09/02/2025
For all who know and love our rescue donkeys and mules,
In July, we lost our sweet and lovely draft mule, Ruby.
I pulled Ruby from a Texas kill pen in 2017. She was in line to be sent to slaughter in Mexico. She was a big, beautiful draft mule who could no longer work, and therefore, deemed useless.
She looked so sad and bewildered and I could see the sweetness in her eyes.
Ruby came to us completely shut down. It was obvious that she feared showing emotion, as it had been cruelly trained out of her. She exhibited no joy, no affection, no opinion on anything. This is abuse.
When she arrived on the transport truck and I walked her down our driveway to her new, forever home, I told her we would always love her and she would never be sent anywhere again.
Upon her arrival, our sweet Jojo, also a victim of previous abuse, greeted Ruby and became her companion. Jojo had also came from a cruel situation, as he had been used for roping practice. His little body had suffered the effecof being roped, thrown down and tied.
Jojo was precious and kind and a true gentleman and Ruby became his best friend.
It took Ruby some time to trust that she was loved unconditionally, and to realize that she was allowed an opinion, as well as the freedom to move about as she wished.
She was showered with love and she learned that she could say no, or have a preference for what was important for her.
Ruby and I were very close. I treasured every moment with her and she trusted me with her love. She flourished from the love of everyone here.
This July, we took her to Alamo Pintado Equine hospital in Los Olivos. Ruby was painful with colic, her gut motility now failing her at almost 30 years of age.
Our vets worked so hard to relieve her of the impaction of hay that would not pass through her stomach. They could only get the blockage partially to move through. She came home and again, joyful to be back, ran from the trailer to the barn.
But within days, she again became colicky.
Back to Alamo, but this time nothing resolved. We brought Ruby home. Nancy, our dedicated, loving volunteer and I worked 24 hours a day with herbs, etc, to help her system to purge this blockage. We managed to be successful with our plan, but the bottom line was that Ruby's lack of gut motility was not going to improve at her age.
She stopped eating, as her body had no capability or need for food.
On Ruby's last day, I asked her if she wanted to go out for a walk. We both knew, and she communicated so clearly to me, this was our last walk together.
She led me down our hill to an oak tree and I felt she was telling me she wanted to lie down there. I told her I couldn't let her stay. This location was far from our barn and in her condition, predators would surely come around. She followed me back up the hill and as we walked, I spoke to her about how very much I loved her and the beautiful gift she had been to us. I said that I knew she was now so tired and I will be with her for whatever she needs. When we arrived back at the barn, she was struggling for breath with no energy. I knew she was dying and I asked her if she wanted to lie down in a stall. She did not hesitate. She chose a stall and walked right in and lay down.. I was beside her, my arms around her and her head in my lap. Within moments, Ruby took her last breath in my arms.
I am devastated and at the same time so blessed and honored that she spoke to me and I heard exactly what she was saying.
Ruby, sweetest Angel, You and Jojo are together once more...❤️🩷
