Ally Masut

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My latest tattoo is a horse bit entwined with the birth month flowers of my two ex-racehorses. Primrose and Lily of the Valley flowers decorate my arm in greyscale. My horses have played a huge role in my mental health journey, and this design honors the healing, strength, and love they've brought into my life. They inspire me daily and this new ink addition is a constant reminder of their resilience in the racing world as well as their second careers and lives after the racetrack.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

I do believe that my ink DOES speak. My favorite thing is that it speaks differently to different people. It tells a story of pivotal moments that have shaped my personal journey, but are also themes of life that most have encounters and can resonate with. For example, the Azaleas on my arm tell a love story as old of time which to me recounts a declaration of love my Grandfather made for my Grandmother. For others, it may speak to the beauty of enduring love, vibrant feelings, and more.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000 prize, I’d use it to give back to the people and animals who’ve given me so much. I’d invest in better care and enrichment for my two rescue horses and also support local equine therapy programs that help others on their healing journey. In my life I have never been in the place to repay the support I have been given by my family and closest friends. This prize would bless me with an opportunity to finally do that in a meaningful way.