Meet Tobias. This poor little pony has had a pretty hard life – the scars on his body and the sorrow in his eyes are tell-tale signs. Before he met his new human friends, Tobias had never experienced love or kindness.
Recently, Kirk Hance and his family made a decision to move into a small farm so that they could have some extra space for the animals they rescue to play around in. They welcomed a few horses and tried to find more that needed saving. That’s when Kirk came across horse auction sites. He was heartbroken to discover that horses that were the least favorite were sent to be put down.
“I honestly didn’t know that such places existed. I showed my wife the site and it really got to us,” Kirk said. “My wife spotted both a little paint mare and this little pony; both were being shipped at the end of the day if nobody could step up. We just jumped immediately and purchased them.” That’s how Tobias and his bigger counterpart got a new family. Both the horses showed clear signs of neglect. Initially, they were nervous around their new family members, especially Tobias. “He was sick and just kind of stared at the ground. I’m convinced he was severely depressed,” Kirk said.
Tobias became hesitant when anyone tried to approach him. So, Kirk lingered around, allowing the pony to become acquainted to him at his own pace. That was probably the first time anyone had shown any kind of compassion towards the poor thing. And that simple gesture was exactly what little Tobias was looking for.
“I knew I needed to get down on his level and just show him I cared for him,” Kirk said. “He came up to me, and what started as me just petting him softly and reassuring him it was OK, turned into a full embrace. I just sat there for a few minutes holding him. He seemed to relax and almost fell asleep as if he knew he was safe.” The hug meant a lot for Kirk, and he could see it was the same for the pony as well. “He melted my heart,” Kirk said. “I was taken aback at how people can be so mean to an animal that just wants to be loved.”
Just a few days after their arrival at their new house, Tobias and his larger companion realized that they were finally in safe hands. They still haven’t come out of their shells fully, but their owners have showered them with lots of encouragement and support. “My five kids go out daily and love on them, along with me and my wife,” Kirk said, “The only thing we would have done differently is to have done it sooner. There are way too many innocent animals being discarded like trash.”
Check out the heart-moving moment below!
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