Provide Quality Care for Rescued Horses in Texas

In June of 2016, Easy R Equine Rescue received a call from the Sheriff's Department of a county about 80 miles from Lubbock.  The Deputy informed us they had a Mustang in their custody with a brand from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  A few weeks earlier, someone had called in a report that a horse was running loose on the highway outside town.  After several failed attempts to catch the horse, the Deputy called a local, elderly rancher and asked him to try roping the horse.  Which he did.  The horse was checked by the local veterinarian and tested for any contagious diseases.  After a full month of attempting to locate the owner of the horse, the Department had done their due diligence and needed a placement for him.  No one had claimed him. 

We went to pick the horse up and placed him in a willing foster home.  These types of situations are disconcerting because we have very little to no information about the horse or its history.  Why was this horse running loose?  Was the owner tired of him and let him loose? Did the horse get out and travel a long distance? Was he even being adequately cared for? The poor condition of his hooves and a 15 inch piece of wire that was severely tangled up inside his long tail would lead someone to guess that he might have been turned out and left to fend for himself.  We quickly learned that he was very leery, distrusting, and more than slightly uncooperative with many things.  It is not too far-fetched to think that someone might have adopted him from a BLM Mustang sale, which happens after mass roundups of wild Mustangs, and got more than they bargained for.  Wild Mustangs are a special breed which takes special skill and a lot of knowledge to competently handle. 

After spending a week at the foster home, the foster dad called us and said he had named him Samson.  It seemed to fit his stocky, strong body and determined attitude.  In several more months, a spot opened up at the Easy R campus and Samson was moved.  His journey, so far, has been interesting to watch.  Over time he has gone from a horse that took MANY weeks to even let someone touch him to a horse that follows us around and looks for reassurance that people are okay and can be trusted.  He still has "demons" that he hasn't let go of.  He still has to be sedated for the farrier to trim his feet; he spooks easily; and being completely agreeable on a lead rope is a work in progress. He wraps his neck around small children, moves in close to be groomed, and gets droopy-eyed when someone scratches right above his muzzle.  He is the first to welcome and accept new herdmates and has formed a strong bond with the other Mustang gelding.  He can be seen standing watch while the rest of the horses nap in the afternoon sun. 

We don't know if there will be an adoptive home that will be appropriate for Samson.  But, if not, we are content to let him just continue being a part of the Easy R herd.  Not ALL horses will be adopted and we desire to give sanctuary to the ones that don't. Donors are the biggest reason we can take in, nurture, and provide continued quality care to Samson, and horses like him.  The financial gifts from our supporters are never taken for granted.  In fact, when we see Samson almost "hug" a little child that comes to Easy R, we are very aware that those moments could not happen without the generosity of people who support our mission.  Thank you.

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