Change for the Better

This is the story of how a blonde mare traveled from the feedlot kill pens on the border of Texas and Mexico to a farm in New Jersey, and then found “her people” - United States Veterans. The one thing they have in common…PTS(d).

Miss Molly with her very good friend, US Air Force Veteran Stephen C. 06/2019

In September 2016 a large Palomino was posted on the Kaufman Kill Pens facebook page. She was underweight, with long bad feet, and her tail had been shaved…she was on the last chance of her life. This Golden Horse now known as "Miss Molly" was seen by a trainer and became part of a 6 horse rescue mission from the Kaufman Kill Pens in Texas. A group of adopters from Longhill Road in Hillsborough New Jersey had joined together and saved 6 horses from the horrific death ride to Mexico. After spending a month in quarantine in Texas 4 mares and 2 geldings boarded a transport trailer from Texas to New Jersey. It was a Saturday, the sun was just beginning to rise and the large Palomino arrived at Foxx Creek Farm on October 6, 2016. Her life had been saved by Deborah Ash (Fire Blue Farm) to become a needed lesson horse for her adult riders, she gave the horse a name - Miss Molly. It did not take long for this trainer to understand that Molly had endured a ton of trauma and was deeply embedded with emotional issues which would NOT create safety for her lessons or for the horses. Molly arrived wide eyed and thin with a shaved tail, she regularly disassociated, was basically UN-touchable and barely safe to handle. She was traumatized, fully defensive (seen as aggressive), petrified of humans and anything else that could present a threat or potential threat to her safety. Deborah gave Molly a 6 month stasis to learn some trust and basic handling and was searching to find a solid re-education / re-homing option for this mare, without any chance of her ending up in a kill pen auction again.

Upon arrival from Texas quarantine to New Jersey. The hand-off. “Whatever you do with this horse, am with this advice, do not remove the halter!”…said the transport driver. October 2016

Ultimately - that option became a group of passionate women from the SRoL family who would become committed to Molly's rehabilitation and eventual introduction to helping trauma survivors find healing and hope. In front of that, Molly needed the environment to find healing and hope for herself. That environment became what is still known as “Team Molly” - originally 7 women morphing into 4 women and 1 man. The light-bulb that inspired this effort on Molly’s behalf came into view while observing a unique and interesting interaction between this horse and our Veteran population. While Molly would not tolerate interaction with most all people, the Horse was noticeably drawn to the Veterans who were attending SRoL’s Operation Horse EAP sessions. For the rest of us average people, and especially horse people, well we simply terrified her. Veterans would be drawn towards her and were easily able to not only approach her fence, but could pet her face!? It was as if darting minds could recognize and be drawn to one another, and within their shared hyper vigilance there became a safe place to meet? Team Molly saw this as a possible sign, that maybe Veterans were the reason Molly ended up literally at our next-doorstep in NJ, and that just maybe pts veterans would help this horse to heal internally in equal parts as much as she would help them?

Step up into a new life. The Golden Horse joins Spring Reins of Life.

With no guarantee of the outcome, yet with highest hopes for Molly’s invaluable senses be able to read and understand a road map for transformation and recovery - of her own life - and ultimately for all the lives of humans that she would one day guide out of the pits of hell and into the lights of hope. It was a Friday and it had been raining and cold all day, the date was March 31st, 2017. The day had been consumed by a caravan of trucks and trailers moving us from Foxx Creek Farm to Hunt Cap Farms, our new home facility in Three Bridges. On the last load out, we did ask Miss Molly to take another step up onto yet another horsetrailer and join us. Providing us the chance - to give her a chance. We would start out with zero agenda, zero timeline, zero pressures - the only rule was that we all agree to remain safe and take in just one day at a time. Molly boarded onto the trailer without hesitation. As the truck pulling Molly began to leave this farm the rains came down heavily, pelting and bouncing off the trailer’s roof. As I followed behind, we traveled slowly the 5 miles to the next farm, all of our new home. Watching the her body inside the trailer surrounded in rain I kept wondering what was going through Molly’s mind about horse trailers and new homes, about another new home. About how would all this turn out…? And in that short trip a brand new journey began.

Yes, and it has been quite a journey thus far. It has had breakthroughs, frustrations, triumphs, pain, injuries, vet bills, Miracles, set-backs, leaps of faith, more Miracles, and ultimately TRUST. The next 2 years would lead us through multi-layered journeys of healing, of facing fears, of safe boundaries, of finding the exit, of understanding triggers, of reshaping reactions, of seeking light, of giving space, of asking for more, of patience, and of Love. Team Molly gave Molly the open door, we brought in professionals to help, we gave her time, compassion, care and safety. Ultimately though, the Golden Horse had to make the hardest steps of this journey on her own, as we could not do that for her. It was Molly who had to walk through that door and find within herself the ways to rise up above all. Above fear, above suffering, above trauma, above abuse, above neglect, above oppression, above ignorance, and above betrayal. To reign in a space of trust over fear. To have something to teach. To offer familiar guidance. To welcome healing. To shine her golden light on the path of all that is good. The Veterans who have met and worked with Molly are able to communicate with her with an unspoken understanding, on a deeper level they can see themselves in each other, and that helps them both validate progress. The best part is that Miss Molly made this transformative journey step by step in tandem with Her people - United States Veterans. Together they navigate PTS(d) amazingly well.

On November 7, 2019 while at the NJVAHCS at Lyons Campus we were presented with an award - The 2019 Therapy Animal of the Year from the New Jersey Department of Veteran Affairs! SRoL Facebook announcement of “2019 Therapy Animal of the Year”

Want to get to know Molly better? You can hire Molly to join a Zoom office meeting for 10-15 minutes. She has incredible stories to share about her journey and is starting to enjoy meeting new people! If you are curious to see what Miss Molly is up to right now, get started and book an inspirational “mental break” with her today!

VIDEO: Miss Molly was rescued from a kill-pen in Texas 2016. Winding road led her to Veterans and 2019 Therapy Animal of the Year.

VIDEO: Miss Molly and USMC Veteran Barbara A. 09/2020.