The Boston Carriage Horse
Taken from A Tale of Two Horses
By Vicky Berry,
Central New England Equine Rescue, Inc.
I was standing in awe at the size of the white
Percheron that was being unloaded before my eyes. I stood a few feet away from
the open end of the trailer; he was headed right at me. He was massive. I
couldn’t help but think I would surely die if the lady who arranged this meeting
had in any way lied about his temperament! (To enlarge the photo of
Cheryl and Monty,
click on the photo or link)
I am one of the volunteers on the
Board at Central New England Equine Rescue and we had intercepted this
underweight and overworked horse a week before his appointment with a slaughter
house. Nobody wanted a 19 year old draft horse whose only flaw was not being
accustomed to Boston’s hectic street traffic and sirens. The trailer swayed back
and forth as he methodically moved his hooves closer and closer to the end of
the trailer. He stepped down and it was clear he was underweight. His life had
not been a gentle one. The face bore the brunt of the scarring. He had black
skin on his nose, where no white hair was growing because the hair shafts were
worn away from sweat and a bridle that had been too tight for too long. The
sides of his jaws bore the same odd scarring; as he turned I could see the scars
left on his barrel from ill fitting harnesses. His large brown eyes took the
view in and settled on me. As I looked back into those eyes I could see a bit of
hope remained but it had been buried deep, long ago. He held no hate, no
resentment just apprehension at what shoe would be dropping next. I was totally
enthralled with this giant among horses.
The transporter interrupted this moment
when he spoke and I was brought back to the real world. I paid the man who had
delivered the Percheron X, and Monty was brought to his stall. He would be
staying at the Rescue’s Oakham barn until a stall opened up at the Warren barn.
We could not even imagine how this boy would uplift the entire Rescue in the
months ahead. The thoughts started forming in my mind of what kind of a human
being would allow this? How much more would it have cost an owner to have
purchased a bridle that would have fit him, not hurt him....$50? $150? This pain
could have been avoided for very little.
These draft horses are expected to work
long, hard hours and even with regulations, many work longer than they ought to.
Walking in the stench of the fumes from traffic every single day causes them to
have breathing problems later in life and the constant walking on pavement
causes leg problems. They work in 18 degree weather in the winter month’s and in
sweltering heat over 90 degrees in the summer months. There is no romance for
the horse that pulls the hansom cab while the passengers sit and talk. My mind
started remembering the articles that I had read about accidents with these
horses on the streets of New York City and Boston.
I
did a shudder as I thought of the sight of a horse meeting metal in the
streets. I wanted, at that moment, to free every carriage horse
from its death sentence to work in the cities.
Let me go back to what started this meeting with
Monty.
I am charged with answering emails from our
website, “Central New England Equine Rescue.com”, on this particular day I read
an email asking if we could help a Boston carriage horse that was doomed to go
to slaughter in two weeks. I was going to answer this email and let this kind
hearted soul know that there wasn’t one stall left open as we had just taken on
the responsibility of an additional six Standardbreds that had been abandoned in
Connecticut, but something inside told me to ask more questions about this
horse. I received a prompt reply stating that this Draft horse was 19 years old,
his body was scarred but he was a lovely boy. He had come from the Amish in
Pennsylvania where he had pulled a plow most of his life; ended up at the
auction block and was purchased by a Boston Carriage owner/operator. (Emphasis
on operator!).
This horse was expected to go from a rural hard life to a city
life and not skip a beat. He adjusted better than I could have but he was slow
moving pulling the carriages thus cutting into the profits that could be made
from a faster moving horse. He also was afraid of the sirens that zoomed by him.
He was not working out as a Boston carriage horse. He was put in the Rockport
stable to be sold and if not sold he would go to slaughter. After an entire life
of service to man, it was a death sentence that would take place in two short
weeks. The owner would pay no more on his board. That is when the angel
appeared. She gave this horse (who didn’t even have a name) extra treats at
night and groomed him quietly when no one was around. What a comfort to a horse
that was exhausted, underweight and lacking human kindness. He responded to her
and she in turn was determined to help him find a way out of this misery.
She gave him the name of Ambassador Montague and
called him Monty for short. That’s when she sent emails to area rescues. She
told us later that we were the only one that responded. How grateful she was
that we did. She explained the situation in detail over the next few days and
encouraged the decision making process by letting us know that Monty was a
gentle soul who stayed to himself, that he bothered no other horses in the
field. She also stated that he had such a sad and almost worried look in his
eyes.
The board members of the rescue voted to take
Monty in. Abbie, an older mare in the rescue, had found a foster family so there
would be room to care for Monty after all.
The Rescue started right into fund raising to
purchase Monty. Friends and co-workers heard of Monty’s plight and started
donating $5’s, $10’s and whatever they could. The angel from the Rockport barn
rallied her friends and they donated the bulk of his purchase price which was
$800. We had asked if the owner/operator would consider donating Monty to the
rescue rather than send him to slaughter and the answer was a sad statement of
the way it is for the horses. The answer that was delivered without tact was
that Monty was worth 40 cents per pound and he weighed approximately 2000lbs,
making him worth $800 at the slaughter house. So whether we paid it or the
slaughter house paid it, he would get his $800.
