This may sound like a
doomsday scenario, unlikely to happen to anyone, but it
was reality for Promise, a young 3 year old filly, the
equivalent of a 9 year old child. As strange as it may
seem, she was found some years ago wandering the streets
of Longmont, CO. It is uncertain if her injuries were
caused by the abuse of a human or whether she was born
with these difficulties. She is partially blind, her
face distorted, causing her teeth to grow in an abnormal
fashion and her eyes are somewhat misplaced giving her
an unusual appearance. But despite these maladies her
heart remained strong, surviving and growing stronger
with every challenge she endured.
Promise was rescued and
she now lives with a group of mares who have been
teaching her the language she never learned, the
language of Equus. But her new life is not without
difficulty and her journey to a happy ending is not yet
over. Due to her past life experiences and current
appearance, Promise continues to experience challenges.
In order to survive her ordeal she built up mental and
emotional armor that she is not particularly willing to
put down. Because of this she has developed a dangerous
reputation, known to lash out at well-meaning people and
her chances of finding a true home were virtually zero.
Until now…
Less than a year ago,
Helen Dryland, a horse trainer and horse rescue founder
with 30 years of experience, attended a Reach Out to
Horses Holistic Horsemanship Course run by Anna Twinney.
Anna designed the clinic to create an environment for
people to learn all aspects of holistic horsemanship
while giving back to horses in need.
“It’s a way to give them
the second chance of a loving home,” Twinney states,
“the training helps the horses become more adoptable as
well as connecting students to individual horses. So
often the rescued horses rescue us.”
This is exactly what
happened between Helen and Promise. While hardly anyone
could even touch Promise, Helen was able to do a great
deal of training with her, including starting her under
saddle. It was during this gentle trust-based training
that the two connected.
After the course, Helen
returned to her home and the Equine Sanctuary she
created in France but for the next year she couldn’t get
Promise out of her mind.
Helen returned to Colorado
in August of this year for another 2-week course and she
and Promise immediately picked up where they left off.
It was as if they were never apart.
Here was a horse,
reluctant to open up to humans, suddenly performing
miracles with Helen leading the way. In less than an
hour, Promise accepted her first saddle, bridle &
rider. Within two days she was taking a rider all
around the property, very proud of her achievements.
Each lesson was taken in her stride and those looking on
were truly amazed.
Promise had finally found
the one person ready to accept her, warts and all. And
Helen, now a graduate of the Reach Out to Horses
Program, is up for the task of adopting her.
Promise’s journey has been
a bumpy ride, to say the least, but has finally taken
her to the one place where her person could find her and
there’s only one more trip to the happy ending that she
deserves.
But we can't finish that
happy ending without your help. It is a long and
expensive way between Colorado and France. It costs
$10,000 to safely transport her to Helen's sanctuary in
France. It's hard to imagine that a horse who started
her journey on the streets of Longmont, alone, injured
and scared, could find the love and the sanctuary she
deserves, but we are only one step away from turning an
amazing story into a reality.
Watch Promise's Inspiring Progress on YouTube!
Promise's First Saddle, Bridle & Rider
Promise's First Ride - with Helen Dryland
Thank you for helping us help Promise!
100% of all proceeds go towards Promise's transport.
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