For her 99th birthday, Sheridan Green House resident Vera Montgomery had just one wish: to ride a horse again.
Born in Sheridan in 1926, Vera grew up on a small farm outside of Sundance and has spent nearly a century in the saddle.
“I wasn’t born on a horse, but close to it,” Vera said. “I started riding when I was about 3 years old. I was probably sitting on the saddle horn in front of somebody, but I was riding.”
From riding 2.5 miles to school as a child to working cattle on a ranch in central Montana, horses have always been part of Vera’s life. For 14 years, she and her husband ran a 1,000-head cattle ranch along Currant Creek.
“I was a hired hand, I guess you could say,” Vera recalled. “People tried to put me down and say I was just a housewife, but I told them, ‘I am not a housewife. I am a rancher.’”
After her husband passed away, Vera sold the ranch and returned to Sheridan in 1984 to be closer to her mother. In January 2024, she moved into Sheridan Green House.
That ranching spirit never left her. So, when Sheridan Green House’s Activities Director Kim DeGraw asked what she wanted for her birthday, Vera didn’t ask for cake or decorations. She wanted to get back in the saddle.
Thanks to the generosity of local rancher and musician Dave Munsick, his wife Trudy and their horse Uno, Vera’s birthday wish came true.
Dave, Trudy and Uno arrived at Sheridan Green House on a bright June morning. With a little help from licensed practical nurse Kayla Larsen and certified nursing assistant Jennifer Broadwater, Vera climbed into Uno’s saddle. Smiling proudly, she rode Uno around the block while Dave led the way and a crowd of supporters walked beside her.
“It was great,” Vera said afterward. “Once you know how to do it, you never forget.”
Vera’s love for ranch life goes beyond horsemanship. She’s written cowboy poetry since she was 10 year old, inspired by the land and lifestyle she cherishes.
“I put poems under pictures of what I write about,” she said. “I even sold one once for about $20.”
Vera Montgomery holding a photo of herself when she was 13 on horseback at her family’s farm.
After her ride, Vera relaxed on the cottage patio, sharing a photo of herself at 13 on horseback at her family’s farm and reflecting with staff about her childhood and the simpler, tougher times she lived through.
“I wish kids today could understand the kind of life people lived back in the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s,” she said. “Not necessarily to live it, but just to know what people had to go through.”
She spoke of a time when electricity and telephones were luxuries. A loaf of bread cost eight cents, and a gallon of gas just ten. Children were expected to work in the fields as soon as they were old enough. Boys cut wood to sell in town, and clothing was handed down from neighbors and patched by parents doing their best.
“We didn’t know we were poor,” Vera said. “Everybody was in the same boat. There was no making fun of each other — just neighbors doing what they had to do. It was a hard life, but it was a good life.”
As Dave and Trudy loaded Uno back into the trailer, Vera sat with staff, enjoying the shade and conversation. Kim leaned over and gave her a hug.
“I’m so glad we could make this happen for you,” Kim said. “It was the only thing you wanted for your birthday!”
“And I got it!” Vera beamed.
“You did! You’re 99 years old — you should get what you want! What are we going to do for your 100th birthday next year?”
Without missing a beat, Vera grinned and replied, “Ride a mule.”
At Sheridan Green House, we believe in honoring the lives, passions and independence of every resident—just like Vera. If you’re looking for a place where your loved one can feel truly supported and celebrated, we invite you to connect with us. Call 307.672.0600 or visit sheridangreenhouse.org to learn more.
