You saved Sham! Army reservist’s beloved horse saved after GoFundMe campaign
An Army reservist who turned to the kindness of strangers to pay for an operation to save his beloved horse has reached his financial target.
Lance Corporal Daniel Petho, who serves with B Squadron, The Queen's Own Yeomanry, started a GoFundMe page after his horse Shamadaan suffered a life-threatening injury.
In a message to all those who showed their support, LCpl Petho told Forces News it means "absolutely everything" to both himself and everyone involved with Shamadaan.
"You've taken a failed racer and saved his life in his greatest time of need," he said.
"He's not out of the woods just yet, he's got about six months of repair, regrowth, rebuild, rehabilitation.
"But you've also saved me.
"It's been a very hard week … some people would turn round and say 'Ah well, it would be kinder to put him to sleep.
"This is a five-year-old ex-racehorse who was bred in Ireland, he has had multiple owners and we're the first who have had him long term and he's grown with us and we've really seen him as an individual.
"I got him to give back as well, to the Army equitation, the forces equation, to show that even an animal that may have failed on the race course can come back and succeed and to give him a second lease of life.
"Thank you everyone."
LCpl Petho told Forces News he thought he was going to be "financially ruined" after spending his savings on getting Shamadaan seen to after the injury.
But LCpl Petho said he knew he had made the right decision because he was saving an animal that has supported him in "more ways than one".
But he was still unsure as to how he was going to afford Shamadaan's surgery.
Someone suggested a GoFundMe page, but LCpl Petho said his initial reaction was that it would be "almost begging".
"I decided, right I'll give it a go, and we'll see where we are," he said.
"My partner said 'look, just share it here, there, everywhere and it just took off.
"When we set up the GoFundMe, I never expected the response … within four days we got over the target and more and it kept going up."
LCpl Petho reached his target of £3,000 on Friday, with the total now sitting at £3,280.
He also said the military camaraderie and sense of community played its part in helping raise money to save Shamadaan.
"When we know other people are in need, we always give because we know that when we're in need, they're going to give back," he said.
"That camaraderie, whether it be virtually or when we're seeing each other in camp, its astounding.
"I'm speechless with it, it's been absolutely amazing."
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