The Bible says animals have souls and spirits, eternal souls and spirits. Many verses in the Bible reveal to us that animals go to heaven. But this story gives us even more insight into the soul and understanding of horses as they see beyond this world.
Merrylegs was a horse that belonged to a wonderful family, the Jensen’s, who live in St. Louis, Missouri. They have a large farm about 50 miles south of St. Louis where they keep cattle and some beautiful horses. Merrylegs was a Tennessee walking horse that was expecting her first foal. When the time came for her to deliver, Mr. and Mrs. Jensen went down to the farm to wait for the birth. Soon a beautiful little female foal was born. Everyone was very excited about the new foal, but their excitement turned into concern when they noticed that, despite its best efforts, the newborn couldn’t nurse. Finally, Mrs. Jensen decided to put some of Merrylegs’ milk into a bottle and feed the foal herself. But as hard as the foal tried, she could not drink the milk. Mr. Jensen called the veterinarian, who said that it sounded like “sleepy or dummy foal syndrome,” a condition that occurs when a foal simply cannot take in anything but air. Foals with this condition are very healthy when they are inside the mother, but once they are born, they cannot take in food. Therefore, they soon die.
When Mr. Jensen returned after speaking with the veterinarian, he found his wife sitting on the floor of the barn with the little foal. She had placed hay all around to keep the newborn warm again the March cold. As Mrs. Jensen sat holding the little foal, Merrylegs came over to look at it again. Mrs. Jensen saw tears in the regal mare’s eyes. Tearfully, Mrs. Jensen said, “I don’t think your baby is going to live.” Merrylegs looked on for a moment, then turned around and walked to the other side of the barn. She never again looked back at her foal.
Mrs. Jensen stayed with the mare and her foal all day long. That evening, the baby horse simply stopped breathing. At that instant, the Jensen’s five other horses, which had over the past few hours gathered themselves as close to the barn as possible, reared up on their hind legs and gave several piercing screams. They could not have seen the foal because it was in the barn when it died—yet they knew. It was an experience Mrs. Jensen will never forget and, in this earthly life, she will never fully understand.
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Reviewed by David Perry
8/23/2007
It's the extreme arrogance of Humankind that we deny the sanctity of all life. Let all who abuse animals take warning; It was WE who fell from grace, not the animals. Not only are animals endowed with God's Spirit, they are GUARANTEED a place in Heaven, which is more than we can say!
I’ve encountered many non-human creatures on my life’s journey.
I have found each and every one of these animals to be a unique and wondrous being.
Animals have truly brought fullness to my life. Some of them have also brought de
