The Herd
Jackie Sue
This is #jackiesstory…
Jackie found her way to MMR in 2013. Her new owner had acquired her on a recent trip to a West TN ranch to look at horses for sale. She was 13 months old at the time and was running with all the other yearling foals. For Jackie, there was one problem: she was the foal that no one really wanted. Because, unlike the other foals that were beautiful and had great confirmation, she had warts all over her eyes and muzzle, and had an umbilical hernia that would require surgery. So, the ranch owner offered her as a package deal. Her new owner called us and dropped her off at MMR on the way home. We would be doing her initial training and post-surgery aftercare because she had not been handled much and was hardly halter broke. She didn't want to trust us at first; she would run to the back of the stall when anyone came near her.
We began working with her on basic ground commands and manners. It took a while to gain her trust but slowly, she started coming around. Her surgery was successful, and she spent the next several weeks on stall rest and daily care. During this time, Angel began treating her warts on her muzzle and face. They were caused by a common virus known as Papilloma. Young horses spread the virus in close contact. Twice a day, we applied a natural remedy of castor oil mixed with essential oils. Jackie's warts slowly began falling off, revealing a lovely little filly desperate for love and attention.
It was no secret that Angel had fallen completely in love with Jackie, and it didn't take long to strike a deal with her owner to buy her. She became MMR's first official horse! Jackie was broke during a colt-breaking demonstration by Wild Horse Ministries in 2014, which was such an incredible experience, as they used Jackie to preach the gospel. Over the years, we've trained her to rear on command and to lie down on command. Jackie is absolutely the sweetheart of the ranch. She loves everyone, and she's happiest when she's being snuggled. Today, Jackie is a real beauty, and her past reminds us of the story of the ugly duckling that became a beautiful swan. Jackie is proof that you should never judge a book by its cover.
Legs
This is #Legsstory...
Legs came to us by no fault of his own. He belonged to a very dear longtime friend and was deeply loved by all of his humans. He lived on a beautiful sprawling ranch in rural Florida; however, his body didn't love the Florida allergens. The trees and pollen were causing him to have severe allergies and itchy spots all over his body. His owners had tried everything that the vets recommended to no avail. Nothing was working, and Legs was miserable. The vets began suggesting that he be moved to a different climate…that would mean a move anywhere north of Georgia. So his owner called and asked if we would be willing to give him a home in Tennessee…we were completely ecstatic!
Although his owners dearly loved Legs, it was in his best interest to let him go to a new home. So the plan was set, and we drove halfway to meet the equine transport service in Alabama to pick him up. Legs has done amazingly well in the Tennessee weather and has adjusted beautifully to life at MMR. He no longer suffers from allergies or episodes of skin rashes, and he has become a cherished member of our herd. He is the sweetest and kindest horse, not to mention a real looker.
Legs is now one of our riding horses and has quickly become one of everyone's favorites when they visit Melody Manor Ranch.
Fun facts: Legs is the tallest of all the MMR horses, he knows how to bow for treats, and he also has a very deep manly nicker; it's our favorite thing about his personality! He loves to talk to us when he sees food or treats!
Dolly
This is #dollysstory…
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Some time into the recovery process, it became clear that something was very wrong. Dolly’s little body was not waking up properly; she had begun to experience seizures, and after running every test possible and doing all the doctors knew to do, we were told that she may not wake up. We began to pray, we got down next to Dolly and laid hands on her as we prayed and asked God to heal her and wake her up! Within about 15 minutes, things began to change, and suddenly, with no warning, Dolly sat straight up and whinnied (that’s horsey talk) for her mom. Her mother answered back, and Dolly stood to her feet…perfectly normal!!! Praise God!
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She left the vet hospital and came to Melody Manor Ranch, along with her mother, originally for aftercare following the surgery. She spent several months with us as her tummy and eye healed. We weaned her from her mother and began teaching her some basic groundwork, eventually sending her home. A few years later, her owner needed to find her a good home, and they reached out to us to see if we wanted her. Of course, the answer was YES!
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Dolly has spent the last couple of years with us, though her blindness is an issue, she is working on her trust issues and navigating life as a partially blind horse beautifully. Sometimes things scare her if she can’t see them, and sometimes she gets a little frazzled when she feels nervous or scared. So she relies a lot on Sunday to be her helper, and you will always find them side-by-side in the pasture. She still has a long way to go in learning to trust and rely on people, since she can’t see fully, but Dolly is doing wonderfully! One day, we believe she will be able to entirely depend on people and trust us just like we trusted God to heal her that day in the hospital stall!
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Fun fact: Dolly is actually Pistol Annie’s ½-sister, and they are 1 month apart in age! Though they share a different mom, they have the same Palomino dad (which means he was a gorgeous golden blonde). Cool, huh? That’s why Dolly is a Buttermilk Palomino and Annie is a Golden Palomino.
