Hope and happiness in the form of a big, black horse
A ray of hope can appear when you least expect it. For the past four weekends, it has come to Boothbay Harbor in the form of a big, black horse named Hercules. He was brought here by owner Gerry Scott, a retired military veteran and commander of a U.S. Army horse unit. Scott now runs a horse farm and yoga retreat in Saco.
Cancellations of the students for his summer yoga sessions prompted Scott to conduct a “soldiers for life” mission with Hercules instead. Stops at a number of towns from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Boothbay Harbor were planned to inspire hope for a happier future when the country recovers from the pandemic.
Following months of people sheltering in place, the image of Hercules, ridden by Scott with his yellow lab Molly in tow, was like seeing a mirage walking down Commercial Street. The radiant black Friesian from the Netherlands stands 17.3 hands high, so the sight did not go unnoticed. Scott said locals and visitors were thrilled to have a close-up look. Sometimes, whole neighborhoods would come out to applaud as horse and rider passed by.
