10 Inspiring Tales of Horses Being Human

Horses have provided service to humans for thousands of years. However, we continue to learn that we are not as far apart emotionally or intellectually as we once thought. In fact, horses very often act more human than we realize. Here are ten inspiring examples of horses performing acts of compassion and heroism once thought reserved only for people.

Related: 10 Insanely Skilled Animals Famous for Having Human Jobs

10 Super Horse Saves Boy From Grizzly

Tonk is an eighteen-hand-high Percheron–quarter horse who faced off against a 750-pound grizzly bear to rescue an eight-year-old boy from death. The boy was riding with family and a guide through the Flathead National Forest in Montana when a grizzly bear exploded onto the trail in pursuit of a deer. After scaring all the horses in the trail ride, the confused bear began to chase the boy and his trail horse.

Seeing the danger the boy was in, Tonk and his rider, Erin Bolster—the trail guide—chased after the bear. The boy was falling from his horse when Tonk was finally able to get between the bear and the boy. Three times, the horse and bear charged each other before the bear finally fled. Amazingly, no harm came to either Tonk, Bolster, or the boy.

Tonk became a celebrity after his heroic efforts, appearing on the David Letterman Show not long after his grizzly encounter.^[1]

9 Betsy Makes Rowan One of the Family

Rowan Isaacson was born with severe autism. He was inclined to intense fits of anger, not able to function on his own. The Isaacsons even withdrew him from school to care at home, but Rowan’s angry outbursts continued.

One day, Rowan ran into a neighbor’s pasture where a herd of horses was grazing. The lead mare named Betsy immediately pushed the other horses away from Rowan and began making sounds that horse experts say are indications of acceptance. Betsy had made an instantaneous connection with the autistic three-year-old. The therapeutic process began.

Changes in Rowan were immediate. Whenever Rowan rode Betsy, he responded to questions, sang songs, and listened when he was read to. Rowan’s father, Rupert, took Rowan to Mongolia, where Rowan spent time with Mongolian horses. Rowan progressed tremendously, becoming toilet-trained, ending his tantrums for good, and even making a friend of his own age for the first time.^[2]

8 Horses Rehabilitate Prisoners

Mustang conservation efforts have been so successful that there are over three times as many wild mustangs as projected, raising questions about how to manage the population. One way is the use of special prison programs that turn convicted criminals into horse whisperers.

The Wyoming Honor Farm’s Wild Horse Program gives prisoners a chance to learn alternatives to violence that can be applied when convicts are released on parole. Inmates learn how to respect a wild animal, how to be patient, and how to communicate in a way to train these beautiful animals.

Similar horse training programs exist elsewhere that also employ inmates to rehabilitate thoroughbred horses that are no longer competitive but still have several years to live. These horses, which were once owned by formerly violent criminals, each get a new lease on life.^[3]

7 Endo the Blind Jumper

Appaloosa horses are predisposed to an eye malady called equine recurrent uveitis, a painful condition that causes blindness. Endo is an Appaloosa whose eyesight became so poor due to this condition that he lost both eyes.

But that never stopped Endo. His owner, Morgan Wagner, trained Endo to obey voice and physical commands so Endo could compete in barrier jumping and dressage. At first, it was difficult for Endo to maintain his balance or move around easily. But carefully and gradually, Endo is now as capable as any horse with good vision. Endo even set his own world record by leaping 3 feet, 5.73 inches (106 cm)—the highest ever jump by a blind horse.^[4]

6 A Mother’s Sacrifice—Bella & Butterscotch

Humans are not the only mothers willing to sacrifice for their children. When an electrical fire broke out in the barn on the farm in Decatur, Texas, where Bella resided with her two-week-old foal, Butterscotch, Bella pushed Butterscotch into a stall corner, protecting Butterscotch from the flames. Bella herself was severely injured, with burns covering 60% of her body.

Butterscotch suffered relatively minor burns and recovered quickly, but Bella was not expected to survive. Bella’s injuries were so severe that she lost both of her ears. To make matters worse, the owners of these horses could not afford to take care of them. Soon after, donations for Bella’s treatment poured in from around the world.

Bella was transferred to a veterinary facility where she could be treated even more attentively. After a year and a half of recovery, Bella finally returned home. In all that time, she never stopped nursing Butterscotch. A mother’s love truly knows no boundaries.^[5]

5 Mongo the Missing Horse

Mongo is a half-quarter horse, half-Percheron who once ran off with a band of wild mustangs. His owner, Shane Adams, had gone camping with Mongo in the Utah desert. Early one morning, Adams woke up to see Mongo galloping away with his newly found equine friends. This well-trained, well-behaved riding mount had gone wild.

