The Story of Molly

This is the beginning of an intermittent series titled, The Story of... where I will write about some of the dogs that have graced our home, both past and present. Today I will share the story of Molly.

I haven't written much about the dogs recently but they are very much a presence in our lives. I took this snap of Nash, Pepper, and Molly at Lisa's home earlier this week.

Molly was originally our dog, not Lisa's. We got her from a rescue and she had come from a situation where she had been used as a breeder for puppies. Was it an actually puppy mill? We are not sure. But it had similar conditions to one.

Molly as she looked when she arrived at the rescue. She's dirty, she's stressed, and she's very, very scared. This photo breaks my heart. (She'd also just had a litter of nine puppies taken away from her.)

She came to us with terrible fears and anxieties - we have no idea what happened to her or why she was (and still is) so terrified of things, especially men.

Craig and I struggled to make her feel comfortable. She got to the point where she would let me approach her and pet her, but would leap in alarm at the slightest sound or if I moved too quickly. She also began to relax somewhat around Craig, although she did not want him to touch her.

Enter Lisa and her dog, Millie. Lisa teaches school and so a couple of times a week, she would bring Millie over for the day, just so she would have some company and get out of the house. 

Lisa and Millie. Photo by Vanessa Isenbarger/Pearl Photo and Design

Millie was an older dog and we noticed that Molly would relax and was much more comfortable when Millie was visiting. She enjoyed having the company of another dog and had more confidence when Millie was around.

We also noticed that Molly ADORED Lisa - she would run to the door and greet Lisa when she arrived to pick up Millie, and then sit by her side if Lisa stayed and visited a while. Molly was a different dog around those two and clearly much happier with them than she was with us.

After nine months, Craig and I finally made the difficult decision to let Molly go and be Lisa's dog and not ours. I cried and cried after she left. But that turned out to be the absolute best decision we could have made for Molly.

Molly had found her forever home. She was deliriously happy and stuck like glue to Lisa's side.

Millie and Molly were companions for three years and then, sadly, Millie passed away in February, 2021. Knowing Molly needed a companion, Lisa got another rescue dog - Nash.

Big, goofy, still-puppyish Nash, young enough to be Molly's great-grandson and big and gentle enough to make her feel safe and secure.

In less than a day, they had bonded and Molly was cuddling up with him to sleep.

It's been a bit over four years since her rescue, and Molly is doing really well. While she still can startle easily and is very hesitant around people she does not know, she has accepted Craig and me and is not afraid of us anymore.

Me giving Molly a good skritch under her foreleg a few weeks ago. Her toes are splayed in delight and her ears are in happy position.

Snooze buddies - Craig petting her as he falls asleep in his chair. (She had approached him and asked for some attention.)

Enjoying some Skinny Pop with me while Lisa is at school. (Molly got the first piece and is chewing.)

Checking me out recently when I was trying to nap on the couch. She was hoping I'd pet her instead of sleeping - what a change from the days when she would run from our touch!

Look at the love in her eyes! She is sitting up on her hind legs and has placed her paw on Lisa's arm.

Trusted to be off leash and enjoying the summer grass in our yard.

It took the first eight years of her life to get there, but Molly now knows she is safe and loved. And she loves right back. 

Deeply.

(G)nashing My Teeth

 We have a new family member. He's big, he's handsome, he's friendly, and there is still a lot of puppy in him.

Meet Nash! He's a two year old German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever rescue who Teacher Daughter Lisa got so that Molly had a companion. Since Millie's death, Molly's been lonely and needs the reassurance another dog can give her.

Millie and Molly snuggled up together a year ago.

We were surprised at how quickly and well Molly took to Nash but she was snuggling next to him the day after he arrived. (Long story, Molly was a breeder in a puppy mill until she was rescued at age 5. She has serious anxieties and fears, but she is a very sweet tempered dog. Having another dog with her helps her relax.)

Nash is very playful,

rather nosy (the bathroom door is closed for a reason, Nash!),

and likes to know where we are at all times. (He's been upstairs to check on Craig; now he's peeking between the rails to check on me.)

