On a cold November day, Eric was led to the trailer. he jumped in, just like he had been taught to do many years ago. No need to hesitate for his owners had told him to get in. After all, he had counted on these people for his food, water, shelter, love and praise for the last 4 years. So he did just as he was told. For him, his destination was unknown, but that did not matter, he knew he would come home later that evening just like he always had. But tonight was different. Eric would never go back to that "home."

     Born sometime in the spring of 1980, Eric was a strong sorrel colored colt, full of life and energy so hard to control. But in time he was taught how to be controlled by a wonderful gentleman. This man taught him so much. He became quite a "cow horse" and was used almost daily, but each night he knew he would go home to plenty of water, feed, hay and a calm corral to get some much needed rest. After some 18 years, this wonderful gentleman decided it was time for old Eric to retire from working everyday. He knew of a little girl down the road who needed a trustworthy horse to show her how to ride. She didn't weigh a thing, and she would never catch a calf that he would have to drag to the fire. Her mom would not let her ride in the scorching heat, the snow or rain. And never would she be allowed to "run" (aka trot) until she got better at riding, so it seemed like the perfect life for Eric.

     It was at first. Food was plentiful, the little girl loved him and loved to go riding and so did Eric. Then, as some older horses do, his body needed a little "tuning up." Nothing major, just a trip to the dentist and a general check-up. While Eric was showing signs of bad teeth, the vet they took him to said that working on an old horse's teeth was not worth it, so they once again loaded him in the trailer and took him home. Soon the little girl found her a younger horse, all fat and shiny. Eric was not needed anymore. Little by little his teeth really started to hurt him. Chewing was getting very painful, so he just quit eating. Sometimes he would try to eat because he was so hungry but it just hurt too much. Eric began losing a lot of weight very quickly. It wasn't long before Eric couldn't eat enough to keep up with the weight he was losing. Finally, one day, looking at this pitiful horse that had been faithful for 4 years, ribs showing and matted coat, his owners said it was time for Eric to go. They said he was just to skinny and they had no time to deal with him any longer. So they led him towards the trailer and he jumped in, just like before, only the owners knew today was different. They knew Eric wouldn't be coming home. They didn't know where he would be, they just knew he wasn't their "problem" anymore.

     Eric was taken to a horse auction in Texas. Everyone gasp in horror at the sight of this horse, weighing only 600 pounds, bones protruding and looking like death had already chosen him. But he followed obediently as he was led to a stall to wait. He was to stay there, he thought, until his owners came back for him. But they never did. Some old cowboy came and got Eric and led him into a bright room where there were people staring at him. Some gasped, some laughed and some even cried. Eric didn't know what was happening, and he didn't stay in that place for long. Soon he was taken to another pen to wait. But his owner never came for him. What Eric didn't know was that his owner would never be coming back for him. As Eric stood there in that pen, he remembered how he had heard the people in that bright room laughing at him as he walked away, he didn't know what was so funny. Must have been a joke that he didn't hear. But what he didn't know was that a woman named Erica Whitehead, who by bidding a mere $20, became his new owner. That is when the people laughed. He waited and waited and waited for his owners to come and get him, but they never did. Just when he had given up and was wondering what would happen to him, he heard someone opening up his pen. It was a woman. She was stroking his neck and saying, "Oh poor thing." She led him out of the pen. Walking down the alley, she was forced to listen to the mean, cruel, insulting remarks made about her latest purchase. She didn't care, she knew she was giving Eric a final chance to live. Eric wondered where his owners were and who this woman was leading him. He wondered if he was supposed to go with her. He followed, just like he was taught all those years ago. She took him to a trailer and he got in. He still didn't know if he was supposed to go with her, but the nice lady told him it was okay now and he got in.

     After a short ride, they got to Erica's house. She led him into a pen where there was hay and water. He was so hungry he tried to eat a little but he was sure having a hard time chewing. He wondered about his owners. Where did they go? Why didn't they come back? But he was so tired and weak, he layed down to wait again until dawn.

     The next day, Erica contacted her friend Deana Donohue who works full time at a job in town, but spends the time and the money she has left over after taking care of her family to rescue and rehabilitate abused, neglected and starving horses. Eric certainly needed her help. The two women are a team. Erica finds the horses in need, takes possession of them to prevent them from getting in the hands of people unconcerned with their health or welfare and then passes them on to her friend. Arrangements were made to transfer Eric to Deana. While both ladies knew that it was not their fault that Eric was in this condition, neither one wanted him to endure any more stares so they blanketed him for the ride. Once home to Deana's, she put him to bed, giving him a small portion of feed and some hay. Neither she nor her husband Bill knew whether in the morning they would be having to feed a horse or bury one.

     The next morning, Deana was greeted with a nicker and an impatient stomp of a foot. While food seemed to be most important, replenishing the good bacteria in his gut was even more important. Without the balance of good and bad bacteria, the processing of feed into a useable form was not possible. So they began giving Eric supplements to provide him with those. She began feeding him small portions of feed several times a day while letting him out to graze on the winter grass. Eric was so weak he could only graze for about 15 minutes and would then have to come back inside to rest. Having lost two horses previously, Deana's husband warned her that he might not and probably would not make it. He was just too far gone. She knew that was a possibility, but if he didn't make it, at least he would die with a full belly and know that he was loved.

     As with all horses that go to Deana's house, she took Eric to get a check up at the vet. While there Eric got his teeth floated and got wormed. The vet found that Eric not only needed his teeth floated badly but also had a loose tooth that was causing him pain. So after floating his teeth, pulling the loose tooth and checking for parasites, the vet sent him home to Deana to start rehab. Eric's schedule was to get fed several times daily, plenty of grazing and fresh water. After only 4 days of being there Eric started to feel much better and was said to be getting quite and attitude!

     Because of the cold weather, Deana was unable to tidy Eric's appearance for a few days. Finally, they had a warm day and Eric got a bath to remove all of the dried manure, urine, mud and rain rot. His mane and tail were a tangled mess and his socks were anything but white. After a couple hours of soaking and scrubbing, an almost unrecognizable Eric appeared. His red coat had a beautiful sheen and his mane and tail were as soft as silk. While Deana and her family knew he looked so much better, Eric thought he did too. That day was the turning point.

     Often times horses that have been starved and or neglected are very gentle at first, but after regaining their strength, become hard to handle, impossible to ride and hard to find suitable homes for. Fortunately, that has not been a problem for Deana as she has never had a rescue act that way. This was true of Eric as well. While regaining his strength and weight, the only thing Deana noticed was his zest for life and his establishment of herd boss. Never was an attempt made to harm anyone she allowed in the pen with him. He was always easy to catch, gentle and easy going. All typical behaviors of a gelding. But because he was so emaciated and thin when he came to her, it was not known to anyone (not even the vet) that Eric was still a stallion! Never did he display any type of behavior that would make anyone think that he wasn't a gelding.

     In March, 4 months after Deana had gotten Eric, she rode him in the St. Patrick's Day parade. He was so proud and full of life. Deana made the decision that day to keep Eric as her own personal horse. However, the following weekend, a family came to look at horses for their family. They fell in love with Eric and would not take "no" for an answer. The wife and children, who had little riding experience, felt safe on him. So Eric found a new home. Deana shed a few tears but knowing he was safe with this family and seeing how happy they were, she let him go.

     In June, Deana received a letter informing her that Eric had passed away. He lived a full life. He served man when man didn't deserve it. Eric died in better shape than if he had died in November, and most of all, he died loved.