The Animals Who Changed Us
Boone, the Yard Horse
Some animals pass through your life and quietly change everything.
Boone was one of those animals.
When we first saw Boone’s photo and heard his story, we knew help was needed. We also knew we did not have space. We did not have extra hay coming out of a hard winter. We did not have extra funds set aside for refeeding a senior horse in poor condition.
And yet, we could not look away. With the help of another rescue, our veterinarian Dr. Jones, and Boone’s farrier, we figured out how to get this old man to Fabled Farm. It was not easy. It was not convenient. But it was worth it.
Meeting Boone
When Boone stepped off the trailer, our hearts broke.
He was several hundred pounds underweight. His joints were painful and stiff. His body told the story of a very long, very hard life. Dr. Jones estimated him to be around 30 years old. He had very few teeth and, until that moment, he did not even have a name.
We named him Boone because it means good, a blessing.
He lived up to that name every single day.
A Gentle Soul
Boone was the definition of a gentle horse. His sweetness surrounded him. Volunteers fell in love instantly. Children learned around him. He would fall asleep while being groomed, soaking in every bit of attention.
We started him on a slow refeeding program, minerals, and supplements to support his arthritis. Day by day, he grew stronger. Healthier. More comfortable.
Boone became our Yard Horse. A constant presence. A steady soul. He was not flashy or loud or demanding. He was simply there, offering calm and connection to anyone who met him.
A Life Lived Fully at the End
Boone lived several years with us in sanctuary. Years filled with safety, routine, care, and love. Years he likely never would have known without rescue.
When we lost him, it broke our hearts.
But grief and gratitude lived side by side.
We are endlessly thankful that Boone did not spend his final years hungry, hurting, or alone. He spent them surrounded by people who adored him and committed to his comfort above all else.
Boone’s Legacy
Boone is the reason behind our deep love for senior horses.
He is why we believe aging animals deserve softness, patience, and dignity. He is why we dream of expanding our Senior Horse Program. He is why we say yes when an old horse needs a soft landing, even when the answer is complicated.
Boone’s story lives on not just in our memories, but in a book written in his honor, Boone: A Yard Horse’s Rescue Story.
More importantly, it lives on in every senior horse we say yes to because of him.
Some animals come to be saved. Others come to teach us who we are meant to be.
Boone did both.
