As autistic kids the one thing we have in common is most of us suffer from stomach issues. As babies , our parents spent many restless nights going back and forth to the doctors and hospitals for our “ Belly” issues.
We came across a mini horse named “ Dash “ at 13 hands equine rescue .
We all resonated with “Baby Dash”, because of our parallel lives combatting health issues.
We wrote a story about our little Dash , and starting reading it to our younger group at the newsmakers group to inspire them to, “ fight the good fight ,”and never give up.
This is what we wrote :
Our little man Dash , a story of hope and inspiration.
Once upon a time, tucked away in a cozy green pasture on the edge of a small town, lived an extraordinary little mini horse named Dash, known for his ability to take off on a dime.
Dash was born with a condition that made his stomach very delicate. Since his birth, he had suffered stomach pains, making his life much harder than the other horses in the pasture. But Dash was no ordinary mini horse. Despite his condition, he held an aspiration to live joyfully, always full of energy and love, his sparkling eyes reflecting his tenacity. He was the horse of hope to all of us that suffer from similar disabilities.
Though he was smaller, and his pain often kept him from frolicking as freely as the other horses, he refused to let it dampen his spirit.
Dash was a fighter, overcoming challenge after challenge with his unwavering resilience. His will to triumph over adversity was amazing, and that was what made him so special.
Word of Dash’s incredible determination and his story of resilience spread across the town, and soon school children began to visit the pasture. They were drawn to Dash, and he to them. Despite his discomfort, Dash was always excited to see them. He greeted them with a cheerful nae, his eyes glistening with warmth and excitement.
Very quickly, Dash and the school children became great friends. To them, Dash was not just a mini horse, but an embodiment of determination, love, and indeed, hope. They found inspiration in him, a reminder that no matter how immense the pain, how great the struggle, one can always find joy and love in life.
Over the year, Dash faced life-threatening situations because of his condition. But with every grave prognosis, his resilient spirit and will to survive surprised everyone. Each time his life was in balance, it was like he was telling the world – “As long as I’m loved, I will fight. I will survive.”
Teachers started arranging field trips for students to Dash’s pasture. They made it into educational trips, teaching them life skills using Hope’s example – that life will have its struggles and challenges, but it’s all about standing strong and facing them with courage and determination.
The kids loved Dash and he loved them back. They would bring him apples and carrots, but realized he could not eat them, because of his delicate stomach ; so the kids would enjoy the healthy snacks themselves while they would all just sit beside him when his pain was high. The comfort and love exchanged between the mini horse and the kids was pure and far from the complexities of the world. Each time they left, they couldn’t wait for the next visit to see their ‘Hero Dash.”
In a world that often felt big and confusing, Dash, the resilient mini horse, became a symbol of love, endurance, and indeed, ‘hope’. His spirit and life became a testament to the saying, “It’s not about how many times you get knocked down, it’s about how many times you get back up.”
And so, Dash, with his unyielding spirit, tiny stature and enormous heart, touched the lives of everyone in the small town. The mini horse named Dash became a living lesson of resilience, love and hope, changing the lives of generations of school children who learned the most profound life lessons in the green pasture, right beside their beloved, mini friend.
Our team at autisticana just heard that our mini is in serious trouble again and requires immediate surgery. We are all gathering together to ask all of you to help sponsor his surgery by having a friend- raiser and donating asap to our cause.
Save our Dash –
@13handsequinerescue and got the donate now button.
