Jack: The Horse Who Taught Us That Horses are Everything
Even though Jack was no longer rideable, he had so much more to give.
By Dr. Hannah Dodson
3 Minute Read
In 2022, my daughter and I made a dream come true when we bought Jack, a former sport horse. For two passionate equestrians, owning our own horse felt like Christmas every day. And Jack quickly became so much more than a horse.
With his soulful eyes, goofy expressions, and larger-than-life personality, Jack seemed almost human. We jokingly called him our 1,300-pound Labradoodle. He made us laugh; he followed us around the farm, and somehow, in just a few short months, he became family.
Then everything changed.
Jack's back leg began to fail. The diagnosis was severe arthritis, and our veterinarian couldn't tell us whether he would ever be sound enough to ride again. The advice we received was practical: sell him and use the money to buy another horse. But we couldn't.
Jack had already given years of his life as a jumper. We couldn't imagine asking him to give even more simply because he could no longer do what we had hoped. So we made a decision that changed our lives. We sold our suburban home and bought a small farmette where Jack could stay, whether we ever rode him again or not.
Four months later, life gave me an unexpected understanding of that decision. I suffered a stress fracture in my left foot and was unable to walk normally for almost a year. I was facing the possibility of surgery and suddenly found myself on the other side of the equation. I was the one who couldn't do what I wanted to do.
And Jack was still there.
One afternoon, while I was recovering in bed, I looked out the window and saw Jack standing quietly in the pasture beside my window. That night, I hobbled to the bathroom on crutches. As I moved from the bedroom to the bathroom, Jack followed me outside, steadily walking from one window to the next. He stood there watching while I brushed my teeth. When I finished, he followed me back toward the bedroom.
He couldn't fix my foot. He couldn't carry me. He didn't need to. He was simply there. That moment changed the way I understood horses.
We often talk about what horses give us, the thrill of competition, the joy of riding, the lessons learned in the saddle. But Jack taught me that the greatest gift a horse can give may have nothing to do with riding at all. Sometimes horses meet us at our strongest. Sometimes they meet us when we're broken. And sometimes, they simply stand beside us until we find our way forward.
Jack became a source of comfort, resilience, and joy for both my daughter and me. He was there for tea parties, music practice, quiet afternoons at the barn, and countless moments when we simply needed to be around him.
His arthritis changed our plans, but it also gave us something we never expected: the opportunity to discover who Jack really was beyond the saddle. That experience changed the way I thought about wellness and ultimately became part of the inspiration behind Leadline Wellness and its belief that wellness is about more than physical health. It is about connection, purpose, resilience, and the relationships that help us through life's difficult seasons.
“Jack taught me that the greatest gift a horse can give may have nothing to do with riding at all.”
Dr. Hannah Dodson
Jack is now our unofficial Chief Wellness Officer, and probably our most popular team member, as we help individuals build healthier, more connected lives. We incorporate equine experiences and the human-animal bond into our work with clients. You don't have to own a horse, ride, or even know much about horses to benefit from the principles behind what we do.
Jack taught us that a horse doesn't have to carry you over a jump to change your life. Sometimes, they change your life simply by standing at the window. That's why, for us, horses are everything.
This article was a personal story submitted to the Horses Are Everything campaign. We encourage you to share your story below.
Photos: Britt Gillis