Zayan "Zay"

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About Zayan

Zayan’s rescue began when Wandering Hearts Rescue was notified of a horse left alone in steep woods in Western North Carolina. Confined by barbed wire, with no veterinary care, farrier attention, feed, or companions, he had clearly been neglected. After securing surrender paperwork, volunteers Julia Lewis and Jasmine Pierce traveled to the property. The gate to his pen had been buried nearly two feet into the earth; with permission from a family member we cut the wire to create an exit. Though hesitant and thin, Zayan allowed us to halter him and—surprisingly—loaded calmly into the trailer.

At the farm we placed him in quarantine and discovered he was a stallion. Over the following months, Zayan—whose name means “one who makes this beautiful”—regained strength, accepted grooming, and began basic ground training with trainer Jermey Anglin. Hunt County Equine and our team provided thorough veterinary and farrier care and worked diligently to manage his anxiety with appropriate supplements and medications. Despite every effort, Zayan continued to experience severe distress that led to self-injury and physical decline. Given his advanced age, being well past 30, and the risks involved, rehoming and gelding were not viable options.

Saying goodbye to Zayan was one of the hardest decisions we have faced. We are honored we could give him safety, skilled care, and compassionate companionship in his final months. His life reinforces our mission: to rescue animals in crisis and provide them with dignity and expert care.