Rescue Story

Some horses arrive on a wing and a prayer — Dezarae came on a melody.

She was part of a farm dump, a heartbreaking term for horses discarded like they were nothing more than property. Her mother was a mustang. We’re not sure about the other half, but her Coggins lists her as just a year old. Unhandled. Frightened. Standing in a direct ship lot waiting to be sent across the border to slaughter.

But she was so stunning — even from the first photo, there was something in her eyes. When we saw we had room, we said yes. Alongside Marcus Aurelius, she arrived at the sanctuary in the quiet hours of morning, wide-eyed and unsure of the world.

She’s still nervous, still learning to trust, but there’s a sweetness underneath it all — the kind that makes you believe in transformation. Marcus, ever the calm anchor, has been her quiet teacher. Where she’s skittish, he’s grounded. They balance each other like jalapeño and strawberry — unlikely, but kind of perfect.

We believe that, with time, Dezarae will be someone’s heart horse. She’s young, full of potential, and already carries the quiet beauty of a soul who survived what she never should’ve had to face.

Why “Dezarae”?

Naming her was as organic as her rescue.

As our volunteers stood serenading the pair with a guitar in hand, one paused, took a long look at this striking young filly, and said, “She needs a name as beautiful as she is. How about Dezarae?”

What she didn’t know was that Dezarae is also the name of Mary’s granddaughter — a young woman who embodies beauty inside and out. When Mary sent her a video asking for permission, her granddaughter responded with heartfelt joy: “Yes, I would love that.”

So now, this breathtaking filly carries a name full of music, legacy, and the kind of stunning presence that stops you in your tracks.

A Word About the Bigger Picture

Dezarae is a symbol of a system that’s broken.

She is not a throwaway. She’s not “excess” or “waste.” But because of overbreeding and a lack of accountability in the equine world, thousands like her are pushed into the slaughter pipeline every year. We’re fighting to change that. From the SAFE Act to enforceable mustang and equine welfare legislation, we are holding space — and raising our voices — for horses like Dezarae.

If her story moves you and you want to help beyond this page, reach out. The legal and advocacy landscape changes daily, and we can point you toward action that matters.

From Dezarae

“I may have been discarded… but I am not disposable. I am beauty, I am spirit, and I am becoming.”