10/28/2026
Maddie was a Percheron mare and the heart of Hilary Holsteen’s Harnessing Hope equine therapy program. For years, she helped veterans, first responders, foster teens, and people working through trauma find a little more solid ground.
Then, one September day, Maddie went down in her pasture and couldn’t get back up.
In nearly 93-degree Georgia heat, 10 firefighters and first responders came together to help her. They brought trucks, shade, and built a pulley system to give her a chance. They stayed for hours. They didn’t give up.
Maddie’s injury was too severe to recover from, but because they showed up, she didn’t have to spend her final hours alone or struggling. She was lifted, made comfortable, and cared for by the very people she had spent years helping.
That’s what showing up looks like.
Today, on 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲, we’re honoring the people who give everything when others need them most.
And through October 31, take 20% off sitewide with code THANKYOU20 as our thank-you to first responders.
Read Maddie’s full story on the FullBucket blog.