Everyone said that Major, a young horse, was mean and aggressive. He would get angry and try to bite anyone who came near him, but he wasn’t always like that. Major was abused and ignored when he was young because his first owners tried to “break horses” by doing bad things to them.
Major thought he would have to go through pain for the rest of his life, but then he met Max. At first, Major was very wary of Max, just like he was of all humans. However, Max was different because he never stopped trying to win Major’s trust.
Not willing to trust anyone
Major’s first owners used to beat him and tie him between two posts. They tied him up and then left him alone for four weeks without food or water. Before Max took him in, the poor horse had never met a kind person.
But Max’s wife didn’t like it when he decided to keep the horse. Shortly after moving into his new home, Major ran through the fences and tried to bite anyone who came near him. Because the horse was so dangerous to the family, Max’s wife called him “Major Deal.”
Janna Grapperhaus, Max’s daughter, said, “I’ll never forget the day my mom called me in a panic and said, ‘Janna, you have to convince your dad to get rid of that horse. It’s going to kill him!'”
But Major’s temper never scared Max away. He worked with the horse every day for a few hours, slowly getting the horse to trust him. Major let Max ride him after two years of hard work. Major became so fond of Max that whenever he could, the horse would “kiss” the person.
The last kiss from Major
Max was the only person who wouldn’t give up on the wild horse, so he and Major became very close. Max died in October 2020, putting an end to their heartwarming story.
Max’s family knew that Major deserved a proper farewell, so they let the horse give his human one last kiss before they closed the casket. Janna put a picture on Facebook of Major’s last kiss.
“Every time dad went out, Major would kiss him on the head. They had a connection that only people who know horses could understand. It made sense to let Major say his last words. “This is the last kiss Major will give,” Janna wrote.
It can be hard to take care of an animal that has been abused, but gaining that animal’s trust is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Major was lucky to have Max in his life, and hopefully their story will encourage other people to help even the most difficult animals.