Sometimes you just take a chance and it all works
out right. Monty is a very gentle soul that can melt your heart by just standing
next to him. He has charisma! The sadness and worry that he once had in his eyes
when he came into the Rescue is all but gone. He was our ambassador at the
Equine Affaire in West Springfield in 2005. His presence in Barn C was
astounding. So many Affaire goers had heard his story and were drawn to come and
see this beautiful horse that barely escaped slaughter. They were not
disappointed when they met Monty. No one ever is. His walk is a graceful and
purposeful sachet; his trot is magnificent and when he canters the earth
thunders. We all thought that we were being benevolent to take Monty in; when in
truth how blessed and grateful we are he came.
The following is an excerpt of a letter received
by the Rescue from Cheryl Syriac: (To enlarge the photo of
Monty's mustache,
click on the photo or link)
“………………….. I then knew I wanted to help but knew
I couldn’t afford to adopt one nor could I afford to pay for the care of one per
month until he/she got adopted. I asked what an approximate cost would be per
month to care for just one horse. I just knew I could get a few friends to feel
the same way I did and could convince them to help just one horse and to help
“make a difference one horse at a time”.
The next thing I knew there was a carriage horse
that needed to be rescued from going to the slaughterhouse. I was so taken aback
by the pictures of this carriage horse and the story that went along with him, I
decided that now would be a good time to enlist the help of my friends to see if
we could help with his care each month. When my friends heard the same story I
did, and viewed his pictures we all decided that we could give up something each
week to pay the rescue $25/month for a total of $150 from all of us.
We have all been doing this for a few months now
and none of us has regretted a single moment and have taken turns buying
carrots, apples and whatever else we can afford to help these beautiful horses.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Monty. I
was so intimidated by him that I had to stand back and watch from a distance. I
wanted so badly to walk with him or be near him but he was so big and I was so
afraid of being stepped on, or knocked over I decided I better get to know him
better and watch him. I’m sure he felt the same way about me wondering if I was
going to hurt him and what was I doing there.
One weekend you decided it would be a great idea
if I got to sit on him. I just didn’t think this was a good idea at all
especially since he’s always been a carriage horse and how would he like someone
on his back? Well the next thing I know I’m climbing on a ladder and I found
myself perched on top of his back while he’s chomping on a snack and not phased
in the least that I was there. I felt almost terrified because I still didn’t
feel like I knew him yet and was afraid he would run off or try to dump me but
he didn’t. I was so nervous everytime he took a little step I couldn’t stop
babbling my nervous jibber jabber which in turn made you laugh.
As the weeks went by I got up more courage to get
close to him and couldn’t get over how huge his head was and how I felt like I
had to stand on something to touch his neck. Everytime I looked at him I wanted
to cry as the most visible scars are on his face, and the side of his face where
many years of wearing a bridle that didn’t fit properly, sweating, and who knows
what else had worn away the hair so badly that it’s now tender to touch. The
sadness in his eyes were leaving a lasting stamp in my mind as I drove home each
weekend and would be the last thing I would see when I went to bed. I just
couldn’t stop wondering what sort of life has he had for the last 20 years??? If
only he could tell me although I felt it through the look in his eyes.
Each Monday would make me so anxious to get to
Friday so that I could make plans to get back to the farm to see him. Each
weekend you would encourage me to take him out of his stall and bring him to the
pasture. Once I did that I realized that he’s the most gentle soul, the sweetest
most loving and kind large animal I have ever come in contact with. He truly is
a “Gentle Giant” and the people that coined that phrase knew what they were
talking about. Everything he does is almost like watching a movie in
slow-motion. Absolutely so graceful and each step is so carefully placed. His
trot is the most beautiful thing to watch and when he canters you never get
tired of watching him. He looks so happy and to everyone watching looks like a
giant rocking horse moving so slowly and beautifully.
Every time I see him, I’m so thankful for the
person(s) responsible for saving his life and bringing him into mine! I have
learned so much from him and he makes me feel so renewed and happy to be alive.
There’s a purpose now and he’s it!! He has brought old friends back together,
enabled us to make new ones and has gained popularity from the West Coast and
the Southwest part of the country.
Monty is so happy and grateful and anyone that
met him months ago can tell how happy he is now. He just loves his buddy Sugar
and especially loves to be pampered and spoiled with carrots, horse cookies and
apples. I am no longer afraid of being hurt by him, as long as I’m careful while
being around him. I love joining him on the other side of the fence and spending
quality time with him brushing him and telling him how beautiful he is, how much
we all love him and he believes me because he stands quietly and closes his
eyes. He will occasionally turn his neck around and nuzzle my arm as if to say
thanks, I love you too. (To enlarge the photo of
Monty, click
on the photo or link)
Life is good for our beautiful Monty who resides
at Central New England Equine Rescue, Inc.….Thank you from the bottom of my
heart for doing what you do and for allowing me and my friends to be a part of
it all.”
This rescue exists only through donations and
sponsorships. If you would like to help or are interested in sponsoring a horse
at the rescue, please call us at:
978-355-2069 or 413-436-9283, you can also visit
us online @ www.cneer.com
or
www.centralnewenglandequinerescue.com
Monty will remain at the rescue the rest of his
days as part of our Educational Program.
Making a Difference One Horse at a
Time!
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Happy Endings
