OklahomaHorses Magazine July 2023

8 OklahomaHorses • July / August 2023 A TRIBUTE TO RUDY Courageous Horse Loved Life by Casie Bazay O n New Year’s Day 2015, the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division received a call from a horse owner asking that the staff remove a dead horse from his property. Because the office was closed for the holiday, the staff went out the following day, only to find that the horse wasn’t dead. He was very much alive, but down and tangled in a fence. The worst part? His ears had been completely chewed off, most likely by dogs or coyotes. The horse was taken to Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue, which works closely with several animal welfare divisions. Natalee Cross, founder of the rescue, named the palomino paint gelding Rudy after the biographical movie of the same name. Despite significant obstacles, Daniel (Rudy) Ruettiger dreamed of playing football at Notre Dame, and Rudy the horse definitely had his own obstacles to face as well. “Rudy had multiple wounds when he came to us,” Cross stated. “Half of his face was torn off and his eyelids had been destroyed, but amazingly, the wounds were not life threatening.” Rudy and his devoted human Natalee Cross share a hug. Photo courtesy of Fat Cat Photography LLC.