Jerome
This is #jeromesstory…
Jerome came to us from a farm in College Grove, TN. His owner had sold their farm property and could no longer keep him. He had been a pasture mate to several horses for many years, including Sunday Lou, before she came to Melody Manor. Although Jerome was nice, he wasn’t friendly! He was curious but very standoffish, and he didn’t care much for being around people. He had not been handled much, so at first he wanted nothing to do with people, and he needed time to adjust to his new surroundings.
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When he arrived, he got off the trailer and started braying (that’s donkey talk for saying hello), Sunday heard him and came running! Though they had been separated for many years, Sunday immediately recognized her longtime friend's voice. Jerome became Sunday’s new pasture mate once again! Sunday loves to mother him, and she looks out for him, but she will also put him in his place if he misbehaves. Jerome has slowly started to trust people and is now able to be led on a halter and lead rope, and has recently had his feet trimmed for the first time in many years.
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Slowly but surely, Jerome is learning to trust his friends at Melody Manor Ranch, and he is learning that, although once he was just a forgotten donkey, left in the field to befriend a herd of horses, he is now passionately loved and realizing he is protected and deeply cared for. Day by day, as his trust grows, Jerome is finding that being loved by someone is really cool, and he is learning to accept and seek affection whenever folks are near!
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Fun Fact: Jerome Brays (otherwise known as Hee Haws) is a little backwards…he can’t help it! LOL, We think it’s just another cute and unique thing about him that we have come to really adore! Try heehawing at him and see if he talks back. Go ahead…give it a try
We Honor
Sunday Lou
This is Sunday's story.
Sunday, our Matriarch and forever “Mama Bear,” was a living miracle whose life shaped our hearts and this place in ways words still struggle to hold. We said goodbye to her in 2021, after 21 remarkable years. Her life, especially the years she was given beyond every expectation, remains a sacred gift we continue to honor.
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Sunday came to us in late 2013 after enduring years of extreme cellulitis. Her previous owners tried everything: antibiotics, creams, injections, and saltwater therapy. Relief would come, then another flare. Angel received a call explaining that Sunday was in foal, unable to stand, covered in painful sores, and suffering deeply. The situation had reached the end. She was scheduled to be put down.
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Angel was asked to come and keep her comfortable until the vet arrived the next day. When Angel approached, Sunday lifted her head and released the softest whinny. Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them. A decision followed. Sunday was surrendered into Angel’s care. Two long days passed before she could stand for transport. By the grace of God, she made the trip. Upon arrival, she lay down again, and we feared the night might be her last. We prayed and trusted God.
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The healing journey began the next morning. Antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatories, pain medication, and sedation allowed us to treat her legs. When the risk to her unborn foal became clear, all medicines stopped. Conventional treatment had failed her before, and nothing changed. We turned fully to a holistic path. Stall rest. High-quality hay and feed. Vitamins. Immune support. High-dose probiotics. Sedation gave way to calming essential oils. Twice daily cleaning and wrapping followed, using anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antibacterial oils, along with Well Horse, colloidal silver, and constant prayer. Slowly, scabs released. New skin formed. Blood flow returned. Healing followed.
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Months passed, and each morning brought more strength. Six months after arriving, Sunday delivered a healthy palomino filly. Pistol Annie entered the world minutes before midnight on Angel’s birthday—a gift beyond words.
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Sunday lived years longer than anyone believed possible. Every extra day stood as testimony to resilience, care, and God’s mercy. Her life continues through the lessons she taught, the foal she left behind, and the love she gave so freely. Mama Bear may be gone, but her legacy remains woven into everything we do.
Pistol Annie
This is Annie’s story.
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Pistol Annie was our miracle born from a miracle. She entered the world already wrapped in meaning, arriving minutes before midnight on Angel’s birthday, six months after we were told her mother might not survive. From her first breath, Annie carried both strength and tenderness, shaped by the long road her mother had walked before her.
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Annie never knew life without Sunday. They were inseparable. Sunday was not just her dam (mother); she was her anchor, her teacher, her constant place of safety. Annie grew under her watchful presence, mirroring her calm, her gentleness, and her quiet resilience. Wherever Sunday went, Annie followed. Their bond was deep and unmistakable.
In early 2023, we lost Annie to a heart murmur. The diagnosis explained the physical cause, but not the whole story. Annie had never been away from her mother. When Sunday passed in 2021, something in Annie changed. She carried on, but the light was different. Those who knew them both could see it. We believe, in our hearts, that Annie’s body failed where her spirit was already aching. A broken heart is not something science often names, but love like theirs does not disappear quietly.
Annie’s life, though shorter than we hoped, was full. She was gentle, curious, and deeply connected. She represented promise fulfilled and love carried forward. She was proof that Sunday’s miracle did not end with survival, but continued through legacy.
We honor Annie not only as Sunday’s daughter, but as her continuation. Their stories are forever linked. Mother and daughter. Miracle and miracle born. Though they are gone from our pastures, they remain present in our memory, our purpose, and the way we choose to care, love, and believe.