In taking on the task of putting together, operating, managing and being the go to person for a non-profit, I find that that person often has a reason.  A driving force behind them.  Well, so do I.  So does the farm.

There are three animal lives that have touched my soul.  Bob’s Big Hope, or just Bob, was a cranky thoroughbred.  He was a frequent visitor at a farm and rehabilitation center I worked at.  I remember the first time I worked with him.  He had ice boots on, and he angrily stomped and kicked the entire time the boots were on his legs.  I just talked to him the whole time, and told him how silly he was being for acting so cranky.  After that first time, I was nominated (maybe self nominated?) to tend to him everyday.  He had to have the boots on for forty-five minutes.  Eventually, I started grooming him too and feeding him way too many peppermints during our forty five minutes.  He quickly grew to be a very special horse to me.  I was, thankfully, allowed to ride him one day.  Just a quick jog around the barn, but that was enough for me.  I cried every time he left and was overjoyed every time he returned to the barn.  I vowed to this horse that I would find a way to get him.  When he completed his racing career, that he would find himself in my barn relaxing in my fields.  Bob made a few return visits and on one occasion almost passed from a severe bout of colic.  When he colicked I sat in front of his door at the clinic and read to him.  I just wanted to be with this horse and make sure he was safe and happy.  I followed Bob’s career through online updates.  He made leading horse at Finger Lakes.  That was serious success for Bob.  I was proud of him.  I wanted to make sure he knew that I was proud and that I never stopped watching, rooting, and waiting for him.  Upon not seeing his race updates anymore, I decided just to search his name.  I found a video of him going through the paces at a rescue and retirement facility.  I was so excited!  In my excitement I quickly emailed the facility.  I stated that even if he had been adopted I wanted to just give him a peppermint and a pat. If he wasn’t adopted I would find a way to get him home with me.  I received their email back.  Bob had been adopted and had loved his new owner and the relaxing life he was living.  Then the email hit me with some devastating news, Bob had passed away.  I read that and crumbled in a heap of tears on the floor.  How could I have missed my opportunity to help a horse and have a horse I so desperately longed for?  I spent several days after in tears.  I just wanted to ice his legs one more time, and give him one more peppermint.

I don’t know, and maybe will, never fully understand how one can be so grief stricken over the loss of an animal, but I always have been.  The joy and unconditional love animals bring everyday is unparalleled and completely unique.  I never got to say goodbye to Bob.  I promised him, though, that I would do whatever I could do to help thoroughbreds.  To help the thoroughbreds who take the long route to small successes, that I would keep rooting for and helping the underdogs.  Bob was an underdog but he found small successes and I will always be thankful that I got to spend forty-five minutes everyday icing his legs.

Raydiation came into my life on a whim.  I helped a friend pick up a horse she had purchased.  Ray happened to be in the same barn.  He was the last horse in the barn as they were clearing out all the horses and moving.  I asked what was going to happen to Ray, and the farm manager answered with a very bleak, dismal, and ominous locale.  I couldn’t knowingly let a horse go into a situation where his future was so unknown.  Fortunately, I had just been paid and the farm manager only wanted $100 for him.  Sold.  I had my Chloe mare too but figured she could use a friend.  I didn’t tell my parents I got this horse, they only recently found out…about eight years or so later.  I was determined to give this horse a happy, healthy, and loving future.  Ray was one of a kind.  He always needed you.  He would see me walking out to bring him in and he would call at me and come running up to the gate.  He was always playful and loved bath time.  He would play with the hose and water buckets full of shampoo.  He preferred to slurp on iodine suds.  I brought him back from the brink of death so many times, I lost count.  He went through a locked stifle, a diagnosis of navicular, countless abscesses, generally poor feet, skin fungus, and several other minor ailments along the way.  He enjoyed quiet hacks around the farm and playing rough with other horses in the field.  Pulling blankets off and shredding them was one of his favorite activities.  Chloe tolerated his antics but grew to love him, and stealing his food when they were fed outside.  Ray needed me and the day he needed me most I arrived too late.  We had moved back to Indiana.  I showed up to take care of and visit my horses for the evening.  I arrived to the barn and noticed that Ray was lathered in sweat.  I found this odd because it was in the 60’s.  I wondered if maybe he had been playing in the water trough.  I wish the water had been the explanation.  Chloe was standing next to Ray with her head under his, now I know she was helping hold him up. I took his temp and the thermometer was still climbing at 105 degrees.  I called the vet and told them what was going on.  I got Ray inside and tried to comfort him.  I then went back outside to call the vet again to see how far away they were.  Ray really needed the vet.  I turned around and saw the farm owner walking towards me with tears in his eyes.  I knew.  Ray had passed away.  I walked back into his stall and crouched down and cried into his still warm neck and mane.  I had to be peeled off of him.  It couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be happening.  We had fought back from serious illness and situations were his passing seemed imminent, why couldn’t we have one more chance together?  I apologized to him, for getting mad at him when he would try to bite me while I groomed him, for not giving him enough peppermints and treats, for not having a better outcome on that day.  I wasn’t expecting my horse to pass away that day.  I was expecting another day to groom my horses and feed them treats.  I promised Ray, that day, that I wouldn’t give up on helping his buddies who were still on the track.

Prior to Ray passing my Macy dog passed away.  I was expecting her passing, or at least knew it was coming.  She was older and her condition had been deteriorating for several months.  Despite expecting her loss, it doesn’t make it easier.  As we gathered in the vet clinic, when it was time to say goodbye, I reminisced with the tech and the vet on her past.  Macy showed up at a farm I was working at.  She was by the dumpster wagging her tale.  She was so happy, and one could only imagine what she had been through.  She never met a stranger and eating was her favorite activity.  The day she arrived at that farm she had tags on.  We called the vet clinic and inquired about her previous owners.  They said keep her, you never made this phone call. I tried to find her a new home, but soon it became clear she found her home.  Her home was with me. So many loved that little dog and she lived the happiest, at least twelve years, with me.  It’s still hard though, loss of any sort.  It leaves a gap, a missing piece.  They take a piece of you too.  

The farm was named after Macy and Ray.  The name seemed fitting.  The farm and the non profit were established so soon after their passing.  It seemed right.  Macy, Ray, and Bob are all inspiration to help those animals, specifically thoroughbreds, that need a safe haven, a soft landing.  They say things happen in threes, and those three are the reason why this farm exists.

The first part of our mission is to help thoroughbreds off the track, the underdogs, the ones who are in dire need of a soft landing.  To give them a soft landing, a safe, comfortable environment, that would be everything to us.

The second part of our mission is to serve a greatly under served population.  Our military and veteran population have done so much for us, and continue to do so much for us.  The least we can do in return is provide them with an outlet, a therapy, an avenue of recovery.  That’s what we are going to do.

We intend to pair our military and veteran population with the thoroughbreds we take in and utilize equine assisted therapy in the retraining process.  This will help heal the mind, body, and spirit of horse and human and ultimately enable both horse and human to transition into a second career.  Throughout this process we will set goals, for each individual, to reach with their horse.  Then we will incorporate educational workshops on horse care, nutrition, maintenance, health, and business and entrepreneurship.  This will allow the veterans to make a transition into another career, maybe even an equine related field.  The program will be fairly structured for both horse and human.  I promised Bob, Ray, and Macy that I would make a difference.  That difference will happen and is beginning to happen.

Go hug your horse and your dog, and give them that extra cookie.