The Breadcrumbs
Follow the Breadcrumbs
Raindrop & Ladybug’s Journey Home
Sometimes a rescue begins in an unexpected place.
Back in early April, our barn manager, Jessie, stopped at a small yard sale just two miles from the COLT ranch. That’s where she first saw them — two older mares standing quietly in a corral. The gentleman hosting the sale asked if she knew anyone who could help, and that moment set everything in motion.
Over the next few days, Erica found herself slowing down whenever she drove past the property. She would park on the side of the road to quietly watch and listen. What she realized was that both mares stood facing the same door of the house, waiting. It turns out that their owner had passed away four years earlier, and it felt as if they were still waiting for their human to come out that door to feed them.
Their world had been small — a quiet routine, a familiar place, the people they had always known. They had never been led or taken off the property, and the wider world was simply outside the life they’d lived. Their caretaker, now older and widowed, had been doing his best with great love, but caring for them on his own had become tenderly overwhelming.
When Jessie asked Erica and Joost if COLT could take them in, they paused. They knew it would be a significant undertaking. But then the clarity found both of them: this is how COLT began — with a desire to help, and faith that the universe would support the effort.
The heart knows what the heart knows.
Because the mares couldn’t load into a trailer, they walked them the entire two miles to the ranch — slowly, patiently, with steady hands and steady breath. Jessie and Joost sat on the tailgate with buckets of treats while Erica drove ahead at two miles an hour. Along the way they encountered speeding cars, barking dogs, cows, and neighbor horses rushing the fence line. It took presence, prayers, and a rhythm of reassurance.
Slowly and assuredly, they made it to COLT.
Now they’re here, beginning again.
Raindrop is in her thirties, is extremely emaciated and being treated for pneumonia. Ladybug, in her twenties, is stronger but still learning what it means to be in a relationship with humans. They will need time, ongoing veterinary care, and gentle, consistent training to help them feel safe in their new environment — surrounded by fellow rescue horses, friendly dogs, and rescued people.
The other care they’ll need is helping them learn how to cooperate with humans; treating them with abundant kindness and consistency. Building trust takes time but is the most important ingredient in the horse-human relationship.
Around here, we’ve started calling them the “Breadcrumbs” — because one small thing after another led them to us. A yard sale. A glance. A pause on the side of the road. A feeling that wouldn’t let go.
Now, they’re home.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll share more about their journey and what it will take to support their healing. For now, we simply want you to meet them — and to feel the quiet miracle of how they arrived.