Neglected Scottie In Vermont | An Emotional Horse Story Of A Little Morgan

By: Barbara Briggs Ward

When Scottie, the little Morgan, was found abandoned in Vermont, there wasn’t much hope that Scottie would live.
Scottie had been abused and neglected.  Scottie hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for a long time.  No one had brushed her.  No one had cared anything about her.  She’d been left outside.  In the rain.  In the cold.  Alone and sad.  And very, very sick.

At this same time, in Upstate New York, a kind man was looking for a horse.  It had to be a special horse – it would be his first horse.  He’d been taking riding lessons at a nearby horse farm from a woman – who, like his wife, loved horses.  He’d never been around horses, but because his wife cared so much about horses, he wanted to learn all about them so they could share special times together – together on horseback.  So, this first horse had to be the perfect horse.

One day, while brushing horses at the horse farm, the woman told him of a sad story she’d just heard.  It was about an abandoned and abused little horse who probably was going to die.  It was about Scottie.
The man was so upset.  He couldn’t understand how anyone could be so mean to a horse.  He was learning how special horses are – he was learning how much he loved them.  They talked a long time about Scottie – he asked all kinds of questions.

“So what do you think Scottie’s chances are?”, he asked the owner of the horse farm.

“It’s hard to tell” she answered.  “I’ve seen some very sick horses live if shown some love.  A horse can sense love.”
That was it, the man decided.  He’d found his horse.  He wanted Scottie to be his horse.

“How are you going to take care of him?”, she asked.

“Will you help me?” he questioned in reply.

The woman smiled, telling him that if he’d do the work, she would show him how to help Scottie.

“But remember, the little horse is very sick.”

The man didn’t care.  He wanted Scottie.  He wanted to take care of Scottie.  So the man found a way to bring Scottie to the horse farm.

How sad little Scottie looked.  He was even sadder than the man had thought she would be.  She had sores all over.  The man was shown how to gently take care of the sores.

Scottie began to eat. She ate every day.  Her meals were healthy.  She had plenty of water.  Because her hooves hadn’t been trimmed in such a long time, her body was bent.  Twisted.

Now, her hooves were trimmed.  Now, she could stand straight and it didn’t even hurt.

Since Scottie had been left outside, her hair was falling out.  So, very often, the man shampooed his little horse with a very special shampoo.  Then, he would gently rub her from head to hoof with oils.  Scottie liked this.  So did the man.  He loved his little horse.

To build Scottie’s muscles stronger, every day, both before and after dinner, the man would walk Scottie through poles laid on the ground.  Scottie couldn’t wait for the man to arrive on the farm.  She loved to walk with him.
After quite a long time, the man gently put a saddle on Scottie.

Soon the man’s children joined in.  They all loved Scottie.  The man’s wife helped work Scottie through the poles.  To make Scottie even stronger, the man began placing his children, one by one, on her back- then walked Scottie.  As Scottie gained strength, the next heaviest child sat atop Scottie.

Finally, the man rode Scottie.  They were soon trotting about the fields.  They were now best friends.  Scottie knew the man really cared about her. The man knew Scottie was very happy.  It showed in her smiling eyes.

Two years later, the man and his family move to the country.  Because they all loved horses – and had seen just what love can do – they started a special farm – a farm for children who, like Scottie, need special attention.  Some children are in wheelchairs.  Some blind.  And some, also like Scottie, have been mistreated.

Scottie is just one of the beautiful horses on their farm.  But, it’s Scottie who really understands the needs of the children.

Scottie shows this in her eyes as she gently carries a blind child around the ring or when she stands extra still as a disabled child is mounted on her.
Scottie even realizes when a crippled child is unable to reach up and pet her.  She lovingly puts her head in the child’s lap.

Scottie gives the children love – just like the man gave her.  Scottie is the little horse that can always be counted on – and all because of a man who took the time care.