Actress Wendie Malick holds horses close to her heart.

Actress Wendie Malick holds horses close to her heart. I loved her speech today at Horses on the Hill and with her permission, I would like to share it with you. Thank you Wendie Malick for never giving up on our horses! ~Declan

"In 1971, Richard Nixon signed into law the 'Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act', quoting Henry David Thoreau, 'We need the tonic of horses'.

I would submit now, more than ever, we need the tonic of wildness...Americans are in the midst of an identity crisis:
'What do we stand for?'
'How does the world see us?'
'What values do we share?'
Well, for one thing, we do not eat horses and we do not condone enabling other countries to do so.

I have the privilege of living with 5 horses, 2 donkeys, 2 dogs and a husband and a niece. They have all been instrumental in helping me evolve, but it's the horses who've been keeping me up at night... For their kin are under assault. Both wild and domestic.

I have witnessed roundups, visited the government holding pens, seen footage of slaughter plants, and hear hear about the kill buyers outbidding at auctions for the lucrative flesh of healthy horses.

These are the horses that have fought our wars, plowed our fields, delivered our mail, instructed our cildren, been our beloved companions, thrilled us with their speed and grace and heart... Living symbols of America we hold dear. Why are we destroying the horse we rode in on?

I have a dear friend who, when her children are on the verge of doing something wrong, simply says, 'No. That is not who we are.'

Make no mistake, there is no "humane" way to slaughter a horse. Due to their flight instinct, they are not easily stunned, often suffering repeated blows and can remain conscious during dismemberment. If you have any doubt about this, watch 30 seconds of a slaughter video.

My niece is here with me today. She's been around horses since she was born and considers them her best friends. Like these other young people here, she wanted to be part of 'government in action' on behalf of these magnificent creatures. Let 'government in action' be three words, not two.

Do not appropriate any funds to inspect horse meat. Let us ban this gruesome practice and announce to the world, 'THIS IS WHO WE ARE!' " ~Wendie Malick