Kansas 501(c)(3) non-profit status effective date 5/23/2018
Columbus, Kansas, United States
Organization History
2014
It was May 2014 when our founder Terri Birch was tasked with the daily care and maintenance for the Quapaw Nation's four "unemployed" cattle horses. Having worked with or for the tribe since 2008, and being eager to accept the additional responsiblity having grown up on horse back on her parents small farm in Purcell, Missouri, Terri began riding again.
She worked during the day as a Project Manager for Quapaw Services Authority, the construction management division of the tribe, and every evening after work she'd spend time with the "ponies."
You might have seen her riding around Downstream Casino during your visit. Her riding trail often took her around the retention ponds, down the greenhouse road, passed the buffalo enclosures and cattle, to the Tri-State marker and back. It was during this early time when she first started teaching other employees and tribal members how to ride.
2015
During 2015 Terri deployed with the United States Army Reserve to the middle east as a Military Policeman, Sergeant First Class, assigned to an Expeditionary Sustainment Command. The ponies were left in the care of the cowboys who were also employed by the tribe.
2016
As Terri tells the story, it was during the final months of her deployment that she felt that God was challenging her to consider making some major changes in her life. She will tell you that she now has absolutely no doubt of the existance of evil in the world and that it is up to each of us to do our part in making it better. People can be so cruel to one another but we can also choose to be blessings. The seed of Elkdog Medicine Ranch, if not by name, took root.
Inspired by her faith and trust in God, within a few short months of Terri returning from that deployment in the Middle East in May 2016, she had listed her home of 19 years for sale in Joplin, Missouri and had started her search for the ranch with land where her vision would be realized.
But as we know, everything works on God's timing and in October 2016, before the land for the ranch was located, Trinity Circle Horses Healing Hearts in Neosho, Missouri reached out to Terri and asked if she would take two horses, a bonded pair, so that the Trinity rescue could make room for another in need of help. The catch was that the mare was probably pregnant. Fortunately, Terri was able to take in Buck and Missy, placing them safely, temporarily, at her parent's small farm in Purcell, Missouri.
She would spend the next several months driving a few hours every day, outside of work, between Quapaw, Oklahoma; Galena, Kansas; and Joplin and Purcell, Missouri.
On December 13, 2016, Miss Magnolia (aka Maggie) joined Buck and Missy in Purcell. At eighteen years of age, having weaned her latest and final colt, she could no longer perform her working duties. She was surrendered and considered for a possible future therapy horse.
2017
In February 2017, Terri asked her friends to recommend a name for her "rescue" idea. Clint Kissee, a teacher friend in Commerce, OK and a Native of the Eastern Shawnee tribe, submitted "Elkdog Medicine" for review and by doing so, introduced Terri to the Native American legend of the Elk Dog and the Orphan boy.
Elk Dog for "horse," and Medicine for the healing properties of the program. Mr. Kissee challenged Terri to consider that the word "medicine" could represent a healing for the body, the mind, and the spirit which is so much a part of Terri's earliest vision for the horses she would one day work with as well as the volunteers or clients who would come to the ranch.
From the Legend - "Down in that lake the spirit people keep mystery animals who do their work for them. These animals are larger than a great elk, but they carry the burden of the spirit people like dogs. So they’re called Pono-Kamita the Elk Dogs. They are said to be swift, strong, gentle, and beautiful beyond imagination. Every fourth generation, one of our young warriors has gone to find these spirit folk and bring back an Elk dog for us. But none of our brave young men had ever returned.”
On March 8, 2017, thanks to the Quapaw Nation, all seven of the horses that Terri was caring for, came together in one location at a tribal owned facility in Galena, Kansas and the Elkdog Medicine Facebook page was started. She laughs now when asked about her feelings and thoughts that day. "It felt like Christmas," she says.
One month later, on April 8, 2017 Missy gave birth to Rain at the Galena facility.
One month later on May 14, 2017 CJ (now known as Andromeda aka. Andy) was transferred to Elkdog from Way's Ranch Horse Rescue in Quapaw, Oklahoma. He was our first neglect (under-nourished) rescue and was believed at the time to be only fourteen months old. Doc Gregory from the Columbus Vet Clinic later aged him closer to two.
By August 2017, Terri's previous home had sold and she had purchased the 21 acre ranch in Cherokee County, Kansas where Elkdog Medicine is located. Then the work began: steel pipe fencing went up, other fences were added and reworked, brush was cleared, run-in barns were built, horses were transported in, an office space was partitioned off in the shop building, a chicken coop and run were constructed, etc.
On October 26, 2017 the ranch had five unexpected, early morning visitors: three horses, 1 Mini, and a donkey from a mile down the track (railroad). They simply appeared in the yard. Terri immediately opened the gate and put them in the round pen and started making calls to identify their owner. At the end of the day, everyone else went home on a trailer but the 2 year old, 38" tall, mini stallion Dallas stayed. During quarantine we started working with him on his trust issues. Two weeks later he was gelded.
2018
By March 2018, Elkdog Medicine Ranch was home to 7 horses, 1 pony, 1 mini, and a donkey, 33 chickens, 2 ducks, 3 dogs, and a feral cat.
Elkdog Medicine, Inc. is legally formed as a Kansas Non Profit Corporation on May 23, 2018.