Story Submitted By Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary
How did you know I needed you? It was just two weeks after I lost my heart horse, and I was absolutely reeling. I didn’t know which way was up or how I was going to go on.How did you know I needed you? It was just two weeks after I lost my heart horse, and I was absolutely reeling. I didn’t know which way was up or how I was going to go on. She was my world and I vowed I would not be ready to begin a new relationship with a horse for years. That vow lasted two weeks. I work at Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary, which was one of the few things getting me through such a tremendous loss, and there was always something about a horse named Dharma that stood out to me. She was rescued from a neglect case in 2014 and she still had not found her forever in 2020. She had been in several homes, only to be returned because she did not fit what they wanted of her. Dharma is a chestnut mare, and boy can she live up to that stereotype. But if you take the time to get to know her she is beyond her beauty, she is intelligent, playful, affectionate, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I had lost my “ticket” to the barn where I board when I lost my horse. I was of course welcome, but it was not the same and a huge void was just getting bigger and bigger. Our Executive Director at Happy Trails encouraged me to spend time with the horses at the sanctuary to try to heal and I decided to take her up on the suggestion. I walked back to our far pasture and was greeted by Dharma trotting to the fence as if she knew I was coming. She really didn’t know me as I am not one of the caregivers, but that day she acted like it was completely normal that I would leave the front office and come get her midday from the pasture. She stood still as I brushed her mane and picked her hooves, two of the things I had missed doing the most. Well, needless today I put my adoption application in and Dharma began her new adventures as Dahlia. It was the best decision I could have ever made. She is almost entirely different from my first horse, and I didn’t know that was exactly what I needed. Instead of comparing, I have been focused on learning and she has already taught me so much. Dahlia, I promise that you are forever home and home for me is where you are.
