Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

You are here: Home / animals / The Horse Story

The Horse Story

at by

10-15-pliers

10-15-ashley

(I’m not going to use the names of the horses in this story.)

Do you remember the two elderly horses we would encounter on our trail walks? We started bringing them carrots and apples, with the owner’s permission. The mother is 37 years old and nearly blind. Her son is 34. They are devoted to each other.

You can see from the second photo that their shelter was falling apart. They didn’t have adequate cover and we were concerned that they might not make it through another winter at their age. We met the owner one day on the trail and…let’s just say he is eccentric. And troubled. He was also friendly, to be fair, but I felt uneasy around him. Maybe because he didn’t seem to have appropriate social skills. When I told him how much we liked his horses, his immediate response was, “Do you want them?”

Needless to say, knowing how I am about animals, I found that troubling.

We found out that other locals were also feeding the horses treats when they could. Don’t get me wrong, they had hay and food, but caring for horses and providing shelter is an expensive proposition and I don’t think the owner had the money to do that.

9-18-horses

One day, Don went on the trail walk without me. He was gone a long time. Eventually, he called me from the trail and told me this story:

He had some carrots with him and as he came upon the fenced-in area where the horses live, he realized they weren’t in sight. He walked down to the fence. They were nowhere to be seen. Instead, there were about 6 or 7 deer in the paddock, including a buck. He knew they wouldn’t be there unless the horses were gone.

He felt panicked and profoundly sad, with the loss of Scout very close to the surface. He didn’t know what to do, and as he went back on the trail to continue walking, his mind was racing. About a hundred feet down the trail, on the right, there are more paddocks that belong to a local couple who own a horse boarding facility and who also give riding lessons. As Don glanced over there, he did a double take.

There they were.

11-13-ashleyandpliers

He called the number for the business and talked to the owner who told him that just the day before (a day we didn’t walk on the trail) the owner had been visited by the authorities (this had happened a few times in the past.) I’m not sure how that came about, but I suspect another local reported him worried about the well-being of the horses. They came and inspected everything and they finally talked the owner into surrendering the horses, because there was no way they could make it through the winter in their current living conditions. They were also neglected. The field got very muddy and the older horse was unsteady and sometimes fell and couldn’t get up.

So the owner of the boarding facility had taken them in temporarily until she could come up with another solution. Don visited them that day, but they wouldn’t come over to him. I’m sure they were scared and nervous in a new place.

We went there the next day and were able to feed some carrots to the son. But the mother, who is declining, was too scared. The son stays right by the mother, guiding her around the paddock, making sure she is safe. He is completely devoted to her.

11-13-ashleyandpliers2

The woman who owns the boarding facility is concerned about how the son will handle things when the mom is gone. I want her to hang in there, but she’s not eating a lot and she’s slowly failing.

Anyway, about a week went by and we had daily conversations with the woman either by phone or in person. These people are kind and good and compassionate and I am honored to know them. We also got to know some of the other horses there.

Election day came and went. The next day it rained, so we didn’t get there. The day after that, we went on the trail and when we arrived at the paddocks, Mom and Son were gone. We weren’t surprised, because we knew the woman was trying to find a rescue group that would take them as soon as possible and she had hoped to have it resolved on Wednesday. So Don stopped by the next day and heard the good news.

They’ve been rescued by the Catskill Animal Sanctuary, a well-known  rescue facility for farmed animals, run by vegans.

“Nonhuman animals have a right to live their lives free of suffering and exploitation by humans.”

That’s just part of their mission statement, which you can read here. This is a facility I have always admired. They have several blind horses, so they know how to work with the mom. And they are going to work with the son and train him, in hopes that he might get adopted. If not, he will stay with them, as will the mother.

I could not dream of a better, more humane, solution.

I know this has been hard on the owner, who loves them in his way. But taking care of them had become something that was too much for him.

We are so grateful they are safe. We’re going to try to go see them this week, even though it’s off-season. Hopefully, they’ll let us stop by.

11-14-donandfriend

Don with one of his new friends.

I was around horses when I was a young kid – my grandfather was a cowboy, remember? Don has always loved horses. Through meeting our neighbors who own the boarding facility, we now stop there when we’re on the trail and give treats to some of the horses. Without Scoutie here, there is a big gap in our lives, and I think, especially for Don, this helps. He feels more at peace when he’s around the horses.

