News: ‘Horse rescued in honor of young shooting victim’

That’s the headline from a story published today in The Salem News about how one equine rescue organization is honoring the life of a 6-year-old horse-crazy girl killed in the Newtown tragedy.

According to a statement from Jessica’s family, “Jessica loved everything about horses. She devoted her free time to watching horse movies, reading horse books, drawing horses, and writing stories about horses. We had promised her she could have her very own horse when she turned 10. She asked Santa for new cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat.”

Sadly, her dream of owning her own horse will never come true.

An ABC News interview with Jessica’s parents:

To remember Jessica, the Hamilton-based equine rescue and adoption organization Hope4Horses has rescued an 8-month-old Standardbred colt from a New Jersey slaughter pen and renamed him Rekos.

The colt will be rehabilitated at Hope4Horses’ barn until a perfect home is found–ideally a family with a young daughter who shares Jessica’s passion for horses. Once adopted, a bound book will be sent to Jessica’s family.

Hope4Horses’ co-founder Janine Jacques says in the article, “What we are trying to do is fill her dream… It is really sad for a lot of us, because the horse community very much sticks together. It is just sad we lost one of our own, it is sad to lose any kid in such a tragedy.”

Read the full story here, and learn more about Hope4Horses here.

Go Riding.