July 11th 2010 Sundance crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Here is our beautiful boy, Sundance with Julia. Julia loves all horses, but she was especially fond of Sundance. Julia, a junior volunteer at the Gress Mountain Ranch has dedicated herself to helping others. Julia has been an overachiever in supporting and caring for all the animals and, of course, our dearly beloved Sundance.

A Tribute to Sundance
By Julia

Every horse deserves to be loved by a little girl. Some horses, however, are loved by not only one little girl, but by almost every person who had the pleasure of connecting with him. For us, this horse was Sundance.

I can remember standing in the pouring rain on a bitter day with a smile on my face as I held a big bucket of food for Sundance. He would start to walk away or slobber all over me, but it never bothered me because it was impossible to be impatient with this horse. I was happy because he was happy, and it takes a special animal to make someone happy just simply by being. I had the privilege of witnessing people who had never been around horses in their lives gravitate towards him. Despite his size, people loved him and he loved the people. I didn’t know him as a show horse, stealing away blue ribbons, but the big, huggable horse I came to know and love was just as much a winner to me as he was to the judges however many years ago. It hurts to think that he won’t lumber up to me in the pasture anymore, but I wouldn’t trade the three years I spent with him for the world. Rest in peace, Sundance. I’m sure we’ll meet again someday.

Tributes to honor Sundance by those who knew him:

Carolyn: “Sundance” was my favorite animal at the ranch. 

Darren: “Sundance thought I was a human scratching post and Sundance 
had a “Strut”, a walk like no other horse. 

Mia: “Sundance would always come and “greet you” in the pasture. 

Jim Kindred, farrier: “I shoed Sundance for a long time, with special 
”egg bar shoes and wedges” to help him to walk for over 10years.

Kim: One of my best life memories is feeding Sundance one night in the north pasture. We were alone and the sun was a blazing pink as it set. I felt a true connection with the horse that night.