đ Meet Liberty
Liberty is the oldest member of our herdâand the most laid-back! He was born on June 30, 2002, at a stable along the Santa Ana River in Southern California, the same place where Dancer was born a couple of years later. He may be turning 23 this year, but Liberty still enjoys soaking up the sun and taking life one quiet moment at a time.
I had hoped heâd be born on the Fourth of July so I could name him Independence Day and call him Indie (yes, after the movie!). But Liberty had his own timeline and arrived almost a week early. I spent days trying to come up with a new name, but nothing felt rightâuntil one of our volunteers pointed out a unique marking he has.
âWhy donât you name him Liberty? Like the Liberty Bellâitâs right there on his side!â
I hadnât noticed it before, but once she said it, I couldnât unsee it. And just like that, Liberty had his name.
đ´ âHe may not lead the herd, but he holds its heart.â
đ´ Libertyâs Journey
Libertyâs path has been a little different than Dancerâs. When he was about a year old, a young girl at our stable was interested in training and showing him. I leased him to her with hopes that theyâd have a wonderful partnership. Unfortunately, things didnât go as planned, and he wasnât getting the care he neededâso I brought him home.
Heâd been trained well enough to ride, but he was still young and didnât quite fit into my program at the time. So, Liberty went to live on a friendâs pasture with another horse. Once again, his care wasnât ideal. The other horse was keeping him from eating, and Liberty grew painfully thin before anyone realized what was happening.
Of course, I brought him home againâthis time for good.
đ Libertyâs New Role
Once back in my care, Liberty began his real work. He became part of our equine-assisted learning program, helping kids build confidence and emotional skills. He also gave horseback riding lessons to students of all ages and even worked with clients in a drug and alcohol counseling program.
When I paused the program, Liberty went to live with a family friend for several yearsâuntil we moved to Texas and found a quiet new home for him and Dancer here. These days, Liberty lives a well-deserved retired life, grazing in the sunshine, socializing with the herd, and occasionally posing for one of our coloring pages!
He may not be the leader of the herd, but heâs the heart of itâsteady, gentle, and full of quiet wisdom.
đ´ Meet Storybook Liberty
Liberty is our calm, sun-loving senior horse with a heart full of kindness and a life full of stories. Heâs the wise, goofy big brother of the herdâand his journey has taken some surprising turns. From a hopeful name for a Fourth of July foal to a trusted partner in equine-assisted programs, Liberty has earned every bit of his name. Now living a peaceful retired life, Liberty still has a lot to share.
⨠Bring Libertyâs story to lifeâdownload and color below!
đ Itâs Libertyâs 23rd Birthday! đ
Celebrate this goofy, grass-loving guy with a special treatâhis brand new birthday coloring page!
Whether youâre a longtime fan or just meeting Liberty for the first time, this oneâs for you.
đĽ Download Libertyâs Coloring Page
đ Follow Libertyâs Journey
Want to celebrate Libertyâs birthday all year longâand be the first to know when his full coloring storybook is released? Libertyâs story is in the works and coming next.
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