An ‘untrainable’ horse was set to be put down until one girl stepped in. Slowly, he learned to trust again

Every day, countless innocent animals are labeled as unruly or rebellious and sent off to slaughterhouses to meet a brutal end. Allison Smith or Ally (@ohkaytacos on Instagram), an experienced horse trainer and the founder of Colby's Crew Rescue, rescued one such "untrainable" horse who was about to be killed for being "too dangerous." Fortunately, Allison stepped up, just in time, giving the horse a second chance at life.

When Ally rescued Colby, the horse, from a slaughterhouse, she immediately figured out that he wasn't actually dangerous but was just too "terrified" because of his painful past with abusive owners. "Here, she is trying to get near him, and he is completely uncomfortable with it," Ally's husband said, as he captured her trying to earn a defensive Colby's trust. However, Ally did not give up, and with time, it was purely her unconditional love and endless patience that helped Colby overcome his intense fear and learn to trust humans again. "He rewarded her for never giving up on him," Ally's husband said, sharing how the horse finally let his guard down, allowing his wife to begin his training. "Now, he goes wherever she points. No rope needed, over any obstacle, he knows he will land among the stars every time," he added.

Moving on, Ally's husband explained the special bond between Colby and his wife, calling it beautiful and pure. He shared that Ally was, perhaps, the first person who treated Colby with the love and kindness he deserved, and in return, "He (Colby) was the horse who made her believe in her dreams." While Colby was lucky to have found Ally, who gave him a new life, not all horses get to experience that. As per a shocking report by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), around 20,000 American horses were slaughtered for human consumption in 2024 alone.

Meanwhile, Ally's heartwarming video received an overwhelming response on social media. Echoing the sentiments, @beannacht25 commented, "God bless you, lady! So many throwaway cats, dogs, and horses are sent off to be killed when most just need time, patience, kindness, calm, consistency, and love." Similarly, @janecuddles shared, "Ally is a miracle worker; she believes in the horses and treats them with the respect they deserve. No animal should be scared of a human. Ally will do the same over and over again. She's amazing." @piggy said, "Animals have an amazing ability to learn to trust again, even after previous humans have failed them. This wonderful video shows it with a horse. It can also be with a pig, a dog, or just about any animal that has been abused or previously treated badly by humans. Repetition, consistency, patience, and love will nearly always win out."

On the other hand, @lifeisgrandx2 wished, "Hope he’s hers forever. He’s bonded, and it would break my heart thinking that he went to anyone else." @our3littlewildflowers revealed, "My horse was a rescue and came with multiple displaced ribs and a dislocated hip from abuse. She ended up being the sweetest friend and was worth every bit of work." Another user, @allaboutthedoublebass, wrote, "So beautiful, thanks for capturing these magical moments. It is a special gift to bond with a horse, or any animal, that has had trouble with humans in its past. Incredible!"

You can follow Colby’s Crew Rescue: Allison Smith (@ohkaytacos) for more horse-related content.