08/09/2026
Atlas received his angel wings on September 4, 2026. 🕊️
We wish we had better news to give you.
After his bone scan at Alamo Pintado, there were significant abnormalities in his right hip. We agreed to an ultrasound, at our own expense, and it showed that Atlas had been in significant pain for much longer than we had him.
The daily Bute wasn’t making a dent in his pain levels. Both equine vets at Alamo and our personal vet agreed that he would never be rideable and would never achieve comfort (even as a pasture pet). It was their professional opinion that the kindest thing we could do was give him a humane passing.
And that is something Atlas should have received long before he ever came to Moorheart.
His previous owners should have done right by him. The kill pen should never have accepted him. He should never have been ridden during that last-chance auction. And we never should have been bait-and-switched into receiving him.
But we refused to send him back.
For over a year, we did everything we could. We helped him gain weight and muscle, gave him vitamin E for his neurological issues, tried pain medication, took him to vet appointments, and gave him time to just be a horse.
When nothing else worked, we turned to you…our followers…for help.
You helped us get Atlas to an equine hospital. You helped us get answers. And ultimately, you helped rescue Atlas. 🤍
We know this isn’t the ending anyone wanted. But rescue doesn’t always end in a happy adoption.
Sometimes rescue means giving an animal the chance to know safety. Sometimes it means finding answers. And sometimes, it means giving them a peaceful end to their suffering when nothing else can be done.
We didn’t want to make another buck. We wanted to do right by him.
Atlas was loved all the way until the very end. He knew kindness, safety, friends, and what it felt like to be cared for.
We love you Atlas. ❤️🩹
📍Moorheart Farm is a 501(c)3 non-profit horse rescue.
