Bar Elias, Lebanon – Thoroughbred Arabian horses dart in the light of the setting sun, their hooves turning sand clouds upward. They gallop around the pasture, encouraged by their caretakers, in a stable built like a small castle on the outskirts of Bar Elias.

However, despite the beauty of the view, a feeling of sadness prevails as the day comes to an end.

18 horses survived Israeli bombs that destroyed their stables in southern Lebanon, killing many people and horses.

The rescued horses found a new home in the center of the Bekaa Valley. Nevertheless, many people were killed when a neighboring barn was bombed when Israel launched its attack on Lebanon on September 23.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, where the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated bloodily since October 7, 2023, have left more than 1,300 dead and more than 9,000 injured in just a few weeks.

While Israeli troops attempt to occupy and hold villages along the border, entire areas in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley are being carpet bombed.

Wounds and panic

The horses still have open wounds in their fur, and their eyes flash with panic at the slightest noise.

“When they arrived, they were exhausted, some were injured, and the severity of their illness became apparent in the days following their arrival,” Jaafar Araji, 32, who works in the family stable, told Al Jazeera.

The rescued thoroughbred Arabian and European horses, rescued from the ruins and transported in a convoy of six trucks, now require constant attention from the stable staff.

While wandering around the stables, Cafer adds: “They had lost almost half their weight and we do not know exactly how long they were without food… their owners could not reach the stables for the first two days due to the bombardment.” .

A gray mare with a wound on her side had something that looked like sadness in her eyes.

“She had had a miscarriage when she arrived, she was so traumatized and weakened. “We stayed with him all night to reassure him and make sure he didn’t lose his mind,” she said emotionally.

“Honestly, thanks to our many years of experience in caring for our horses, we could open our own clinic here.”

Despite the lack of reliable and accessible veterinarians in Lebanon and the difficulty of finding feed during the war, Jafar and his family take the rescued people out every day and give them medicine.

“There are only a few vets in Lebanon, and they often refuse to help those who don’t have thousands of dollars to pay, so we had to find out on our own,” he said.

Empty medicine containers stacked next to the stalls bear witness to the difficult nights of care required by traumatized and injured horses.

“We work long shifts at night because this is when most of the symptoms appear,” he explained.

But they can’t always be saved: a horse died from its wounds and extreme weakness, Jafar told Al Jazeera sadly over the phone days later.

A shelter in wartime

During the day, the stable hosts a riding academy for children, teaching them to ride the famous Arabian thoroughbred.

Now, in the golden afternoon light, the stable staff are resting and spending some time with the horses.

Zakaria Araji, Cafer’s father and the owner of the stable, sits on the bench next to the paddock where the horses train, sipping Turkish coffee while watching the horses gallop. He feeds and cares for these war survivors at his own expense.

“When I heard that he was asking for help from the owners, I immediately accepted without expecting anything in return. I don’t even know his name, but that doesn’t matter.

“Horses are innocent and pure beings, and I must do everything I can to help them,” he explained.

This isn’t the first time the stable has helped save horses; it still houses many horses rescued from neighboring Syria.

Jaafar announces that they will soon buy 20 more horses from the South and from Baalbek, whose owner died as a result of an attack. It is currently building new stands to accommodate them.

He vows to take care of them “no matter what it costs us.”

“When we see Israel bombing farms, barns, killing these innocent animals, it is unfair. What was the horses’ crime even if their owners were part of Hezbollah?” Zakaria asked.

a long history

Arajis are part of the history and social fabric of the Bar Elias region.

“I inherited this barn from my father, and he inherited it from his father, and it has been like this for generations. Throughout the Valley, Araji is the name given to horses,” said Zakaria proudly.

Most Arabian thoroughbreds come from a long line of former warhorses, Jaafar said.

“Their long necks were covered in armor and they would stand in the front row to protect the other horses behind them from incoming arrows,” he says.

Centuries later, horses are no longer used in conflict or transportation; It is becoming the profession of breeders, racers and show riders.

“There are no big horse races here and there isn’t much profit to be made; we keep these horses out of passion and love,” he explains.

However, while imported medicine and food prices rose rapidly, the economic crisis in Lebanon dealt a serious blow to the stables.

Zakaria says he used to have 30 horses, but after having to sell some of them due to difficult times, he only has 10 left.

He and Jaafar are determined to tend to the newly arrived wounded, no matter the cost.

People need to return south and reopen the stables so these traumatized horses can return home.

As a result, it is unclear whether the horses will return to their homes in southern Lebanon, as Israeli bombardments have turned the area into a no man’s land.