Friday, August 3, 2012

Meet Molly -- A Heartwarming Story

My mom and dad sent this onto me in an email.  I am passing on this uplifting story to you. Enjoy! 

Meet Molly

A most heartwarming story---beats the heck out of murders, politics and terrorists! 

She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a dog and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected, and her vet went to LSU for help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn’t seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists. Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood that she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in Post-Katrina Louisiana .........
The little pony gained weight and her mane finally felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.

And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca.

'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,' she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people, and she had a good time doing it.

'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life, Moore said. She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.' Barca concluded, 'She's not back to normal, but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.' 


This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind.

What an amazingly special horse with a heart of gold!  The smiley face on the bottom of the prosthesis is so neato and awesome!  Molly leaves her mark everywhere she steps. Isn't she so beautiful? Horses are one of my favorite animals.  

6 comments:

Trekkie4Ever said...

For some reason the pictures didn't come up, but I love the story and the "smiley" face, wish I could see it.

I am beginning to love horses, I am still intimidated by them, but love them.

Teresa said...

Leticia,

Maybe you can see the pics here? http://tuesdayshorse.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/you-gotta-meet-molly-us/

I used to ride while growing up. I really enjoyed jumping. I even learned a bit of vaulting (gymnastics) on the horse. I'm hoping to get back into horseback riding someday.

Horses can be intimidating because they are so big. Its just a matter of getting to know the horse and learning the different signals that they give. Mostly they just want to be left alone to eat grass.

Woodsterman (Odie) said...

Nice one. I just found her by Googling Images of "Molly the Pony".

Ron Russell said...

WILL CHECK OUT THE IMAGES. THAT'S A GREAT STORY. I'VE HAD EXPERIANCE WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE LSU VET SCHOOL---SOME OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. HAD A SMALL YORKIE SOME YEARS BACK THAT HAD HIS JAW BROKEN AND WAS REFERRED TO THEM. A MAJOR OPERATION, BUT THEY MANAGED TO FIX MY BUDDY.

Opinionated Me said...

I really enjoyed reading your fine blog, Please keep up the fight.

Redfish said...

Yes, you don't hear much of these stories o r see then on the front pages of you local newspaper anymore... It seems like all we read about is how bad us Republicans are.