Update on Marty – 32 Years Young, Starting Over

Earlier this year, we visited with the Lawton/Fort Sill Artillery Half Section to share the news about their decision to retire and adopt-out one of their longest-serving horses, Marty (if you’d like to see the original story, click here). Marty had been with the Half Section for 19 years, almost 20, and was finally at the point in life that the Chief of the Artillery Half Section, Chief Gerald E. Stuck, decided that he deserved greener and calmer pastures in another home.

On March 26, 2021, the Lawton/Fort Sill community held a Retirement ceremony for the Standardbred gelding, honoring his years of service and memories will the soldiers of the Half Section by retiring his equipment, adorning him with a wreath and handing the reins to the Moody family, their adopters.

Marty, adorning his new honorary wreath alongside his new family

Several people came to talk about Marty’s beginnings at Fort Sill, how he was mischievous and always getting into trouble before Chief Stuck arrived on base. Over the years, Marty became the “Old Man” of the group, teaching new riders and breaking in new horses like Valkor, who he gave “wall-to-wall counseling” to, as Chief Stuck recalled.

Marty and with his new family at the Fort Sill Retirement Ceremony dedicated to Marty

Marty’s Future

The Moody family said they are excited and happy that they were chosen to give Marty a good home with their other horses. They plan on letting him live his days happy and carefree as a pasture ornament, something beautiful for them to admire. They do not plan on riding him, just letting him enjoy their company and visa versa.

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