Everyone called a young horse named Major “mean” and “aggressive.” He would lash out and try to bite anyone who approached him, but his behaviors didn’t come out of nowhere. Major was abused and neglected at an early age because his first owners used methods to try and “break horses.”
Major thought he would have to suffer for his entire life, but then he met a man named Max. At first, Major was very hesitant around Max as he was around all humans, but Max was different because he never gave up trying to earn Major’s trust.
Scared to Trust Anyone
Major’s original owners would beat him and tie him tightly between posts. While he was tied up, they abandoned him for four weeks without food or water. The poor horse never experienced kindness from a human until Max took him in.
However, Max’s wife wasn’t thrilled about his decision to keep the horse. Shortly after arriving in his new home, Major barreled through fences and tried to bite anyone who came near him. Max’s wife called the horse “Major Deal” because of how dangerous he was to the family.
RELATED: Animals Flee Burning Barn But One Horse Remains Trapped, Frozen In Fear
“I’ll never forget the day my mom called me in a panic ‘Janna, you’ve got to convince your daddy to get rid of that horse, it’s gonna kill him!'” recalled Janna Grapperhaus, Max’s daughter.
But Max was never deterred by Major’s temper. He worked with the horse for several hours each day, slowly gaining his trust. After two years of hard work, Major let Max ride him. Major grew so attached to Max that the horse would “kiss” the human whenever he had the chance.
Major’s Final Kiss
Major and Max formed a bond like no other because Max was the only human who refused to give up on the rambunctious horse. However, their heartwarming story came to an end when Max passed away in October 2020.
Max’s family knew that Major deserved a proper goodbye, so they let the horse give his human one final kiss before they closed the casket. Janna posted a photo of Major’s final kiss on Facebook.
“When dad would go out, Major would kiss him on the head over and over. They had a bond that only horse people could ever understand. It seemed only fitting to let Major say goodbye. This is Major’s last kiss,” Janna wrote.
Caring for an abused animal can be overwhelming, but gaining that animal’s trust is one of the most rewarding experiences. Major was lucky to have Max in his life, and hopefully, their story will inspire others to help even the most difficult animals.
Featured Image: Facebook
The post Formerly Neglected Horse Kisses His Late Rescuer One Last Time appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.
via Whisker Therapy