Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch

Dear SOHYR Family,

It is with great sadness that we must tell you about the death of our beloved pony, Joseph. Joseph came to SOHYR with his bosom buddy Job in the fall of 2007. Like all of the horses at SOHYR, Joseph’s life had its fair share of heartache before his arrival. Joseph was found wandering the streets of a nearby community and taken to Dr. Rhonda Ellison’s vet clinic where it was assumed his owner would come to claim him. However, over time it became obvious that he was abandoned and would remain at Dr. Ellison’s. When Dr. Ellison learned of SOHYR she knew that Joseph and Job could help many children so she allowed us to adopt them.

Joseph quickly became a favorite for trail rides and especially grooming. Braiding his long, luxurious mane was a sure-fire way to relax anxious youth so they could open up and enjoy their time with us. Something about Joseph made everyone instantly feel at ease.

It’s amazing how much strength, determination, and grace God granted our little Pony. After surviving a vicious coyote attack, Joseph never once bore any ill will towards the dogs that visited the ranch. Instead, he stoically endured 9 months of treatment- some of which was painful, without a single objection.

He never let the fact that he was blind deter him. Once he had decided upon a path, he followed it through despite any obstacles. He taught us that belief in ourselves should never be compromised, no matter what the challenges.

Joseph showed us that love knows no boundaries. Our abandoned, unwanted, blind pony loved and trusted Cisco- our Appaloosa, his “guide-horse,”- without any reservations. His faith in Cisco was unwavering.

We should all hope and aspire to be more like Joseph, living by his example of forgiveness, determination, and spunk.

The barn will be lonely without him. But, even in our grief, we can feel God’s presence and know that He indeed does work all things together for good.

We would like to honor Joseph’s memory by sharing your stories about him. Please email your favorite memories of Joseph to info@sohyr.org and we will share them on our website.

Sincerely,

Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch