Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/lonely-horses-rescued-mockingbird-farm-sanctuary/
Back in July of 2017, the Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary in Byron, Ny stepped up to rescue a 29-year-old Suffolk Punch mare who’d been living all alone for years.
The sanctuary shared about the rescue on Facebook, explaining that Gidget’s owner could no longer care for her and hadn’t been able to for a long time.
In an interview with GeoBeats Animals, the sanctuary owner shared that Gidget once lived with several other horses but his owner sold or rehomed them one by one until just Gidget was left.
Thankfully, Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary was able to welcome her in and offer her a place to live out the rest of her life. They said, “Whether her days left on this earth are few or plentiful, she is home. She will never know anything but tender love and care for the rest of her days. Welcome to the Mockingbird herd sweet sweet girl!”
They shared that Gidget was settling into her new life on the farm well, all things considered. They added that she seemed mesmerized by the other horses at first.
They said, “Gidget stood perfectly still while watching the other horses in the pasture. This is the first time she has seen another horse in at least 7 years!”
As it turns out, there was another horse at the sanctuary who had spent a lot of time alone, and that horse’s name was Peggy.
According to GeoBeats Animals, Peggy was rescued by the Humane Society before finding a forever home at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary. The poor horse was kept in a small stall without companionship and was in desperate need of a friend before she arrived at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary.
Amazingly, Gidget and Peggy ended up having stalls next to each other and they became fast friends.
The sanctuary shared about their relationship on Facebook saying, “Gidget and Peggy have become BFFs. It seems as though Peggy’s youthfulness has really helped Gidget to relax! They trot around, roll, graze and play together all day. It’s a beautiful little relationship. Two rescued babies living their lives in peace.”
Sadly, Gidget passed away in April 2018, less than a year after being rescued. Peggy was brought to say goodbye, and through heartbroken, it was her friendship that really allowed Gidget to live out his last months in peace and joy.
You can see more of their story in the video below.
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After Gidget’s passing, Peggy just wasn’t herself. According to GeoBeats Animals, the sanctuary tried to introduce her to a couple of donkeys to befriend, but the donkeys weren’t receptive to Peggy’s friendship.
Despite her best efforts, the donkeys would do little more than tolerate the horse’s presence, and the sanctuary knew they needed to do more to help Peggy find a friend.
When they heard of a pony around Peggy’s size that needed a new home, they thought he would make the perfect companion for Peggy and they quickly went to rescue him.
The sanctuary shared about the new horse, Bourbon, on Facebook, saying: “Peggy finally has someone her size, with the same energy and needs as she does.”
They added, “We believe this will be love. We are almost finished with a pasture dedicated to just them. In the mean time, they have a pretty large space to kick up their heels and separate stall areas for decompression and safety.”
As it turns out, they were right! Bourbon and Peggy went on to form a beautiful, loving friendship.
In September 2022, the sanctuary shared: “From the very moment these two met, it was kismet. They eat, sleep, play and turn out into the dry lot together. They both found the friend that they both so desperately needed.”
Life may not always have the happy ending people hope for, but Peggy, Bourbon, and those at Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary are prime examples of what it looks like to turn a rough situation into something beautiful.
You can see more of their story in the video below:
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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
