Story submitted by Horse Helpers, Inc., dba Horse Helpers of the High Country
This was an ad Elizabeth, one our volunteers sent me off of Craig’s List with the accompanying picture:
pet horse for sale – $500
I have a roughly 4 year old horse he is very tame leads and rides i dont have enough room for them and need him gone hes been around goats cows calves sheep and chickens price is firm do not contact me unless you plan to buy!
It is not our policy to buy horses at auction, from individuals or socalled slaughter lots. So we said, that looks sad but we don’t have $500 nor could our organization buy him. The next day the Elizabeth, the volunteer, was back. A group of caring friends had together gathered $500. Her question, “can I buy him and you take him?” We had the room, he was definitely in need, and so we agreed to pick him up. Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the owner’s house and found this thin, sad horse in a dog kennel. He lived in a dog kennel! He had no muscle, was stunted from malnutrition, was still a stud, and had never seen another horse. Poor Dakota, as he came to be known, had a whole lot of beyond food to get well, socialization being a major process. Dakota needed a lot of help.
A year later, the volunteer who found the funds to buy him adopted him. In that year, Dakota learned so much with Elizabeth right by his side, feeding, brushing, ground work, and riding. Today he lives with four ponies and his new Mom with a wonderful bright future.
