Cord Byrd: “President Reagan was often fond of saying that ``there's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a…”

“President Reagan was often fond of saying that ``there's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.'' So he surely would have been proud when, on November 18, 2004, during the closing days of the 108th Congress, the Senate passed a resolution introduced by our former colleague Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell that designated December 13, 2004, as ``National Day of the Horse.'' The resolution encouraged the people of the United States to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of our great Nation. The resolution, S. Res. 452, included a provision that stated ``horses are a vital part of the collective experience of the United States and deserve protection and compassion.'' Beginning in the 1950's, public awareness was raised about the cruel and inhumane manner in which wild horses and burros were being rounded up on public lands and subsequently sent to slaughter. Velma B. Johnston, later known as Wild Horse Annie, led an effort to protect this symbol of the American West that captured the imagination of school children across the country.”