Beckstead:

Wild Horses Can’t Drive Him Away

with L.A. Sokolowski,

Equinista

When it’s �me to speak up for horses -- and all animals -that voice probably belongs to Sco� Beckstead of Sutherlin, Oregon, director of campaigns for Animal Wellness Ac�on and The Center for a Humane Economy. The lifelong horseman is renowned for his special exper�se in the field of animal law and has lectured on the subject at the University of Oregon and as adjunct Professor of Law at Willame�e University. He is also co-author of ‘Animal Law,’ the first (1999) casebook ever published on the subject of animal law. “One only has to glance through the Table of Contents to realize the varied roles animals play in our lives and many contexts in which courts have considered animals. I use ‘Animal Law’ in the seminar I teach at Georgetown (Law Center),” Valerie Stanley, senior staff a�orney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said. Sco� operated a private law prac�ce for 17 years, and served as Mayor of Waldport, Oregon for five (2002-2007) before leaving to work in the animal protec�on sector. Because of his familiarity with horses, livestock and farm animals, he provides training to law enforcement agencies on how to handle and work with animals, and how to inves�gate equine and livestock cruelty and neglect. Back at home, he says dogs Divvy and A�cus are happy to nurture his delusion that he and his wife Jacqueline are in control.

HERS: What do you remember about your first horse or pony?

HIS: My first pony was a P.O.A. (Pony of the Americas) gelding named Flash. He was not particularly kind to me yet I worshiped the ground he walked on. He carried me on some amazing adventures.

HERS: What do you like best in a horse?

HIS: Confidence.

HERS: What do you like best in a person?

HIS: Kindness.

HERS: What was your first job and how old were you?

HIS: When I was eight my dad bought me and my brother 30 heifers and an Angus bull. That was our job. I remember fixing a lot of fences.

HERS: If you worked outside the horse world what would you be doing?

HIS: I was built to be an advocate. So I’d be doing something like advocating for marginalized communities.

HERS: Favorite quote?

HIS: Lots of them but I really like Confucius: ‘If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.’ I believe in keeping a beginner’s mind. Others are here to teach me.

HERS: Who has inspired and/or mentored your wild horse advocacy?

HIS: First and foremost, Laura Leigh (WildHorseEducation. org). She is the prototype for wild horse advocacy. I can still picture her battling breast cancer, chemo bag hanging on her truck’s gun rack, following wild horse roundups.

HERS: How do your dogs, social media darlings Divvy and Atti (Atticus), keep you grounded while doing what must often be emotionally draining work?

HIS: Atti’s zoomies are so joyful he teaches me how we can all learn to celebrate life a little more. And Divvy, because she judges me harshly, keeps me humble and promising to do better. My daily hikes with them are how I stay sane and connected to a larger world. I always come back rejuvenated.

HERS: Where do you hope to see our wild horses and burros in 10 years?

HIS: I hope wild horses are restored to their rightful place on our American West and that the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) becomes run by horse people, not cattlemen. That explains a lot of the callous treatment we see of horses in the BLM round-up mentality. They hew to the wishes of ranching, which are never in the best interest of the horses.