Support Jessica and Dan After Red's Passing

I'm Jessica Carter, my husband is Dan, and unfortunately, we had to put down our horse Red. Through the emergency vet that so graciously came out at 2:00 am, and the cremation that we elected, we're asking for a helping hand to alleviate some of the pain and financial burden.

I got Red back in the summer of 2001. He had just turned 11, and I was about to turn 11. We connected instantly and went on to do so much. We joined 4H where we competed in Western Pleasure, English, jumping, and gaming. In between shows, we would go on trail rides constantly and even tried our skills in team penning! Red preferred hanging out with the cows instead of chasing them, though. The number of trophies and ribbons we won together will forever blow my mind.

As I got older, life became more difficult to balance, so in came some to lease Red. Now he had another little girl to learn how to ride and love him just as I did. After she found her own horse, Red continued to be the stepping stone into riding for many more kids. He was the type of horse that anyone could ride, regardless of age or experience.

Over the years, many things have changed. Dan came into my life in 2009, and we've been married since 2015. He's been there ever since, watching and helping these kids grow alongside Red and me. After moving a couple of times, we were able to have Red (along with two others) in our own backyard for almost 4 years. Our first son, Zachary, loved brushing him and giving him treats, and Red got to meet our newest addition, Charles, 4 months ago.

Red's passing was unexpected. Even at 33 years old, I would still see him galloping down the field when Dan came out to feed them. We're unsure of what caused it, but one night we could both tell something was very wrong, and he was in pain. I knew he had lived an amazing life, and I didn't want to have him go through anything he didn't need to, so I had to let him go. He's been my best friend my whole life, and I know he's touched a lot of lives. It hasn't been easy, but the outpouring of messages we've gotten has already shown how loved Red is and how special of a pony he was.