Stories of successful rescues warms our hearts. We get to learn of lovely, deserving, and soulful horses like Wyatt. Wyatt had been a stray….that is animal control speak for dumped. Found wandering the streets hundreds of pounds underweight, hungry and hurt. No surprise that no one claimed him…they didn’t want him…that is rescue speak for “unwanted”, and in Wyatt’s case that meant that he would be euthanized. We took him in, initially having been informed that he was a kind and most likely crippled old horse. At the time we had one open stall…and because “rescue” is in our name, and rescue is what we do, we picked up the benevolent teddy bear of a horse and brought him home to a ranch that he had instant equity in. He surprised us and taught us a valuable lesson, that we continue to unpack like a long lost treasure chest containing wonders that were previously unknown. He wasn’t so old. He was perfectly sound. He was VERY trained. We rode him western, and he baby sat. We rode him English…and was even more careful of where he put his feet. We jumped him, and he pointed his ears, dropped his nose…hunted the fence, and ever so carefully landed on the other side, with great care not to unbalance the rider. There are many mysteries that surround Wyatt…the how, what, and why which may never be answered. When contemplating this great horse we often ponder if it is a lifetime of training or more a special sort of character blended with the unique gratitude of the rescued that exemplifies him. Perhaps what is really the most important is that he is able to now live a life that erases 18 previous years of suffering, sadness, and emptiness. His very own “girl” has more than a wondrous horse, but a gift that will define her childhood. For those of us who rescue, whether it be the boots on the ground, or the kind hearted and generous donor, we get to go to bed at night…and wake up the next morning…better people.