Elderly Woman Rescued a Horse More Than 10 Years Ago, Now The Two Reunite

An elderly woman rescued a horse more than ten years ago, and now she reunited with the horse for the first time. 84-year-old Joyce Austin noticed a horse near her home and went to check on it. 

At first, she fed it carrots and looked around for the owner. But after several days of meeting with this special horse, Joyce realized he had been abandoned. She named him Star and got to work to find him a good home. 

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Thanks to Joyce’s persistence, the beautiful chestnut stallion was moved from the field near her house to a horse and pony sanctuary called Spirit of the Herd. Soon, Joyce was also in need of assistance too. Unable to stay in her home, she was moved to Simonsfield Care Home, where she received the care she needed. 

Joyce settled in and made friends with residents and staff. She often spoke of her short time with Star. It seemed the horse had made its way into her heart as she shared so many memories with anyone willing to listen. 

Eventually, more than a decade had passed since the horse and woman had met. Somehow, the sanctuary discovered Joyce had been the one to save Star and got in contact with the nursing home. They felt it would bring both Star and Joyce a great deal of joy and happiness if they had a chance to be reunited. 

The nursing home then made arrangements to take a frail and fragile Joyce out to the sanctuary. And wouldn’t you know it, Star was more than happy to see Joyce again!

Woman Reunited With Horse She Rescued Years Ago

She sat in a plastic chair in the middle of a corral with a lap full of carrots that Star enjoyed immensely. He munched away on the snack just like old times. The reunion was not only good for the soul but healing for both. 

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Saphron Woods, an employee at the horse sanctuary, said,  “We are so pleased we were able to reunite Joyce and Star. Star has been in our care for a few years in rehabilitation and is doing well. Seeing the two together was very special, and we feel it helped heal both human and equine. We welcome Joyce to come and visit as often as she is able.” 

Joyce echoed Saphron’s sentiments and said, “Thank you so much. I have really enjoyed my day. It was lovely to see how happy Star is with all his friends.” 

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When God created horses, he created them with a purpose. They were meant to be helpful to mankind, carrying us to destinations, helping us gather cattle, and so much more. But if you ask Joyce, I imagine she will tell you they were also created to help us heal and connect too. 

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True,” Revelations 19:11.

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h/t: Zenger

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Incredible Tails

Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.