Many have asked for an update on Forrest, the colt born with a congenital deformity and was sold at the 2024 ADC Horse Auction. Forrest now has an amazing, loving home with David and Margaret Gray, who also purchased Brown Jug at the auction. Mr. Gray recently provided an update on how both horses have settled in. This update shows the true meaning of the auction’s motto of “Good Homes for Good Horses.”
You can read the update and see recent pictures of the horses below:
“David, this is David Gray. My wife and I purchased Forrest at the ADC in Benton. I wanted to give you an update on this little “love bug”.
We’ve hired an Equine vet, Keith Cooper, and he’s helped us get with Dr. Baugher at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Baugher is a surgeon who will help Forrest’ leg. Forrest will have surgery April 11th and we should come back home on the 13th.
We’ve been working with him in the round pin to help desensitize and turn etc. he’ll also load by himself. Very funny story, we’d done everything we could to push pull coax etc. then finally he looks back at us and steps up into the trailer. He definitely has a funny demeanor. He loves walking with my wife and he likes to show off in front of the other horses. We also have an amazing young lady, Linley, who works with Forrest after she gets out of school.
Hope all is well with you, our family greatly appreciates you and the work ADC does to put out such good horses. Oh, I almost forgot.
We also acquired, “Brown Jug”, which is also a giant love bug. He’s seems to have taken a liking to Linley’s horse, Sonny. Linley barrel races Sonny. We’ve changed his name to, “Duke” he reminds us of John Wayne for some reason, lol.
Please share this with those folks who helped take care of Forrest. I think one young man, Toby, (it’s actually Coby Jones with the ADC Horse Program) was instrumental in keeping Forrest around, our hats are off to him, due to that decision Forrest has brought more than love to our family.
My wife, Margaret, was diagnosed with progressive Alzheimer’s about a year and a half ago. She’d worked with the Federal Bureau for 34 years and right after she retired she was diagnosed.
We’ve since had her on an infusion of new medication that has seemed to have stopped the progression. Our neighbor, Tim Preator and his daughter Linley would ride their horses on our property and we’d watch them and talk about how fun it would be to have a couple of horses. When the ADC Horse Auction came up, Tim suggested we go. When we saw Forrest we both smiled and I could see her (my wife) light up.
On the day of the auction, she watched me bid on Forrest, and she started to cry. She didn’t know I was going to do that. When we won him, she turned to me with tear filled eyes and said, “Thank you”.
Now hear we are both crying and sooo thankful we have him.
He has really helped Margaret with her cognition and getting those skills sharpen that she had. Forrest seems to have a sense that when she is around he is going to be loved on, and he’s so funny about it. He’ll hook his head around Margaret and hold her as if he’s hugging her. I’ve never seen a horse do this.
As her husband, I’m so thankful to have this time with my wife and watch her smile and laugh and have a focus on something meaningful. Thank you all for what you do and the lives you’ve touched by the love of your job. Y’all have truly made a difference!!
Thank you again,
David Gray”
Click on pictures below to enlarge:
