Welcome to        

       Our clubs origional charter goes back to the early 60's. A lady by the name of Ms. Clara Locks began this club with the intention of getting people together that had a love of horses. It kind of fizzled out through the years but she kept the charter alive. 

       In 1994 Gene Poythress was put in charge of the clubs charter and it has grown from there. It started out with a few families in the early '90s and now to 54 families and/or members. He should be so proud of everyone.  

       Our purpose is to ride, to enjoy each other and to help others in our community  whenever needed. We have monthly meetings, held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, usually at someone's house at 7:00 pm. We will discuss anything from new trail rides coming up, health alerts/concerns, horse shows etc.... Mainly anything thats going on concerning horses and the community. Membership is by invitation only. You must be invited by a member to a few meetings and be introduced at a few rides. Yearly dues are $25.00 per family. 

Our next Tuesday meeting will be July 8th at Piney Pond Farm in South Hill. Time is 7:oo pm. In the meantime you can contact us at our e-mail address: kim01@southsidevasaddle.com 

Some of you may remember the article we ran right after Hurricane Katrina, about a rescued pony. Thought some of you might enjoy an update.

Meet Molly.

She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA . 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 pit bull terrier, 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.

The little pony gained weight, her mane 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, 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.'
'She's not back to normal,' Barca concluded, 'but she's going to be better.

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!
Officers:

• President: Mrs. Betty Ann Poythress
• Vice Pres.: Sue Gregory
• Secretary: Andy Austin
• Treasurer: Kim Perry

Directors:  

• Donnie Daniel
• Beth Quinn
• Jerry Beaver
• William Lewis
• Carol Harris
• Nelson Baird
• Everett Eads