Horse Illustrated Magazine

Nearly a month after Hurricane Harvey destroyed parts of Texas and Louisiana, residents are still working to rebuild their homes and lives. For Scott and Kim Venable of Bevil Oaks, Texas, recovering from the disaster included reuniting with the horse they thought they’d lost.

According to local TV station KAGS, the Venables originally planned to wait the hurricane out at home, but the storm turned out to be too dangerous. They evacuated with their dogs on a rescue boat with no way to take their horses with them. Once they left, emergency crews wouldn’t allow them to return.

Eventually, rescuers were allowed into the area to help animals left behind, including the Venables’ horses. But Peanut, their 14-year-old Spanish Mustang, couldn’t be caught so easily. His prospects seemed dire.

When rescue crews were finally able to get him to higher ground, veterinarians sent Peanut to Texas A&M University’s Large Animal Hospital. Peanut was likely standing in dirty floodwater for days, leading to a life-threatening skin infection called river rot, according to myaggienation.com.

Peanut was one of approximately 50 horses delivered to the A&M Equine Hospital that weekend and treated by the veterinarians there. The Venables story happened to be caught on camera; they will be the subject of an upcoming episode of Texas Flip ‘N’ Move on the DIY Network.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com