Help Save Diego (a.k.a. Blind Melon)

My name is Chris Roman, and I want to talk to you about my friend Penny—and her horse, Blind Melon.

Penny’s heart is one of the biggest I’ve ever known. She’s a merchant mariner, a captain, a mother—and most of all, a caretaker. She looks after the forgotten, the broken, and the voiceless. One of those souls is a blind horse named Blind Melon (formerly Diego), and this fundraiser is about keeping him safe, healthy, and loved.

Blind Melon was once a championship-level polo horse. If he’s the horse believed to be listed in the registry, he competed until 2015. Then something happened—maybe uveitis (moon blindness), maybe a traumatic injury—no one knows for sure. But he went blind and was eventually listed as deceased on the Argentinian polo registry. He was left in a paddock in Southold, New York.

That’s where Penny found him.

When she started working at the farm, she was told to avoid “the difficult chestnut.” But she noticed something wasn’t right—he kept bumping into fences, was bullied by the other horses, and seemed confused and scared.

One day, she shouted “Whoa!” just before he walked straight into a fence. She protected him while he ate, shielding him from the other horses. From that moment on, he never left her side. She didn’t plan on adopting a horse—but that day, he chose her.

Years later, with the help of a local rescue, Penny brought Melon back into her life. They spent an entire summer together, retraining gently and patiently. She helped him remember how to trust, and he helped her heal.

Penny made a promise to Melon—and to every animal she’s ever rescued: that she will always fight to keep them safe, no matter what. And she has kept that promise.

I met Penny and Melon through the barn where my daughter takes riding lessons. Earlier this year, I was going through a very dark time in my life. I started working with Penny and Melon, and my daughter instantly bonded with him too. For the first time in a long time, I felt hope again.

That hope saved my life.

Due to a family emergency, Penny had to leave him behind. Melon is intended to be retired and is considered "the people's horse" until the end of his days, ridden by my daughter and her friends. He is too old now for regular riding and arthritic from his polo career. Rescue farms specifically for blind horses are full and have already been contacted.

A captain that saved a horse. A horse that saved a captain. A chance encounter that saved a father.

And now, it’s time to save Melon.

Every dollar raised will go directly to Blind Melon’s boarding, feed, and medical supplements. Your support helps keep him healthy—and keeps Penny’s promise alive. It helps my daughter continue her bond with this magical horse. And it helps give people like me a second chance.

This fundraiser covers one year of his expenses. His needs will be re-evaluated next year.

Here is a break-down of his needs:

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.

With love,

Chris, Penny, and Blind Melon

Follow us on Instagram: @blindmelonthehorse