Many of you have heard Gem’s story before, but we have so many new followers who may not know it. We are celebrating her birthday by sharing her incredible journey. And if you ask Gem… every day is about her! 😄

📖Gem’s Story:

Gem was born at Butcher Jones into what many lovingly call the 👑 “Royal Family.” This band is well known, deeply loved, and truly majestic. Her dam is Sapphire, her sire is Shadowfax, and, coincidentally, Diamond is her brother.

On August 5th, 2017, the day we found her limping, she was just 3 weeks old. We did not see how it happened, but her symptoms appeared suddenly that day.

As with every injured horse, our policy is to observe for several days before intervening. Even serious injuries can sometimes heal in the wild, and our goal is always to keep wild horses wild whenever possible. We’ve witnessed some truly remarkable recoveries over the years.

Our dedicated volunteers monitored Gem around the clock on a rotating schedule. With so many people concerned about her, we made sure she was watched closely and protected. During this time, our president, Simone Netherlands, remained in constant communication with our👨‍⚕️veterinarian, sharing updates and videos to assess Gem’s condition.

On Days 3 and 4, Gem began putting a little weight on her injured front leg, giving us hope that she might recover on her own. Later that same day, however, everything changed. She began showing signs of a severe infection. By Day 5, she was limping on a hind leg as well—an indication that sepsis may have been setting in. Her left eye also became painful and cloudy, with a blue haze developing. She kept it half-closed while 🐜 flies gathered around it.

But Gem continued to keep up with her band. If a horse can stay with its family, there is still hope, so we continued to monitor rather than intervene. Then one day, her band came to water without her. That was the moment we feared. Horses do not leave one of their own behind unless they are dead or dying.

We immediately organized a search, and eventually the band led us to where Gem was lying beneath the bushes. She was still alive—but she could no longer stand. She pawed at the ground and ground her teeth in agony. At that moment, the decision was made to rescue her, and the Arizona Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service, and MCSO were notified.
It took 15 volunteers, one 💪 strong helper, and a horse trailer. We waited until the band moved on, then quietly approached Gem. After administering pain medication and oral sedation, we carefully carried her into the trailer. On August 13, 2017, Gem was rescued.

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She spent 13 days in the hospital before returning home.We did not give up on her during the worst times.

Against the odds, she made a full recovery—just as her name suggests, truly precious and one of a kind.

🎂 Today

Gem is healthy, happy, and celebrating her 9th birthday! She and Mori have become the best of friends and now happily help run the show at the rescue facility.

Happy Birthday, sweet Gem! Thank you for reminding us every day why every rescue, every long day of monitoring, and every difficult decision is worth it. Here’s to many more years of galloping free, bossing everyone around, and stealing our hearts. ❤️🐴