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STOCKING STUFFER STORIES – Forrest Gump

Our December Bucket Fund is going to be a bit different…

I was thinking that most people are needing to spend their extra December dollars on Holiday gifts and events.  Hence, I know it will be difficult to give to the horses during that month.  So, I thought that maybe if I could make giving to a horse a ‘gift’, then maybe more people would feel good about donating in December.

My conclusion was to come up with Gift Donation Stocking Stuffer horses.  These horses are not in urgent danger and don’t need a huge influx of money right away… but they all have a story and they all need sponsors for their ongoing care.

Sometimes, the ‘safe but sad’ horses are forgotten because their needs aren’t immediate.   So, for December, I’ve picked three such horses… three deserving equines who haven’t had proper care or nurturing and are finally at a place where they can have love and sponsorship.

FOUR DIFFERENT HORSE CAUSES

I’ve chosen four different horse stories which should cover all categories.

1)  We have Tullie the burn victim.

2)  Forrest Gump, the very young and unwanted horse because he is ‘different’.

3)  Dixie, the thrown away, horribly skinny, 20 year-old incredibly sweet and grateful mare. (story later…)

4)  Our Bucket Fund Wild Mustangs and Burros  – to add more acres to DreamCatcher Sanctuary which would enable more captured horses/burros to be set free.

HORSE # 1

HORSE #1 will be Tullie.  You all know her story.  She is the one who was treated with transmission fluid and lime to cure her mange.  Oy. (You can read her story here.)

She is fine now.  But, it took three years of loving care to get her healed and she still isn’t healed emotionally.  Tullie needs sponsors.

HORSE #2:  Forrest Gump

Meet Forrest Gump.

I chose Forrest as a Gift Certificate horse because no one has ever wanted to sponsor him. The only reason his caregiver can think is because he “looks different”.   Yikes.

I guess this struck a cord with me because I know how cruel children can be with the kid who looks different.  Ouch.  I can sympathize on how awful it must be to be kicked out of a group or left alone while others play.

So, I think I feel badly for Forrest Gump because no human has ever looked past his deformity and sponsored him.

TO BE FAIR…

He lives at a Rescue where there are many horses who come in very ill and need immediate sponsors.  And, he also has to compete with such stories as Tullie’s…  So, I can see how poor little Forrest would be left out and forgotten by potential sponsors.  However, I wanted to bring his story here for you today so that maybe you could think of him as a horse you might wish to help through a Stocking Stuffer or Gift Donation.

FORREST’S STORY

Forrest was a very young horse who lived with a herd of other horses.  He was not gelded and was going to be his previous owner’s breeding stallion (sigh).  However, she left him out with all the other horses, as a little stud, and one of the other horses kicked the back of his right front knee.

It was fractured.  No one did anything.  From what I understand, he was left in the winter’s snow and ice to fend for himself and try to heal.

Luckily, he was noticed and the wonderful folks at Horse Feathers Equine Rescue took him in.  They immediately drove him to the vet for X-rays (he hobbled into the trailer fairly well…).  The vet there said it would be best to put him down.

Horsefeathers didn’t think that sounded right.  Yes, he was skinny, cold and didn’t look very healthy but he had made it this far and was getting around alright.  They felt he just needed love, groceries and time.  So, they waited.

And, they were right!  Today, Gump is fine (although this injury is sure to cause arthritis later) and acts just like any other young horse.  He plays (click here to watch the video of him playing), he runs, he eats and he HAS A JOB.

Yup, Gump is a therapy horse.  The Director of Horse Feathers Rescue is certified in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and is also a credentialed RSS–Recovery Support Specialist.  She works folks with trauma, PTSD, Drug/Alcohol issues etc .  They have kids who attend workshops who are developmentally delayed, have behavior issues and need special attention.

Gump is one of her best equine assistants in her program.  It seems the participants can relate to him because he is ‘different’, too.

Horsefeathers had this comment:

“Another one who has no sponsor/angel is Forrest.  He has a crooked leg now.  Yes its permanent.  People look at that (and think he is)  not “normal” so he doesn’t get a lot of attention.

But, he gets around pretty good out there. He has such a sweet nature after all hes been through and does well with the therapy lessons. He is patient and listens.  He does so well!

I was talking to a lady the other day about a horse that she was looking at. She commented to me about how “pretty” that horse is. It took me back to a book by Mark Rashid, ” A Good Horse Is Never A Bad Color”…. I thought of Forrest and how someone could offer to give me a $10,000 horse and Id choose him every time. There is something about his spirit that even tho he will never be ridden, he can warm the heart of the hardest, he is the most patient and he can teach you to ride the wind like a hawk…“

POOR GUY… HE IS TRYING HIS BEST!

Yes, he looks funny and yes he doesn’t get around as well as the others.  But, he is otherwise healthy and is doing a great job for the humans who take lessons with him.

I feel it is really sad that no one has sponsored him.  So, little Forrest Gump is our second Donor Certificate horses for December.

Just because he looks funny doesn’t mean he isn’t a diamond in the rough. What a sweet soul.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth! if you like this, please pass it around!
\nThe November Bucket Fund will benefit The Wild Horses and Burros, via DreamCatcher Sanctuary.  We are helping them acquire an additional 20,000 acres to release more captured Mustangs/Burros back into the wild. To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate to this incredible opportunity for our Mustangs,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)