Adams and his family were heartbroken. His two-year-old son made up songs about searching for Mongo in the mountains, where the herd of mustangs had gone. Adams organized searches for Mongo to no avail. He even contacted the Bureau of Land Management, but nothing came of it. Over the years, Adams lost hope of ever seeing Mongo again.

Then, eight years later, Adams received an email from someone who said they might have found Mongo. He and his herd had been rounded up for adoption, and someone recognized Mongo. As soon as Mongo saw his old owner, he went right up to Adams, as if nothing had happened. Other than having noticeably lost some weight, likely due to having led a rugged life for eight years, Mongo was in good health.

And the Adams children were thrilled to have their Mongo back again.^[6]

4 Charlie & Jack, His Seeing-Eye Goat

Charlie was a rescue horse, blind in one eye. But his owners noticed that another animal on their ranch, a goat named Jack, always stood so Charlie could see him. Then, Jack would lead Charlie around to where the best grazing spots were. Eventually, Charlie lost sight in both eyes. But that did not stop Jack from helping his long-tailed friend. Jack would lead Charlie around the farm, Charlie moving around as well as if he had two good eyes.

Once, when Charlie got trapped in the branches of some fallen trees, it was Jack who saved him. The goat went bleating as loudly as he could to their owners, who followed Jack to where Charlie was stuck. Charlie got out of that tangle, and Jack continued to be the eyes of his sightless buddy for years to come. Charlie is gone now, but the friendship between this goat and horse should not be forgotten.^[7]

3 A Horse War Vet Therapist

For thousands of veterans, the traumatic events of war can be debilitating. A minor household accident or just hearing a baby cry might initiate flashbacks that send former soldiers into a paralyzing tailspin, limiting their positive contributions to society.

Fortunately, horses can be great therapists. Perhaps it’s because horses are so strong and powerful, yet also remarkably gentle and perceptive. According to studies, such as one conducted by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the patience and nontraditional verbal communication required to train horses seem to provide a soothing outlet for war veterans to redirect their internal emotional conflicts.

According to psychological professionals and equine experts, both humans and horses have characteristic challenges in establishing trust. To work together requires patience and internal creativity to establish a sense of confidence and productive co-existence.^[8]

2 Mini But Mighty – Panda the Guide Horse

Most people probably think of Labrador retrievers when it comes to guide animals for the blind, but a miniature horse can do the job, too. Panda has been doing exactly that for a very long time. Panda’s owner, Ann Edie, has been blind since birth. But that did not stop her from pursuing a regular life and becoming a special education teacher. She even had her own Labrador retriever guide dog, Bailey, who assisted her for ten years.

But when Bailey passed away, Edie had a challenging time finding a new guide dog. After two failures, she found Panda, the mini horse. Fourteen years later, Panda became the long-term guide Edie needed. So integral is Panda that when she had an intestinal problem that threatened her life, Edie and her husband spent some of their life savings to have a blockage removed.

While miniature horses are not always the most convenient option for someone who needs assistance because of sight loss, they can be the right fit for the right person. One of the greatest benefits of a miniature pony is their longer lifespan. They can live up to 30 years, which minimizes the need to re-establish the bond between human and guide animal over someone’s lifetime.^[9]

1 Blackie the Wonder Horse

Blackie was a horse who swam across San Francisco Bay, defeating a human competitor to settle a bet for his owner. Blackie was a former rodeo horse who ended up in the U.S. Cavalry in San Francisco. Eventually, he ended up pulling buggies for a restaurant owner named “Shorty” Roberts. But Blackie was known for something a bit odd for horses. Blackie liked to swim.

The restaurant Roberts owned was a well-known hangout for movie stars and celebrities. Apparently during a drinking binge with a friend, Shorty made a thousand-dollar bet that Blackie could swim across the San Francisco Bay. Not only that but Blackie would also take Shorty with him.

Despite opposition from the SPCA, the feat went off without a hitch. Baited with sugar held out in front of Blackie from a rowboat and with Shorty in tow, Blackie swam the Bay in a little over twenty-three minutes. And the best part of it all is they got it on film!

Blackie never had to swim the Bay again. He was retired to a Marin County pasture, where Blackie also became famous for always standing in the same place every day. He was memorialized with a statue a few decades after he passed away.^[10]