The Urban Cowboy

Adam Hollingsworth, Chicago’s urban cowboy, needs help and we should not ignore his plea. He is the man about town, riding his horse on the south and west sides showing children what a real horse looks like and encouraging positive behavior as he lets the kids touch and meet the horse. He is novel and news agencies, including the New York Timeshave showcased the city cowboy in full page, full color on Sunday no less.

On a lovely Monday afternoon, Hollingsworth, a/k/a/ Dread Head Cowboy rode his horse on the Dan Ryan Expressway in a surprise move and of course he stopped traffic. Even in this time of uncertainty and in the moment of nutty behavior a horse galloping on the Dan Ryan is suspect, and of course it went viral with national attention.

He was riding for a cause, Kids Lives Matter, he wanted the politicians and the public at large to pay attention to the under funding of children activity on the south and west sides. He was protesting on horseback. He made his point in dramatic fashion and he almost killed the horse in doing so.

The horse had no shoes, the horse fainted twice, the horse eyes the doctor said looked like cartoon eyes as they bucked, the horse was dehydrated and had bad teeth and was not prepared for such a ride. The horse was taken by The Animal Care and Control authorities and fed IV fluids. At one point it was once thought the horse might be euthanized. Sounds like the urban cowboy might know how to ride, but not take care of the horse. Today, horse, “NuNu” seems to be restored to a healthy state after his teeth have been cleaned and shoes placed on his huffs. However, even if he lives, he shouldn’t be ridden again.

Hollingsworth has been scolded, fined, jailed and his life has been threatened for the cruel treatment to the animal. Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun Timeseven reported that the horse had a “bowel movement.” Wait a damn minute. Do we really need to know that? With all of the trouble, crisis, political upheaval, pandemic health conditions, crime in the city and the world loosing a million people this year to COVID 19, do we need to know about horse’s bowels? I am sorry but I don’t think so.

My one-woman opinion, the news needs to catch its breath with the animal stories. Some of the reporters cover the animals far better than the humans who have lost their lives to shootings and accidents. The animal stories are reported with sensitivity, care and even love. Whereas some of the shoot and kill stories sound like scoreboard from the sports team with no emotion. That’s the point, the animal stories have emotion and the people cruelty stories don’t always. We see people in the California fires, who have lost everything, asked the stupid question, of what are you going to do now, now that the fire has destroyed your home, what will you do, the reporter asks with straight face.

Now, I don’t hate animals. I don’t have one. I am animal neutral. I respect and appreciate all of my friends who have pets and I love that they love them. I am a horse lover, nothing like a beautiful galloping horse. I am a horseback rider, but never on the Dan Ryan. But there is a place for everything. The Dan Ryan is not for horses.

Hollingsworth has a gimmick that has brought him attention. Bravo. Mayor Lori Lightfoot even contracted with him to ride his horse and encourage people to take the census. And he cried with an open appeal to the Mayor for help for his own welfare.

Pay attention. Maybe we can find Hollingsworth a place at the zoo.

I should hope some men in the community would come to the aid of the horseback rider. His cause has gotten lost in the conversation about the cruelty to the animal. So that Hollingsworth does not do more harm to himself or the horse, someone should give him the rules of ridding in the city. Maybe he should limit his rides to the parks and wide-open spaces, if legal. Maybe an alderman should perk up and write rules about horseback riding in the city proper.

He seems to be a good brother, trying to do the right thing, but men please come to his rescue, so he doesn’t hurt himself or the horse or the pubic.

Thank you.