RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS END-OF-THE-MONTH BUCKET FUND! MEET BUCK! Dumped by the Heirs… Sheesh.

I read this sad story about Buck…dumped off the estate by the heirs of his deceased owner…

Buck, a devoted and well-worn cutting horse, fell through the cracks during an estate battle. The children of the estate – which was a large piece of property used partially as a boarding stable – just wanted the boarding horses and Buck (owned by the deceased) gone.

This was rough on the boarders but the decedent’s horse, Buck, had no one looking after his welfare. The estate’s best idea for the devoted work horse was euthanasia.

When the boarders heard about Buck’s fate, their hearts leaped into action – they got really scrappy and figured out a way to appease the estate and rescue Buck.

They did this even when they had their own struggles to figure out new housing for all of their horses… let alone a horse that wasn’t theirs.

And it wasn’t easy. They jumped through hoops to save this special horse.

RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS …

I thought that their random act of kindness towards Buck was worthy of an additional random act of kindness…

Maybe we can make their weight a bit lighter for the next few months or so…

Here is the story:

Buck came to Dale because Dale wanted a really good cutting horse. Dale enjoyed going to competitions and needed a horse to help him win – Buck did that. As far as I know, Buck wasn’t ridden for anything but the competition arena. After a few years Buck developed a splint in his right-front shin and Dale was getting older, so Buck was retired from competition. Unfortunately, Dale was an old-time cowboy and didn’t bond with his horses. So, Buck was fed but didn’t have much interaction with people. Dale had a ranch and took boarders in, that’s where I and the other folks who are giving Buck help, come into the picture. As Dale reached the last few years of his life he began to be most concerned about spending money. One way to save was to quit vaccinating his horses, don’t trim hooves, don’t buy good hay, don’t have teeth floated….

When Dale died there was a family battle over the estate and the trustees came into the picture. Buck was an asset, and not a very valuable one. There were plans to put him and another horse down to consolidate the estate. The boarders were asked to leave, the property was to be sold. When we, the boarders, heard we were most unhappy that a horse who had always done his best should be so treated at the end. I found a pro bono lawyer who agreed to submit an offer to the trustees for us. We offered to buy Buck (and the other horse) for $100.00 each. In the meantime we agreed to each contribute $25.00 a month for Buck’s upkeep. Not easy to find a place to keep him or someone to move him. But we did.

The picture I’ve sent was taken just a few weeks ago. Buck looks as if he is beginning to trust folks again. He is staying at a ranch which is run by a most wonderful lady. A gift from the gods to Buck.

At this moment his needs are small; hooves trimmed every 8 weeks, Equine Senior, good hay, vaccinations, teeth floated and good thoughts.

CAN WE REWARD THIS RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS? These selfless boarders are not rich… I thought it would be really nice to recognize those who did this just because it was the right thing to do.

FOR BUCK!!