14/06/2026
Our horse Duke has watched over my little boy since the day he could crawl — never takes his eyes off him. This summer I found out why that mattered. 🐴 My son toddled toward the tall grass by the woodpile, and there was a rattlesnake coiled right on his path. I screamed, but I was too far. Duke wasn't. He charged over, threw himself between my son and the snake, stomped it off, and shoved my boy back to safety with his head — and the snake bit Duke's leg instead. We were up all night at the barn with the vet and the antivenom, my son's hand on his cheek the whole time. 👉 At dawn, Duke stood back up. My son threw his arms around him. He took a rattlesnake bite meant for my child. That horse is family. Would your animal do that?