When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"

When I think about about the word "rescue," I imagine a dramatic scene in which a helpless being is miraculously saved by the strength and heroism of a kind soul. And though recent cases we have seen at the horse rescue certainly warrant a similar comparison, the type of rescue we provide is somewhat more subtle. We see situations in which unwanted horses that sit ignored in a muddy pasture for years come to us broken and world-weary. It's amazing to see the transformation that occurs as their personalities emerge and their eyes begin to shine as a result of the love and attention shown them. Horses have some of the most intelligent eyes of any creature - one look at them and you can feel nearly every emotion they possess.

Rescuing horses like Coda - a QH gelding that stood emaciated in a pasture - is why People Helping Horses exists. But I wonder how many times we are in fact "rescued" by them. The impact that the innocent and totally selfless love of an animal can have on a hurting soul is immeasurable. There are so many stories out there of people who had given up on the world and on themselves...and yet receiving the affection that these animals have to offer - without judgment or conditions - can revitalize the soul.

People think it's admirable that I adopted Tuff, a rescue horse that was on the verge of death. That I have spent time, anguish, and money to try and mend the damage done to his feet is incomprehensible to some. "It's just an animal." But anyone who knows me knows he is so much more. Throwing my whole heart and being into his recovery and maintaining a good quality of life has given me purpose that is beyond myself. Being with him, particularly in the rare moments he lets down his guard and offers me gentle affection, has comforted me in ways I cannot describe. He never seems to give up, no matter how many steps backwards we take for every one we go forward. I think of all the times in my life when it seems easier to give up on something...and then I think of him and the way he presses forward...and I'm inspired and encouraged.

I believe the rescue is mutual. And now I'll confess another bit of my tendency for anthropomorphizing - I listen to the lyrics of Bridge Over Troubled Water sometimes and think of Tuff. I have an incredible and selfless friend in him - I don't know what I ever did to deserve that.