Saving Monty

Hello Friends, our dear Morgan, Monty, needs your help. Yesterday, Sunday, January 8, I raced him to The Myhre Equine Clinic as he was in acute pain and collapsed. He immediately underwent colic surgery where they removed several lipomas- one of which had strangulated part of his small intestine. After hours of surgery and post-surgery recovery, his prognosis is good. He has a fighting chance. He will stay 10 days at the clinic where he will receive the greatest care from an amazing team.

But, after three years of extreme income loss due to the pandemic and illegal restrictions placed on our farm by our town (now removed), we are just now getting back on our feet financially. We have rebuilt our business, been very creative financially and were just now ready to take a deep breath and move forward from a very trying time. I type this today asking for your help to pay for his veterinary expenses.

And the reason I ask this is because the horse you are helping to save is Monty. Yes, Monty- the greatest horse I have ever known. A small old-fashioned Morgan who started his life out as a pulling horse in the Amish community. We were lucky enough to come by him after he was put out to pasture due to what we believe was a cart accident. He has large harness scars on his sides and a scar inside his left hind. When we got him, he had overgrown feet and was still wearing heavy road shoes. He did not know what a treat was or how to be a pet. But, it was very clear this was a special horse who would never hurt anyone. And, he hasn't. He has never bucked, reared, or bit a human or animal. He has given thousands of pony rides, taught hundreds of kids and adults how to ride and has been the absolute rock of our farm. Indeed, he saved our farm during a time when we had extreme programming and financial limitations. And, he saved me. Worried that we would lose our dream farm, I would go to bed at night thinking, as long as Monty is OK, I am OK. I can build programs around him and cry into his thick mane anytime I need.

For those of you who know Monty (and that number is large), you know why saving him or not was not a question. And for those of you who know me, you know that asking for this help is extremely hard. But one of the quotes from The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse that I have carried with me these past three years is this: ‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.”

Monty is now recovering, but his vet bills will start coming in today. If you are able to help at all, I thank you, my family thanks you, thousands of kids thank you, and our dear sweet boy Monty thanks you.