A couple of weeks ago, we had to say goodbye to Jack after he suffered a severe episode of colic in his long-term foster home in Tennessee.
Jack came to us in 2019 as one of 33 horses removed in the Kingsbury County law enforcement case. He was a stallion, locked in a stall, and so emaciated that his veterinarian gave him a body condition score of 1—solely because there isn't a score lower than that.
No one, including the veterinarians caring for him, really expected Jack to survive. But he did.
Once he had regained enough weight and we had finally gained legal ownership of the horses, Jack was gelded. He then tried to die on us a second time when he herniated following surgery. Thankfully, quick action by his veterinarian saved his life again.
Jack went on to participate in the 2023 Dakota Showdown, where he was started under saddle. After the Showdown, he stayed with Michelle at MG Performance Horses as a training foster and eventually moved with her to Tennessee.
Over the years, Jack met a few potential adopters, but none were quite the right fit. Instead, he remained with Michelle, where he was happy, well cared for, and loved.
A couple of weeks ago, Jack developed colic that did not resolve. It was ultimately determined to be caused by a strangulating lipoma. With no reasonable options for treatment or relief, euthanasia was the only kind choice left for him.
It is hard to be sad about losing Jack without also remembering just how much life he got to live.
The horse who wasn't expected to survive in 2019 had seven more years. He recovered. He learned. He was started under saddle. He traveled halfway across the country. He had plenty to eat and room to move. And while he may never have found his official adoptive home, we're pretty sure Jack knew he had found his person.
We are incredibly grateful to Michelle for giving Jack a home for these last few years, for loving him, and for being there when he needed her most.
Jack has now joined the rest of our herd running free in greener pastures. Rest easy, Jack. You fought hard for every one of those extra years, and we're so glad you got them.