe a vet introduced the new law in Okla. They also have a Dr. Colburn in the US Senate. Just examples for this discussion only.

But the sad point comes when they will not, can not, & have not the tools to do the work that they have greedly grabbed!

Somehow reason has to return to our over regulated USA/World but allow us to also have some protection from the unreasonable?

A common person goes under, "Who Cares"? The greed has crashed the world's money streams & we must bail them out, go figure.

How do our minis get recognized as a business status rights? Do we have to put someone in the senate or house ALSO?

Or how do we get someone ear that is there to stop some of these actions?

 

[JWC sr.]

The pitiful part of all of this is that the folks that will be affected the most have been the most silent and apathetic of the entire group. At the past rallies that were held in Austin here in Texas they were very thinly attended and undersupported.

What a lot of people do not realize is that the large farms will not be affectted by all of this, they will merely make Carl an employee of the farm, put him on payroll and take taxes out of his check. Thereby making it completely legal for him to do the teeth they need done.

Additionally, most people are not aware that they (the vets) are also beginning to look at de-horning, castration and palpating of cattle as a vet required practice. ( I have seen the letters to this affect). Additionally, hoof trimming/farrier work is being looked at also. This could very easily change everything we currently know as the cattle and Horse industry in general all in the name of the almighty dollar.

It is high time that the smaller farms, individuals and general fans of mini's, big horses and animals in general get active, write letters, emails etc. etc. and raise a real ruckus over this invasion of personal rights and our desire to get the best proper care we can get for the horses in our charge.

Our farm sent in a donation to the League of Justice ( the atty's that are working with Carl on this) and intend to do so again this year. Please continue fighting Carl and let us know what we can do to help.

 

[bonloubri]

Additionally, hoof trimming/farrier work is being looked at also.

I was wondering if farriers would be the next hit. We have a hard enough time trying to find farriers that will do minis as it is.

 

[MountainMeadows]

John, or anyone else who might know:

If we were to provide Carl with a Form 1099 would it then be OK for him to practice - that is the form that I provide to my trainers? Probably not exactly the same thing, but maybe what the government is really worried about is the possibility of missing tax revenue from farriers & dentists who might not claim the income they receive --- NOTE: I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT CARL DOES THIS IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM -- just a possibility that it might be part of what "drive them"

Stacy

 

[JWC sr.]

Stacy,

according to my atty. he would have to be an employee as per the IRS code ie: payroll taxes and matching payroll taxes taken out and paid by the employer. In my case, I would merely add him to my regular payroll and move on. It would eliminate the small folks though unless they had that capability, specifically a federal empoyer ID # and all the trappings that go with it.

Personally I am fighting this as much as I can for several reasons, a few of them are below;

1. I have a real problem with folks telling me how to care for the animals in my charge.

2. I am against any type of federal or state interference in the handling of my animals as long as they are properly taken care of.

3. This is just the tip of the iceberg and more rules and regualtions will come later if we allow this to happen.

4. There is no one that can better handle the needs of my horses teeth, than Carl Mitz. Our vet refers people to him even.

 

[mizbeth]

While I think that there are probably a lot of ways a law can be circumvented I do not think it is the intent of Carl or other practioners to continue their practice that way. Most have families and children they are raising and only wish to provide quality service to those in need of them, to be a responsible business owner and teach their children what is moraly and ethical correct. Some will pass thier talents on to their children. While not all practioners are good at what they do, not all vets are either. We must be allowed to chose who we want to do our horses, and this is what this fight is about.

I for one have sat a bit long on this as well, as I surely thought they would never pass such a stupid law! Well they did or a trying to. I know that some miniature owners do not use equine dental practioners and are happy with their vets. That is wonderful if that is the case for you. Supporting the equine practioners does not (sorry had a typo) mean you have to use them. It only means, WE as miniature horse owners(especially in this case miniature horses - Carl) are banding together to protect our rights to be able to chose who is qualified to treat and care for our equines.

I hope that everyone with little horses will support this effort. We are dealing with Texas now and OK probably other states as well. We are fortunate to have a state representative that owns horses and uses dental practioners for them. HE has enacted a bill that will be submitted in this coming session, so HOPEFULLY if he gets enough input from horse owners and other representatives and senators this bill will pass and Carl would be able to continue his practice in Texas.

I know that Sanda is working hard to get this law reversed or challenged. Please do not leave it up to her to do alone. She needs you and you need to be heard! ALSO write your Governors office, and file a complaint. They cannot do anything for you most likely, but rest assured the complaint will be noticed and noted. You will be referred to someone else, however as I said it will get noticed.

Good luck to all, and lets please help.

 

[Yaddax3]

Quick Question:

Does this Oklahoma law mean the horse owner cannot do massage therapy or adjustments on their own horses, or does it apply solely to a third party (such as Carl Mitz)?

 

[wildoak]

I can't answer your last question specifically as to Oklahoma, but I would imagine - as it is here - that you as a horse owner can legally work on your own horses, as can your direct employee (see John's post). Where they draw the line is someone coming in as an outside "contractor" if you will, and doing what they now interpret as "practicing veterinary medicine".

However, I don't want to work on my horses teeth OH! even if I had the skills! LOL. And the whole issue of course is that they are taking away our right to make those decisions, as well as taking away the livelihood of an entire group of skilled professionals.

Jan

 

[Yaddax3]

I absolutely agree that an individual's rights are being trampled. I'm much more comfortable putting my horses in the capable hands of practitioners such as Carl Mitz and Gary Fluhr than many vets.

Most equine vets we know either have no interest or no clue about dentistry or chiropractic work.

I asked whether owners can do their own massage therapy and adjustments because my wife and I know how to pop a back vertebra into place, and have had to do that before a jumping class at AMHR Nationals.

I'd rather have the horse aligned than sending him into a class with a vertabra out. Unfortunately, the politicians who are passing these absurdly restrictive rules aren't thinking about the horse's health. They don't care about those that whinny. They're more concerned about the whiny vet's bank account.

 

[hahler]

Ok I need to know who to contact on this matter before it starts to involve me and my crew.

I have heard the rumors about the farriers being targeted next. And this needs to stop NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am behind Carl's fight 110%

and what does the ATF have to do with this that makes absolutely no sense

thanks that was my rant

dawn

 

[hahler]

Ok I need to know who to contact on this matter before it starts to involve me and my crew.

I have heard the rumors about the farriers being targeted next. And this needs to stop NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am behind Carl's fight 110%

and what does the ATF have to do with this that makes absolutely no sense

thanks that was my rant

dawn

 

[JWC sr.]

My suggestion would be to contact Carl directly (he posted above so you should be able to contact via PM or email) and/or the league of justice group who are the atty's that are representing Carl and the other equine denists free of charge. They should be able to help you contact the right people. I had a list of contacts, but lost it in the fire we had at the office several weeks ago.

 

[MiLo Minis]

This same law was passed in Ontario, Canada many years ago. The vets did not get a substantial increase in dental work after the passing of the law as most of them do not do a good job on teeth. Lets face it, someone who does nothing but teeth and has spent much time studying the practice, such as Carl, is going to be a lot more proficient at it than a vet who had a month or so of dental in college and gets sporadic requests for it in their practice. There are several dental technicians that studied in the States and practice here in Ontario (no names mentioned) and continue to do so. They were constantly harassed, had their tools confiscated and fines levied but still they continued. Due to their perseverence and dedication what is happening now is that they have been given permission to continue to practice under the supervision of a vet. This of course adds to the cost of dental work but for those horses that need someone like Carl it is worth the extra cost.