Currently Lisa brings her dogs over every day when she goes to school - she wants to be sure that Molly and Nash are okay together before she leaves them alone at home.

He was very well behaved and I was starting to relax and even let him come see me in my office. And then I heard that sound that all collectors dread.

The sound of plastic horses scooting on wood and bumping into each other.

No damage, just the hat from an Old Timer knocked off as Nash brushed past the shelf.

This sweet girl is glad to have some company and is relaxed, happy, and sleeping well again.

And while we will always miss our Millie terribly, Nash is a welcome addition to our family.

Even if he does make me (g)nash my teeth once in a while.

 

Molly Finds Happiness

Nine months after rescuing Molly, we saw great progress. She was calmer and liked to have one of us with her at all times, she wagged her tail at us and would take treats from our hands, and she enjoyed walks down by our neighborhood lake. But she still kept her distance from us and would not let us approach her and pet her if she was off leash. Molly just could not seem to help herself, shying away and then looking at us with some tentative tail wags when she felt there was a safe distance between us. (She had been a puppy mill mama with abuse and no socialization.)

When our daughter Lisa came over, though, Molly was a different dog. She would be so happy to see Lisa, sitting next to her, licking her hands and face, following her around the house, and just showing how much she loved to be with her.

We finally decided to see if Molly would be happier living with Lisa (and Lisa happy living with Molly). So, Saturday, September 16, Lisa came over and got her.

We could not have made a better decision for Molly.

Look at that happy face.

Millie likes having Molly around, and will probably grow more dependent on her as she is nearly completely deaf and is getting older. Having a younger dog around should be helpful.

Molly follows Lisa everywhere in her new home, including to the bathroom where she patiently waits outside the door.

 And she has found her "spot" in Lisa's living room where she likes to sleep.

She's given Millie's bed a try (although she has her own) ...

 ... but Millie doesn't really seem to mind. (Millie sleeps on Lisa's bed most of the time anyway!)

There's a doggie door so that she can go in and out at will, plus a fenced in yard for her to run around in without being on a leash.

We still get to have Molly in our home a few times a week while Lisa is at work. She and Millie spend the day with us and then go home around 5:00. 

Molly settles quickly back into being in our home, flopping onto her favorite bed and snoozing as though she had never left. But, she still keeps her distance from us.

No doubt about it, we miss her (and I have cried many tears the past week), but our goal for Molly was always to have her be happy and feeling safe.

Goal accomplished.

No More Hay!

I got a text from Tim this week - no more hay!

The loooooong winter that we have had is finally over and the pastures are growing enough to support the herd. Discontinuing hay feeding is always a real sign of spring.

The horses have wintered well and are shedding their heavy coats and enjoying the warmer weather as well as the green grass.

Abby could not be in a better place than Tim's - she gets good care (I have not had one vet bill in six years at his place), she is free to roam in large pastures that are rotated regularly, there are several shelters should she need or want them, and the food and water are plentiful.

 Carrots, apples, and candy canes are handed out on a regular basis, too.

April 27 was the sixth anniversary of me bringing Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue and out to Tim's. As I look at these pictures of her enjoying life, I think back to what she went through prior to her rescue, and I am grateful to have this girl in such a wonderful place.

Get Your Hoofprint now!

Get your Abby hoof print now - she's going to be featured in a magazine. A very SMALL magazine, but one nonetheless.

Our town has a monthly magazine for residents, and there is a pet featured every month. After a continuous round of cats and dogs (which I love, don't get me wrong), I decided that a change might be nice, checked into how the pet of the month was selected, and submitted Abby as a possibility.

She was chosen!

I had to fill out this questionnaire so they can write the article, and I need to get some high resolution photos to them. (My cell phone snaps just don't make the grade.)

Here's the questionnaire:

Family Member Names: Lynn and Craig Isenbarger

Pet’s Name: Abby
Type of Animal/Breed: Horse, Appaloosa

Male or Female: Mare

Pet’s Age: about 15

Where/why did you get your pet? 