Bravo to our friends and neighbors who watched out for these beauties and stepped up when necessary. And compassion for their longtime owner, as well. I imagine it wasn’t easy for him to say goodbye to them. He has visited them at their new home and knows they’re okay. And a big thank you to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary for their compassion for all animals.

I thought it might be time for a feel-good story here on the blog. I sure need one!

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

 

Comments

  2. HI Claudia. I loved your horsey story. I have a horse of my own so they are pretty close to my heart. The average life span of a horse in general is between 25 – 30 years so your horsey friends have had good long lives. Thanks you for your caring ways. You’re a gem. Xxx Julie

  3. This makes my heart happy! I know they could not be in better hands now. You and Don are in much need of some good news as are we all! You have good neighbors also. I’m watching Annie sleep in a chair and I’m so thankful she is in my life right now. Petting her when she lies beside me is so calming and I really need that in my life right now. Hugs!

    • I have missed Scout so much lately. I miss her all the time, of course, but I miss the solace that petting her gave me. Miss her in the ‘tunnel’ laying at my feet.

  4. Lovely lovely story that brings tears for the right reasons…..wishing them peace in their loving new home………Dianne

  7. It’s a lovely story. I’m so glad everything had a good outcome. When we love animals, it’s hard not to get involved in a ‘neighbor’ situation when something doesn’t feel right or look right with somebody else’s pet. The rescue organization will know how to transition the son-horse, should he not be adopted, through the grief of eventually losing his mom. Tricky…because if he is adopted, what does it mean for Mom’s emotional well-being if she’s still alive and left behind? A vice-versa. Oh well, again, the rescuers will know what to do. Seems like all this happened in the nick of time, with already that one snowfall. The cold is hard on aging animals. Just like people, they’re more vulnerable as seniors…to environment, meds, arthritis.

    With the sole dog I have now, having raised her with two other dogs, I watched with heavy heart how sad and listless she was when, over a 5-year time period, she lost her sister and brother, becoming an ‘only’ dog. I wasn’t working outside the home and could be home with her everyday to console and attend to her; we’ve been told by more than one veterinarian that animals definitely can become depressed–it sometimes happens after surgery and with illness (and, of course, neglect; clearly, the same emotions as humans)–which is when they need A LOT of attention and caring.

    The two feral cats I’ve been feeding for 9 years…can’t get more than five or six feet from them; they live in the bush; completely wild…are mother and son. She could be anywhere from age 11, so thinks the vet. Mom brought Son to the feeding dish when she was weaning him. He is age 8 now. To this day, she grooms him; he always looks for her; they are mostly always together. His life without her, when he’s known nothing else? I worry about it and have thought of humanely euthanizing them as a pair, when it’s time, if I can trap them again (they’re elusive and wise to the cage now, unfortunately; I’ve heretofore done trap-neuter-release with immunization but I may have only gotten one shot at it as my attempts since to trap them have been fruitless). I’m sure on cold nights, wherever they go, they’re wrapped around each other, keeping each other warm.

    My current next-door neighbors took in a mother and son (large-breed dog pair) and they’re well-intentioned people but, with these folks, their dogs are outside animals and an afterthought; not part of the human family per se. The son-dog got out when someone, hours later, noticed a gate had been left unlatched; the dog was never to be found again (I looked for him out in the car for months; I find I still look for him). He was about age 7 and Mom was about age 12. After he disappeared, she only lasted three months, and even my neighbors said, “She was sad without him.” It wasn’t just her age.

    Don’t anyone ever tell me animals don’t have feelings. There’s been enough study on the subject. Didn’t I just hear on the news that it’s been discovered, with lab rats, that they jump for joy when their bellies are tickled? Your horses weren’t unloved but they are intelligent beasts and know the difference now of more hands-on care.

    I’m so glad your own heart (and Don’s) can be lighter with the better news of your horses. Every day of hard winter, you’d otherwise have been worrying about them so much. Now, you can know they have good shelter. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful, uplifting story! A window closes but a door opens…

    • I have always loved animals and, at times, like them more than humans. I miss my dogs. And I absolutely KNOW that animals have feelings. These sweet horses will now be taken care of and surrounded by love.

