We are overwhelmed with gratitude for every single person who stood behind this young gelding and believed his life was worth fighting for. When so many felt euthanasia was the only option, you chose compassion, hope, and a second chance and because of that, his story is still being written.​

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Your generosity, encouragement, shares, and belief in our mission made this rescue possible. You gave a young horse the chance to live with dignity, comfort, and love, and there are no words strong enough to express what that means to us or to him.​

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UPDATE 12/29/25

We picked up Lot #2046 from Panhandle Feedlot, Tiny Tim, who has been dealing with flexor tendon issues. Along with him, we also brought home a blind senior Percheron gelding with a severe head injury. Both horses were taken to the vet right away, and I waited to post an update until we had more information.

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Dr. Waggoner at MVP confirmed that Tiny Tim does have flexor tendon problems, but the good news is that they can be corrected with surgery. The x-ray also showed he has some arthritis in the front legs because of the condition. However, he is currently fighting an upper respiratory infection, so that will need to be fully treated before surgery can take place. Tiny Tim will remain at MVP for treatment, and once the infection clears, he will move forward with surgery.

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The blind Percheron gelding, whom we named Hiccup, was diagnosed with a fractured skull above his right eye. We don’t know how the injury happened, but for now the plan is to allow it to heal over the next two weeks, after which Dr. Waggoner will reassess his condition.

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This video shows a small part of what happened yesterday. Loading the horses was a bit challenging, especially with Tim’s leg issues, so I wasn’t able to get video of that process.

Both horses are safe!! Thank you again to everyone that made this freedom ride possible!

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UPDATE 12/31/25

Tiny Tim was a horse who touched all of our hearts in a way that’s hard to put into words. From the moment we saw him, we had big hopes and even bigger plans for him. Plans for comfort, healing, and a happy life living peacefully with the herd. Our goal was to get him the surgery he needed to correct the tendon issues in his legs so he could finally know life without pain.

 

But sometimes, no matter how much love, effort, and planning goes into the future we imagine, life has a different plan written.

 

On Monday, when we picked Tiny Tim up from the kill pen and was taken to the vet, it was confirmed that he had severe tendon issues in both front legs. Horses are incredibly honest beings and when they reach their limit, they show us. While at the vet’s office, Tiny Tim laid down and could no longer stand on his own. Each attempt to rise ended with him stumbling and falling back down. In that moment, it became painfully clear just how much he had endured for years before he ever came into our care.

 

Loving him meant making the hardest decision to free him from the pain he could no longer carry. We stayed with him, loving him with everything we had, even though our time together was far too short.

 

Run free, sweet Tiny Tim. We so deeply wish we could have given you the long, comfortable life you deserved with our herd. You will always matter, and you will never be forgotten.

 

If you donated to Tiny Tim’s surgery fundraiser and would like a refund, please email bighooffoundation@gmail.com, and we will promptly return your donation. Any funds raised for his medical care that are not refunded will be put toward helping the next horse in need.

 

Thank you for loving Tiny Tim with us.