HAMILTON - They called her Taxi.

For decades, the molly mule lived up to her name as she taxied heavy loads for Forest Service packers into the backcountry surrounding the Bitterroot Valley.

Over time, her shoulders and feet gave out. They hurt so bad that she eventually couldn't even bear to carry youngsters in a therapeutic riding ring.

Last Friday, the 22-year-old mule officially entered retirement at Bill and Katie Scholl's place just outside of Florence. The couple was looking for a mule to watch over their new herd of fainting goats and to eventually babysit a young foal when it comes weaning time.

"Taxi was just was what we were looking for," Katie Scholl said. "She's a nice old thing. I wasn't looking for a work animal. I was looking for a companion.

"We were just glad to give her a place to live out her days," she said, while giving a very happy-looking Taxi a scratch behind her ear.

The equine-human match was the 41st the Bitterroot-based Willing Servants organization has made since it began looking for new homes for horses and mules that could no longer be cared for by their owners.

The organization's founder, Theresa Manzella, credits God and a dedicated group of volunteers for making the organization a success.

"This group is a wonderful example of a community coming together for a common cause," Manzella said. "We don't like seeing pictures of hungry horses and hurting people on the front of our paper so we're working hard to keep them out of that situation."

The core of the organization formed following the trial of two Georgia men charged with abusing their horses during an extended pack trip into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness last summer.

Its mission was to help people facing difficult choices with their animals. Sometimes that means finding a new home for an old or injured horse. Sometimes it means dropping off some hay to help ease a person through a tough financial stretch.

"We know that in these uncertain times, financial hardship could overcome any of us," Manzella said. "We're not a hand out, but a hand up. … People in our community no longer have any excuse for letting their horses go hungry. Foolish pride or indifference won't cut it any more.

"If you own a horse, it's your responsibility to take care of it," she said. "If you come to a time when you can't, we're here to help. There is no shame for asking for help."

This weekend, the Willing Servants organization will host its second annual Able Days Horse Expo at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds in Hamilton. Last year, the two-day fundraiser brought in about $11,000.

The money was used to buy hay and help defer the cost of the Final Act of Kindness Euthanasia Service the group offers. Manzella said the organization also plans to offer a low-cost castration service for stallions.

"With the market the way it is, we are strongly encouraging people to castrate and not rebreed their mares," she said.

This year's event features the Extreme Cowboy Challenge on Saturday morning starting at 8 a.m.

The event will put horse and rider through a series of tests as they navigate an obstacle course filled with many of the same features they might encounter on urban trail. There will be gates to open, bridges to cross and slickers to pull out of a mailbox. And then there will be something Manzella calls a car wash that might just put a fright into a steed or two.

"I think people are pretty excited about it," Manzella said. "It's a great opportunity for people to show how well their horses are trained. … It's the first time that this event has been offered in the Bitterroot Valley."

Manzella will offer a tribute to the troops in a reining demonstration on her horse, Whizdom following the challenge. She'll be accompanied by rodeo queens Callie Roberts and Sam Manley.

Barrel races will begin at 2 p.m.

Sunday's events include a rodeo for kids and demonstrations on grand prix dressage and natural horsemanship.

There's also a full slate of presentations in the Quality Education Building on both days that run the gamut from workshops on toxic weeds to portable backcountry fencing. About 30 vendors will be hawking their wares. There will even be a self-contained paintball arena set up on the site.

Ravalli Republic editor Perry Backus can be reached at 363-3300 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .