Suzy lives beside a stream at 8,200 feet, and the storm last week left her with piles of snow.
About a mile and a half upriver of her house there’s a mesa on Ute Mountain Ute land; the tribe kept a herd of horses up there last summer. When the herd was moved last fall, one little yearling was left behind. She has been toughing it out alone every since, and was doing OK until the deep snow came and she got stuck. Since then, Suzy’s household has been taking the little horse hay every day. She was getting terribly dehydrated without access to water, so Suzy’s renter skied out with a five gallon bucket of water that morning.
I snowshoed and Suzy skied on a trail through deep snow–it looks reasonable except if you fall off this path you’re floundering around in three or four feet. It’s a little sketchy for my old dog, who steps on the back of my snowshoes for an assist every chance she can. We went over the river and through the woods,
across the fields, we turned left and right and I’m thinking that if this little horse depended on me to carry her hay every day she’d be a goner.
To get on top of the mesa is so steep and soft that the dog can’t make it, so Suzy keeps them down below while I snowshoe up and look who’s here:
poor little guy can’t get anywhere, doesn’t have any food. She’s totally wild, and would run away if she could (when there was no snow, there was no way to catch her, and now there’s no way to move her.)
And that strand of hay hanging from her mouth is from Suzy toting those bales by backpack. Suzy said, we named her Thankful. I think she really is.
The Kindness of Stangers is a wonderful tribute to the huge heart and love that Suzy and her friends have for all things that need help…..they are truely inspiring! Thanks for your incredible story and photos and we will keep our fingers crossed for the welfare of Thankful!
What an inspirational, beautiful and heart-felt story! Thanks for taking care of that dear little hungry horse.
We will keep it in our thoughts as the winter continues to blanket the world!
Keep up the hard, good work!
that little horse is so lucky - as are you. Our predictions= he’ll live out a lovely life with Suzy and her menagerie.
bravissimo….
This story is one reason why hope remains in the world…thanks Suzy, for sharing the warmth in your heart with this beautiful creature.
Patty
I dreamed last night of rigging up a sled and pulling a stack of hay to poor little Thankful. I called Suzy about doing it Saturday, and she said his food has to be doled out day by day or else he’ll gorge himself and die… but if anyone has any ideas about how to get him out, let her know.
Suzie and friends,you are amazing. I am thankful that the world has people just like you!! PS the pics are awsome.
Suzy,
I love the story of you and this horse. That is so incredible that you and your friends are able to help him every day. He is adorable! Thinking of you and of Thankful!
Jess
Hi Suzy! The yearling is so cute! How is it stuck in the ice? Good luck getting him (or her) out of there!
Best Wishes!