‘Horse’ Sense Gives New Lease on Life for Old Gelding

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Becky's Hope

If there is such a thing as horse sense, one old gelding’s quick thinking led to a new lease on life the day he met up with Texas animal rescuer Sue Chapman.

Two weeks ago, Chapman, president of Becky’s Hope Horse Rescue, went to a Dallas area kill-pen to bail out a bunch of mini donkeys when an old, skinny, gray male horse walked straight up to her, disregarding the commands of the facility’s employees. He patiently stood with the donkeys being boarded onto the animal rescue trailer. According to Chapman, it was as if he was one of them or at least trying to blend in and go unnoticed, even placing his head down so as not to tower over the diminutive equines.

She shared the comical and touching experience over social media describing it as something “to warm your heart,” never expecting the subsequent outpouring of support received in response to her posts.

“He was intent that this was his ride out of there,” she explained on Instagram. “We stood there staring as this old guy with crumbled ears from frostbite waited patiently for the group of mini donkeys to catch up so he could jump on the ‘freedom trailer’ out of there.”

However, Chapman sensed this was his last chance to escape a fate of being sent to slaughter in Mexico. She told WFAA: “There is no way that a frost-bitten 25-year-old gelding with the personality of a giant lap dog was going to be rescued by someone.”

On Facebook, Chapman shared she didn’t know why but she blurted out: “Come on Bubbles, and he walked right off with me. He’s a sweet, sweet horse. He’s an older horse but I think he just decided he was out of there.”

This was how the story got spun — a horse, now named Bubbles, who made up his mind about grazing on greener pastures by blending in with mini donkeys. Chapman posted photos and videos about the adventure. Within days his story went viral. To her surprise, came donations, $5,000, just for Bubbles from people around the world.

The nonprofit operates year-round on the kindness of donations and volunteers, says Sarah McGregor with Becky’s Hope Horse Rescue. She told Breitbart Texas every dollar received “goes to the care of horses, donkeys, and farm animals and the opportunity to rescue more.”

McGregor shared a Bubbles update, saying he is settled into the rescue. “Often times when we rescue horses and donkeys from the kill pen, it takes us weeks for them to allow us to touch them, feed them treats, or show them love, however Bubbles took right to the farm.”

Online Chapman previously noted Bubbles continues to hang out with his mini donkey “cohorts” at the rescue which will remain his “forever home here with all the love and treats his heart desires.”

She also told WFAA: “I sit here with tears in my eye, even now, because it was as if Bubbles became of hope for so many of us.”

Two years ago, The Dallas Morning News profiled Chapman, who, in 1997, traded in big city lights and a corporate career for the ranch life in this line of selfless work that would become her calling. Chapman recounted when she first saw Becky, the animal rescue’s namesake, a severely emaciated mare with big, maggot-filled wounds who lived in a junkyard. She said Becky’s owner called the animal “my lawnmower.” Chapman recalled: “I just saw Becky and it changed my life.”

Becky’s Hope Horse Rescue is located on 120 acres in Frisco. The nonprofit dedicates itself to the rescue, rehabilitation, sanctuary, and re-homing of abused, neglected, and abandoned horses and farm animals, including pigs, sheep, and goats.

Follow Merrill Hope, a member of the original Breitbart Texas team, on Twitter.

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