In March, 2012 I went with my sister to Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort to look at a horse she was hoping to buy. When we walked out into the pasture, I spied Abby (known then as “Sassy”) and was struck by how much she looked like my very first horse, Amy. (I actually burst into tears; I’ve owned many horses, but Amy was my favorite.) I was currently horseless and had NO plans to get one any time soon. But the resemblance was uncanny, and so I spent some time with her, then went home and talked to my husband, Craig, about adopting her. He had no objections, so I found a place close by to keep her and began the adoption process!

Is there a story behind its name? 

“Abby” is very close to “Amy” but that is only part of the story. When I was a child, a friend had a lovely Appaloosa mare whose name was “Abby.” The name popped into my mind and I never considered another!

Anything special or unusual about them (talents/quirks)?

She LOVES candy canes! I buy tons during the post-Christmas sales and keep them in the trunk of my car for her. And she comes when I call her or if she sees my car pull up to the barn. She hustles right up for a visit (and her candy canes.) Also, Abby limped for over a year after I got her - when she was rescued from her abusive situation, her hooves had been neglected for a long time. When that happens and they are not trimmed, they can grow up into curves, sort of like the slippers genies are depicted as wearing. (They are called “slippered hooves” because of that.) One had curved up and around so badly, it was poking her in her fetlock. Those hooves had to be trimmed back to normal, and it was painful to her as her muscles and ligaments adjusted and went back to normal. I was so glad when she finally stopped limping and could trot without hurting.

What do you like best about your pet?

Winston Churchill said that “the outside of the horse is good for the inside of man.” That’s true! I love what I do (I am a teacher) but sometimes when I am tired or frustrated, going out to see Abby, hearing her nicker when she sees me, and just scratching all her favorite spots helps me relax and regroup. She also “talks” to me sometimes - very soft noises that she makes when we are together. Melts my heart!

Any funny stories?

When I was hauling Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue the day I adopted her, my son called. His wife was in labor, and later that morning their daughter, Corinne, was born. Corinne is three now and LOVES the fact that she and Abby share a “birthday.” She calls Abby “my twin horse.” 

How spoiled is your pet?

I call her “Diva Girl,” but in reality, she isn’t too spoiled. I do think, though, that after all she went through before she was rescued, she certainly deserves to be spoiled! I’ll never be able to make that up for her, but I can make sure she is happy, well fed, warm, has fresh water, and, of course, plenty of candy canes to nibble!

What else should we know about your pet and/or how your pet has enriched your home/family?

I think I’ve covered most of it, but I would highly recommend supporting animal rescues, be they for horses or other animals. Abby was lucky; one of the horses she was with when rescued died, and a second one had to be euthanized due to the effects of his neglect. I am so grateful for those who stepped in to save Abby and the other horses with her, and to those who donated hay, money, and other supplies for the horses. 

She's Happy

When I think of what she endured...

... I am glad she's so happy now.

Double Birthdays!

Two years ago today, I took the plunge and brought home this gal:

My lovely Abby, rescued from a terrible situation in Beech Grove, Indiana. (Abbs was one of the nineteen neglected horses on the property where she was found; sadly, one horse was too far gone to survive and had to be euthanized.)

 Since then she's enjoyed an easy life of carrots, candy canes, fresh grass, and the ever popular, um, er, how to say it politely...  "backside" rub.

As we were hauling her from the Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort, my cell phone rang. This little cutie had just been born!

Corinne, Kyle and Ashley's daughter.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Corinne!!

We have the quads who were born this year, but I have always thought of Corinne and Abby as "the doubles."

Lisa Writes...

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Mom Gets a New Toy!

She's been thinking about it for years, but Mom took the plunge yesterday and adopted a horse.  She is a beautiful mare that Mom has named Abby.

Abby bears a striking resemblance to one of Mom's favorite horses from her childhood, Amy.  Hence the similar name.  Abby is from a local horse rescue, and was badly malnourished when she was rescued.  Her hooves were extremely overgrown, and she is still recovering from it.

I am so excited Mom has a new 'toy'.  She really thought long and hard about adopting Abby, and this horse is pretty much a dream come true for her.  It has been ages since Mom has had a horse, despite being one of the most avid horse lovers I know!  

Mom, enjoy having Abby.  She is beautiful and I know she couldn't ask for a better owner.  Can't wait to meet her over the summer!