Just saw this on the “stop Cyril” FB page:
Stop Cyril Bertheau
Sandy Bolinger · ponstdrSeo9477tl381f1011h3fh2ff8ml9it01hi3ic12t2clt96gimc74a ·
THIS is a portion of a conversation I’m having with a gal who ranches near where cereal is now. She describes the encounter she had with him on June 20th. The screwdriver part of the story would be hysterical if it wasn’t so sad.
Hello Sandy. We’ve met but you probably don’t remember. I worked for John and Gail Dooling and it was at a cutting Jess hosts there at the ranch.
I came home for lunch the other day (June 20) and he was in the driveway just off highway 278 in the Grasshopper Valley. I could see him with the horse’s foot up and I asked him if I could help him as a way of indicating he was on my mother’s property. The house is not visible from the highway so he assumed I meant help literally. I explained he was on private property. He said he was trying to pull a shoe and requested a screwdriver if I had one. I said no, very confused. I told him the only tool I had on me was Leatherman pliers. He said that may work. I am now out of the vehicle and walking toward the horses. He is pulling the shoe from the paint, right rear. Yes, when I said cracked heels I meant the heel bulbs. SEVERELY cracked and bleeding. He had sprayed them with Bluecoat and they were bleeding through it. It was not scratches. I have dealt with scratches and these were cracks of a different nature, the full width of the heel bulbs and up on the leg. That’s not to say these cuts wouldn’t be open to fungal or bacterial infection because they certainly would be.
Embarrassingly enough, I must interject here that I honestly thought they were mules due to the lack of muscling I saw. You know how most mules are not as muscled as a horse in rear end?They are SEVERELY underweight and I became angry and that didn’t help my clear thinking. I saw mules and that remained in my thinking. I’m quite embarrassed about that but it goes to show their condition. I could see the outline of the pelvis and the spine at the tailhead from under the saddle and large saddle bags he had. The bay horse with the pack was not as skinny but still much too thin and old to be asked to continue working to that extent.
Anyway, as I could see the shoe was hanging by only two very loose nails I handed him my pliers. The clenches would not pull through. I told him if he could move off of the road I could get by and go home to get proper tools and be back to assist. He agreed. I was furious at the condition of the horses and determined to help him for the sake of the horse and to act friendly in order to get information about his travel plans so I could call the sheriff and they would be able to find him.
I returned with a puller and a nail puller. I handed him the puller and proceeded to attempt to pull the shoe in the wrong direction. Now, I am very upset. I said to him that isn’t how it is done, here let me do it. I had the nail pullers in my hand so I pulled one nail and then the remainder of the shoe. The shoe was nearly worn in two at the toe. I asked him what he was doing and he said very proudly riding from Texas to Washington. I asked what made him want to that and he replied it was a family tradition and he was the fourth generation to do so. I asked if he would be taking the Pioneer Scenic Byway on his way north. He said no he was going to go into the Big Hole and into the Bitterroot Valley from there. I wanted that information for the sheriff to locate him. He said he was going to meet John Folsom at the Hairpin Ranch and would be calling a farrier from there (roughly 13ish miles from my driveway). I cautioned him that in Beaverhead County farriers are not easily found. He asked how far he had to go. I told him and warned him he also had to go over Big Hole Pass and that it is a long hard climb. He asked how far until he would begin climbing and I informed him he would be from the driveway we were in. He went on his way and I, becoming more angry by the minute, rushed home to call the sheriff.
I was told by dispatch that he had already been investigated on the Sunday (June 18) before. The deputy ran his information, he was not wanted in any state and the deputy determined nothing was amiss and let him go. I told dispatch I disagreed completely with the deputy’s determination and something should be done. Dispatch gave me the number for our local livestock inspector whom I called next. I had to leave a message with him and have recieved no reply since.
His name is Dan Bugni:
(406) 660-0471
I certainty hope he is stopped by someone. Unfortunately, it is my opinion that Beaverhead County doesn’t want to spend the money or time to bring charges to him especially not being a resident of this county; they were hoping for the easy way out of letting it become Ravalli County’s problem. That’s my opinion, but I fear I’m correct. He is currently stopped in Wisdom which is in Beaverhead County.
I wish I had been clear thinking enough to request his picture with the horses under the guise of friendliness but I didn’t. I just wanted to be able to turn him in and honestly didn’t want to speak to him one second longer.
I hope this information may be helpful. I have no use for those that harm innocent beings such as children and animals.
