Vision Quest “Thundering Hooves”
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Neta shares her vision of “Thundering Hooves”
Neta and Darrel Rhyne own the little town called Toyahvale, located in West Texas, situated in the foothills of the Davis Mountains. Balmorhea State Park, which is operated by Texas Park and Wildlife, is also located in Toyahvale where the San Solomon Springs emerge bringing forth an amazing one million gallons of fresh, clear, and warm spring-fed water every hour. Darrel is a scuba diving instructor and this past summer he taught SCUBA to 150 Boy Scouts from Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch just south of Toyahvale. The community of Toyahvale also consists of the Funky L’il Dive Shop and the Toyahvale Desert Oasis both owned and operated by the Rhyne family for over twenty-five years. Sadly, it’s also a popular travel route for kill buyers hauling their cache of horses across the border for slaughter in Mexico.
This tiny and mostly idyllic part of the world is theirs, complete with a story Neta wrote titled, “The Magical Desert Kingdom”. They have lived and worked here for a number of decades, raised their three children and now spend time with their three grandkids.
The major thing casting a shadow on their lives is the haunting sounds of the tractor-trailers, being downshifted and Jake-brakes applied when the drivers slow down their heavy vehicles, as they begin their turn onto the highway leading south, across the US border and deep into Mexico. Neta Rhyne felt the lost souls of these beautiful horses needed a voice to tell their story because they were so much more than just “cargo” going down the road to their fate. Thus “Thundering Hooves — A Native People’s Event” grew from the spark of an idea into a dream come true. I was lucky enough to sit down with Neta recently to learn more about her work on this one of a kind event.
Anne: This year October 5th, 6th and 7th hold a special meaning for all of us. “Thundering Hooves ~ A Native Peoples Event” is to be held at the Alpine Granada Theater, in Alpine TX. This must be a dream come true for you. Tell our readers about it.
Granada Theater Alpine TX
Neta: Hi Anne, first I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sonja and her team of Animals’ Angels for their dedication and tireless efforts in bringing to light the horrors of the slaughter industry. The heartbreaking images they capture from behind the lens of their cameras, bring shocking reality and they substantiate the unspeakable truth. We can no longer turn our heads in the face of these revelations.
With that being said, the “Thundering Hooves ~ A Native Peoples Event” is truly a dream come true in many ways. I am seventh-generation Cherokee and proud of my heritage. Sponsoring a Native Peoples Presence to West Texas has been a dream of mine for thirty years and now, thanks to all of the wonderful people involved, this is no longer just a dream. Over twenty Native American Nations are being represented at this historical occasion. A monumental mission accomplished thanks to the generosity, compassion, and hard work of these talented Native Americans in joining together to spotlight this momentous effort.
Anne: “Thundering Hooves” is an engaging name and brings to mind the sounds of horses running free. The way you came up with this name for the event really impressed your love for horses upon my heart. Share your story so we may pass it along to our supporters and friends.
Neta: My love for horses began early on. As far back as memory takes me, riding horses was my passion. The open fields of Oklahoma near my childhood home provided ample opportunities to ride and gallop freely on horseback. Though many times my exuberance and gusto were not appreciated! We moved from Oklahoma to Houston, TX, when I was in the sixth grade. As fate would have it, a neighbor girl the same age as I, and her family, owned twenty-four horses that were running free on their ranch, just thirty minutes from where we lived.
My new best friend and I spent every weekend exploring on horseback. Those were the days when a young girl could ride a horse thru downtown Houston and people on the sidewalks would give a big wave. For many years I rode the Salt Grass Trail, riding from Brenham to Houston. One year the gelding I was riding did not realize he was a gelding. When we rode through the streets in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade, he surely did put on a show. A local reporter caught the action on tape and I was featured on the local news as the Salt Grass “Bronc Rider”!
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Tags: advocacy, Alpine TX, Animal Rights, Anne St. Michael, Granada Theater, Neta Ryyne, stop horse slaughter