    • I didn’t mean for it to sound like I would play “God” with euthanizing the aging cats. It’s complicated. My own future, healthwise, is uncertain. If, in this case, my husband is left behind, he won’t stay here and the cats would be left with no one to feed them. (He is less involved where they’re concerned.) These cats can’t just suddenly, as seniors, begin to find a stray mouse to eat when they’ve been hand-fed by a human for nearly ten years. The Mom is showing signs of slowing down, resting a lot; weak legs (she can no longer jump up on the birdbath for water, which she prefers to the water bowl on the ground; cats are often plagued with arthritis in old age). I could never leave them in such a way; I wouldn’t do it to them; they’re too sensitive and wary to come around anybody else but me. It will all be in the timing ahead but the responsibility is on my mind. I can’t just think, “let them live their animal life” when I’ve altered that life with human intervention. I knew from the moment I put out food and water for them, what I was taking on.

      Ugh, my comments of late as reader have gotten ‘way too long again here on the blog; I recognize the need to take a step back. I’m so sorry, Claudia; I apologize to everyone here. I blame the darned election for my (more-than-usual) nervous chatter. My brother used to call it verbal diarrhea. Let’s get back to the happy horse story!

      • Totally understand! You are their caregiver and to leave them to fend for themselves in very old age would be inhumane.

        • No need to apologize, Vicki. At least not to me. I like your chatty comments, and am usually pretty chatty myself. In my case, probably because I live alone. I’ve noticed I chatter away – with checkout staff in stores, with the baristas at Starbucks, with the maintenance people where I live – MUCH more now that I’m retired and not at work everyday. Guess I must have a minimum chatter quota to meet each day – LOL. 🍁

  8. Now that’s where we need to put our brains! Very nice story. You and Don are very caring persons.

  9. What a lovely story to begin the week with! Thank goodness the world is still filled with caring, good, genuine people.

  10. A great story that warms my heart! So glad your new friends have found a great home in which to live out their days in dignity. Thanks for the smiles! ;)

  11. Just when I’m losing faith in humanity, I read this and it makes my heart very happy. Thank goodness for good, thoughtful and caring people. Great story to start the week!

  12. Such a wonderful turn of events. Thank you for this story. I am so happy that those horses will be warm and well-fed this winter.

    • We are too, Nancy. I don’t mind saying I was alarmed at their prospects. We even considered a Go Fund Me campaign to build a new enclosure for them. But this is much, much better.

  14. Oh, Claudia, this is one of the MANY reasons I love you and Don! What a wonderful story! I know you’ve mentioned the Catskill Animal Sanctuary to me before, when Amanda and I made a trip out to the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary a couple of years ago! I do hope they let the son stay with the mom as long as she is still here on this earth, and then adopt him out to a good home. They are beautiful animals and I love that photo of Don! God bless you both for your kind hearts!

    • I imagine it will take a while to train him and I know they are aware of how devoted they are to one another. Since I know how compassionate they are, I’m sure they are taking that into account. xoxo

  16. What a wonderful ” happy ending” story. I was not aware they had a few of the animals from that Westport MA site. I know it well because Westport is only 40 minutes from here. I sent them a few dollars to help, I am a sucker for animals. People not so much!

  17. Thank you for sharing. Nothing beats a good horse story! Growing up, my sister and I had a retired race horse to learn to ride on. She was a rescue animal whose trainer beat her until she developed a reputation for being “wild”. I suppose as “pony-mad” young girls we were too besotted to be afraid and the horse responded. We were constantly taking in rescue animals, so looking back I have to give my late parents credit for putting up with that veritable menagerie.

  18. Oh thank you for sharing this story – I’m so glad it has a happy ending.

    A former boss of mine volunteers at the Sanctuary, so I am familiar with it, and I know the horses will be truly cared for a loved there.

    Such good news to start a week.

    • I might train to volunteer there in the future, but my upcoming work schedule will have to finish first! Good for your former boss!

  21. Claudia and Don,
    Having just finished Bible study today I decided to see how you are doing. Well, tears are rolling down my cheeks. Jesus fed the people with loaves and fishes and the kindness has happened again. As you know we have a new puppy thanks to Little White Dog Rescue. After over a year of missing my other two dogs the new dog has expanded my heart. Thanks for reminding me of good people in this world. Have a blessed day, Tracy

    • There are many, many good people in the world. It’s just hard, sometimes, to see them amidst all of the anger and hate that is shown on the news.

