Monty:
Small Horse, Big Heart, Endless Swagger
Some horses enter your life quietly.
Others burst in with personality so big you can’t help but laugh—even when your heart still aches for what they’ve been through.
Monty is the second kind.
Monty is a Mustang gelding, born in 2022, from the Antelope Valley Herd Management Area. He’s young. He’s small—around 14 hands. And he has more swag than any horse his size has a right to have.
Mary says it best:
“He’s not just got personality… he’s got swagger.”
And he does.
A Rough Beginning No Horse Deserves
Like many Mustangs, Monty’s early life was shaped by systems that failed him.
After being gathered, he went through a correctional facility program—a place meant to prepare him for a future with people. He was then purchased by someone who, instead of giving him that future, abandoned him.
Monty—along with Sunbeam and two other horses—was left confined in a shed.
No pasture.
No daylight.
No chance to grow, explore, or just be young.
The conditions were horrific. The space was never mucked out. The neglect was total. And for a horse barely past babyhood, the impact was profound.
His feet were in terrible condition. His frogs—an essential part of the hoof—had rotted away. His body suffered.
But what matters most is this:
Monty never lost his sweetness.
Trying So Hard to Be a Good Boy
Monty tries.
He tries so hard to do the right thing. To be polite. To be brave. To be what people want him to be.
And sometimes, that effort spills over into mischief.
Because Monty is also goofy.
And playful.
And curious.
He’s the kind of horse who keeps you on your toes—not because he’s difficult, but because he’s alive.
Mary laughs when she talks about him.
“He’s mischievous,” she says. “But he’s just a sweet boy.”
Monty nuzzles. He seeks connection. He leans in, not away. There is nothing guarded about his affection—no bitterness, no hardness, no shutdown.
Despite everything he’s been through, Monty still believes in people.
And that is no small thing.
Built for Friendship
Monty may be small, but he is athletic, agile, and beautifully put together. He moves easily. He thinks quickly. And he has the kind of mind that wants a partner, not a boss.
Mary can already see his future.
“I hope Monty finds that one person who wants a best friend to go trail riding with.”
Not a show horse.
Not a project to conquer.
Not a horse who needs to be pushed.
A friend.
Monty would be excellent at that.
He’s easygoing. He’s kind. He’s the horse who would meet you at the gate. The one who would make you smile on your worst day. The one who would remind you that joy doesn’t have to be complicated.
Why Monty Matters
Monty’s story isn’t just about neglect.
It’s about resilience with humor.
About a young Mustang who could have shut down—but didn’t.
About sweetness that survived circumstances meant to crush it.
Monty is proof that even when humans fail horses, horses don’t always fail humans.
Sometimes, they still show up with open hearts… and a whole lot of swagger.
And whoever gets to call Monty their partner someday?
They won’t just be getting a trail horse.
They’ll be getting a best friend.
Sponsor Dezarae Today
Dezarae’s journey is just beginning. With your help, she’ll receive the care, trust-building, and gentle training she needs to become someone’s future partner.
