The Spotted Pony is a heartwarming story of a pony named Lenni who overcomes her disabilities to be the best cart pony she can be.

While traveling in Montana visiting old ghost towns the author had a map from 1863 and used it as a guide. On that map there was a place named Gallatin City a few miles outside the present Yellowstone National Park along the Gallatin River. He was unable to flnd this community or any remnants of it. He took the map to the history department at the Montana State University and inquired as to what they knew about its location and history. The professor there said that it was a mystery and many had looked for it but it had never been located. The only map it appeared on was the map of the Montana Territory in 1863. The professor pointed out it was likely an old mining community that went bust. Many communities in that era attached city to their name to sound bigger than they were in an attempt to draw people to them. This is my story about that lost town. The author, Floyd Kirby, is a retired veterinarian that lived in Missoula, Montana for several years. He practiced in Vero Beach, Florida for most of his career. He currently has a book (Amazon.com) about his childhood along a river in southern Ohio. A true story much in the 'Mark Twain' manner of life.

"The Little Spotted Pony" is inspired by a bedtime story my dad told me when I was young. The illustrations are inspired by my horse friend, Little Red. When my children were toddlers I also told them this bedtime story.