When he came to us, he had a guarded defensiveness as if almost daring us to hurt him. His weight far better than the other horses that he arrived with, his survival instinct wearing a mask of a school yard bully….daring them to take his …food…his life. The shell of self protection has slowly chipped away, he has emerged a beauty (although, he would much prefer that we call him handsome), his coat glows with a richness that radiates from a health deep inside. He nickers playfully when we approach, and he sees us now, for what we are….his friends. While we still feed him in the safety of his stall on the end of our mare motel, where he doesn’t feel the primal need to fight for his food, he finds joy in his turn outs with his friends Turner, Liam, and Cash. He has a growing fan club of Red Riding Hoods who appreciate the juxtaposition of his steely determination and his tender vulnerability.  His gait, his heart, and his mood are light…his feet barely skim the ground as if the heaviness of shedding his armor has freed him, inviting a new Knox to enjoy life and a new identity. We expect that by the Holidays, Knox will have a family of his very own, and that his transformation from unwanted to wanted will provide a completeness that he deserves. In a world of uncertainties, it is a certainty that this survivor will pack only two items when he goes home….a little red bucket, and a big bag of loyalty.