A year ago I read a post about a horse in need. He was a 24 year old cryptorchid arabian stallion. He was green broke, left in a hot stall, turned out once or twice a month. He had no company other than the people who fed him and a chicken or two. I heard a cry of anguish when I got out of my van that day. I knew whatever it was in that stall I was bringing it home.

Chezeen was his registered name, they called him Junior. He burst out of the stall reared and tried to run my husband down. I told my husband to load him into the trailer and proceeded to give his owner the $500 asking price. I was afraid that he would end up in a bad place. Who else would want him?

To make a long story short, we did bring him home. It has been a fight to keep weight on him. His teeth are in need of much work. He was being fed a high protien feed and kept in a stall. He now has a 10 acre pasture to run in. His senior years will be spent happy. The best part of my story isn't just that a horse has a home for the rest of his life, but that horse has given us something back. I have a son Travis who is 7 years old. He is developmentally delayed.

Travis is a very brave boy. He has been helped in a big way by this nutty arabian cryptorchid stud. Even though they said Junior wasn't broke, I put a saddle on him and he stood calmly. I am too heavy for his old frame, but my 14 year old son is a good rider and he got on him and they went for a nice ride. Travis wanted to try. I have a pony saddle and Junior is only about 14h so we put it on and Travis climbed on board. I would walk around the paddock with the lead rope at first. Then I found that I could leave the lead rope off, Junior would walk right by my side stopping when I stopped. Now he carries Travis on his own. He is so responsive and wonderful.

In talking with a neighbor of his I found that the people who used to lease the stable operated a theraputic riding program. She swears that he was never used, but he was always watching. Last Christmas my older kids went on a trail ride with their friends. I looked out the window to see Travis leaning on the fence watching them go. He looked so sad. I went out and saddled Junior up. Travis climbed on and Junior took him on his first trail ride. Yeah mom was walking along side, but they didn't mind. Junior has such a serious look on his face when he has Travis on board. He looks like he has a very important job to do that requires much concentration. Junior has built Travis' confidence, helped him with balance, fine motor skills. He has given him so much and Travis is on top of the world when he is on that horse. Enough said.

I am now typing as the tears flow. The old green broke cryptorchid stud horse that no one could control has given his heart to a special little boy.