Last Chance
The woman was standing at the age of the forest crying, surrounded by her horses. They were restless, and so was she. She had come so far, yet she was still unsure if she was doing the right thing.
With tears in her eyes, she released her horses and gently guided them toward the forest, far away from the city and hopefully from any danger.
Peaceful Life
Julia Molokova owned a horse farm near a big city for many years. She loved being surrounded by horses, and they loved her.
Since she was a little girl, Julia dreamed of having her own horse. She saved money all her life, and during her mid-30s, she managed to get a farm near the city. She thought she would grow old surrounded by horses. Sadly, that would not be the case.
Five Horses
Julia Molokova had five horses: two foals: young Uve and old Hypur, two males: Runner and West, and a thin Martini mare that she picked up before New Year's Eve.
The horses were her life, and Julia would do everything for them. But she never thought she would have to go as far as she did.
Getting Ready
The conflict began months ago, but Julia never thought it would reach her little farm. Her place was outside the city, in an unpopulated area.
But a neighbor told her to get ready for the worst. The operation might reach their area sooner than they hoped. So Julia went shopping and stocked for water and other supplies. She tried to get ready for every possible scenario.
Real Danger
One lovely morning Julia heard a huge bang coming from her neighbor's farm. She got dressed quickly and went outside, only to find her neighbor's place on fire. Julia couldn't believe her eyes.
Luckily, all her neighbor's horses were outside at the moment. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened. But Julia was terrified. It happened so close to her place. It could have been her farm.
A Helping Hand
Julia went to help her neighbor put out the fire. It only took a few buckets of water, but the destruction was severe. An entire wall collapsed when the shell hit.
And the neighbor's horses were all terrified. Julia ran and tried her best to calm them down, but it took around 30 minutes until they stopped running erratically. She was happy they were alright, but this scenario could repeat, and the horses might get caught in the fire.
Time To Decide
When she returned to her farm, the first thing Julia did was check her horses. They were calmer but still a bit restless. The woman knew she had to do something fast.
Julia realized that her dear horses were in danger, and she had to find a way to save them. But it wasn't that easy. A horse is not a small animal, so leaving the country together was not really an option. What could she do?
Preparations
Julia knew that the more she waited, the bigger the danger would become. Her horses were not safe in their own stables anymore.
With a broken heart, she fed her five treasures as much as they could eat and tried to get them ready for what was coming. She knew in her heart that she had no choice, but she still couldn't make peace with the thought.
Getting Worse
The situation in the whole country was getting worse. With each day, the conflict was getting closer to Julia's town. She knew she had to make a decision, and she had to do it soon.
The longer she postponed doing something, the greater the danger would become. Her horses were the apple of her eye, and she had to do what was best for them. Would she make the right call when the time comes, though?
Difficult Decision
Julia was ready. She gathered a few things and went to the stable. It was early in the morning, and it was quieter than usual. Normally, she could hear every few minutes loud bangs coming from afar.
The area was at the risk of destruction. Julia had to make the hardest decision of her life. She took her horses to the edge of the forest and stood by their side, crying. The woman wanted to turn back so many times, but she knew in her heart that she had no choice but to move forward.
Saying Goodbye
Julia decided that the best way for her horses to survive the conflict that plagued her country was to release them into the wild.
She took them into a forest, and she left them on a pasture with tears in her eyes. Julia hoped that they would stay together. She also marked them, so maybe one day she'll be able to find them and take them back home.
Asking For Help
Julia returned home devastated. She took a last look at the empty stable and went inside crying. She couldn't believe what she had done. The woman was still doubting her decision, and who could blame her.
She took to social media and wrote a heart-wrenching message addressed to everyone who lived in the area where she released the horses.
Signs
Julia wrote a post that was shared thousands of times, even outside of the country. She was asking if anyone had seen her horses. Julia begged people who encountered her horses to let her know they were alive and safe and to please offer them water.
The replies started pouring in. Many people from the area responded with photos and videos of the famed group of horses. They were fine in the wild and were just trying to stay outside the conflict area. People from around the world had reached out to say they were praying for her and hoped she would be reunited with her horses soon.
Looking For A Way Out
Eventually, Julia asked people if they knew a way to take her horses out of the country, or at least to a safer area.
Someone volunteered to take the horses to a bigger town where they would have a better chance at finding transport but was forced to turn around by the conflict surrounding the area. Julia was desperate for help and pleaded for assistance in saving her beloved horses.
Others In Need
"I don't know who else to contact," Julia wrote. Anyone with information on how to help evacuate horses from the area was asked to reach out to Julia. There were many more people like her, searching for a way to save their horses.
A lot of people had fled the country already, many with their pets in their arms and not much else. But when it comes to horses, it is much harder to evacuate them from harm's way due to their size.