  23. Such a great story in such not-so-great times. We all need that!! The hope for a happy ending to anything lately seems remote at best. This helped!!

    I thought of Meredith saying she hopes to get little Z into some riding therapy soon. They say it really does help and can make a big difference for some special kiddo’s! Everything touches and entwines, doesn’t it?

    I hope you both have a good Monday. One good day at a time. It is a start.

  24. Very good news! Sadly, this happens all too often with good intentioned folks who can’t really afford to care properly for horses. So glad they will be safe, love and hopefully, kept together. I like you, love animals and love horses! Thanks for this story of hope and kindness today.

  25. Thank you, Claudia, for such a good story. I am so glad everything worked out for these precious creatures. And I loved the picture of Don with his new friend. You can honestly see the goodness in that man’s face.

  26. There are so many stories of animal abuse that make me very sad and troubled. To read a story with a happy continuance makes me glad as an animal lover. I’ve never been around horses a lot, except for the pony and horse rides to which we regularly treated our daughters when they were little, but my Chinese birth sign is the Year of Horse (so was my late husband’s), so horses are special to me.

    • Don has been captivated by them, Wendy. I think he’d work at the Boarding Facility if he could!

  27. Thank you for this post, I could not take another day of despair without what seemed like hope in some area. This was just what I needed.

  28. Such a wonderful story. Not only the outcome of the horses, but for mankind as well. Thanks for sharing.

  29. I love horses, and really all animals, so I found this story very touching. It brought tears to my eyes. It’s so good to know there are still many good, kind and compassionate people out there. I am so glad these two old horses are now in a safe place. I’m also glad, Claudia, that you and Don now have some new horse friends to visit. I know how calming just petting an animal can be. My own elderly dogs have especially been a big source of comfort for me since the election.
    And your post yesterday was so very inspiring. It filled me with hope again! Have you signed the petition going around about the electoral college should change their votes on Dec. 18 so Hillary can be elected President since she won by the popular vote? If not, I can send it to you. It has 4.5 million signatures now and is being recognized by mainstream media.

  30. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for horses…ever since my big brother took me to the stables to ride when I was a little girl…One of my most cherished treasures is a photo of him and me there and I was sitting on a horse…He owned horses through most of his life…as I knew he would…He would have loved hearing this rescue story as much as I do…I hope you and Don can continue to visit them and to take pictures to share with us!

  31. I love this story with a happy ending! I have a special affinity for horses, too. When I lived in KY as a teenager, my dad bought us a horse and a pony. I became especially close to Judy, the horse. When we had to move back to IL, we had to give Judy and Dimple (the pony) to some friends. I was absolutely heartbroken.

  32. I love a story with a happy ending, it’s nice to know that there are still kind, compassionate people who will step up when necessary.

  38. Great story about your horse neighbors. I feel so much for their owner – it would break my heart if I ever had to give up a pet of my own. But he can feel good about where they are and the wonderful way they’re being cared for. It was terrific of everyone involved in trying to help them. Couldn’t have come at a better time either. After the election and all the hateful things I’ve been reading lately in various places [Twitter etc] I really needed to hear about good & generous things being done out of sheer decency – by good people. “Salt of the earth” as my Irish great-grandmother would say… ⭐️

  39. What a wonderful story. I had no idea horses lived that long. I’m so glad you followed up on what happened to them, and know they are now in good hands.

    • They are. We need to see how they’re doing and I think Don is going to try to talk to the woman who runs the rescue facility today.

  41. I loved horses as a child. A friend and I had big plans to write a book about horses when we were 12. We collected anything and everything we could that was horse related. We drew horses. And typed all our research up on an old manual typewriter. I’m happy to know these horses are well taken care of now. And that the man, though he obviously loves them, realized his limitations.

  42. Claudia, to know that this lovely mother and her son are now in their “forever home” is
    very comforting. As a committed animal lover, I applaud the people responsible for
    taking care of them. I hope their early years were happy and healthy with loving humans.
    So glad you and Don are able to visit them and bring them much deserved treats!
    “Bless the Beasts and the Children”. Penny

    • We feel the same way, Pamela. We love animals and do everything we can for them. These people are simply wonderful.

Please check back to follow the conversation!

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives