Horses are amazing creatures. They’re huge animals, with hard hooves, an even harder kick, and a powerful bite. Yet, they still let humans climb on their backs and ride them. Those traits, along with their excellent long range vision, great hearing, and ability to quickly reach very fast speeds guaranteed their survival when the only things they had to worry about were finding grass and water, and escaping predators. Now, with very few exceptions, horses are completely domesticated animals. This means that not only useful to humans for work, sport, and pleasure, they also depend on humans to fulfill their basic needs. A horse that has been raised among people must rely on them for food, water, shelter, and basic care. Unfortunately, not all horses get what they need and what they deserve.
Kimberly had always wanted a horse but was an adult before she had the chance to have one of her own. When her husband offered to buy her any horse she wanted, she was surprised to find that she couldn’t connect with one… until she saw a sad, neglected horse in the field of an animal shelter.
Kimberly was surprised she was having so much trouble finding the right horse. She stumbled upon this neglected creature that had been removed from an abusive situation.
She was skin and bones, covered in dirt, and her hooves were overgrown. She weighed only half of what is considered a healthy weight for her size. She carried a sadness with her, and Kimberly knew she had to take her home.
She paid only $50 for her new horse, and with that, gave her the chance that she deserved. Kimberly took on the daunting project of rehabilitating an abused and neglected horse without knowing if the poor thing would ever recover enough to be ridden. She named her ‘Dolly’.
Fast forward one year…
Dolly doesn’t even look like the same horse.
She’s at a healthy weight and her coat is slick and shiny. She’s learning to trust people.
“The biggest change is her eyes and her personality,” remarks Kimberly.
Kimberly generously gave this special horse a second chance at life, but she looks at it differently. “As corny as it sounds, we rescued each other. I am constantly learning from her, becoming a better person because of her.”
