A horse who had previously been subjected to cruel practices became a problem for anyone who tried to train him. Yet one man managed to train and ride the horse after winning his trust and love through diligent care.
In 2020, Janna Grapperhaus took to Facebook to share the sweet story of how her late father and his horse, Major Deal (Major for short), built their incredible and enduring bond after Major was severely abused.
Grapperhaus recalled the day her father had brought Mjaor home, saying he was young and vicious. They found that the men who had previously owned Major had a reputation for abusing animals.
The men who had previously been Major’s owners had used a technique to break him in which they would beat him consistently and heinously until the horse could no longer stand. They also tied Major’s head between posts, leaving him standing without food or water for weeks.
Major didn’t break through all this, and that’s when Grapperhaus’ father bought the poor horse and brought him home. However, their journey together was a challenging one. It took years before the new owner gained Major’s trust.
What Happened to Major?
When Grapperhaus’ father brought Major home, the horse destroyed five fence strands by running through them. Whenever someone would get near him, Major would strike at them or try and bite them.
Worried about the seemingly uncontrollable horse, Grapperhaus’ mother even told her: “Janna, you’ve got to convince your daddy to get rid of that horse; it’s gonna kill him.”
But Grapperhaus’ father patiently tried to win Major’s heart instead of trying to break him. She revealed that her father worked daily for hours to win Major’s trust, and when he finally did, they developed an unbreakable bond.
Two years after Grapperhaus’ father brought Major home, the horse finally allowed his owner to ride him. Grapperhaus shared that whenever her dad would go out to see the horse, Major would kiss the man on the head over and over. In the end, Grapperhaus revealed that “love won.”
At the man’s funeral in October 2020, the family had an open casket, allowing Major to see his owner one last time. When Major approached the coffin, he bent his head to kiss his owner as he had when he was alive. Grapperhaus shared:
“This is Major’s last kiss.”
Living on a farm was a large part of Grapperhaus and her father’s lives, so when they took the casket away, they placed it on a wagon Grapperhaus’ father and grandfather had built, and attached it to Grapperhaus’ father’s favorite tractor to drive away.
While followers were charmed that Grapperhaus had paid so much attention to detail when planning her father’s funeral, they were even more touched by how she had included Major in the ceremony.
Some shared their condolences with Grapperhaus, and some said what a wonderful man her father was, but the vast majority talked about how kind her father was to Major and said he would be rewarded for his kindness even after death.
Many said the story of Grapperhaus’ father and Major had brought them to tears and that no animal should ever have to endure what Major endured. Others were heartbroken over the bittersweet story. Everyone who commented on the post was somehow touched by Major and Grapperhaus’ father’s story.
Horses have a knack of bringing people of all ages, races, and classes together. Read one such story
