Recovered Farruco 79,

Roanoke County woman reunited with missing black Andalusian stallion by Lerone Graham

After spending three days distraught over losing her missing prize stallion, Joan Resk and her 10-year-old horse were reunited this morning.

"He's not limping but he has pretty bad bruises and lacerations. The important thing is his bruises will heal and he's intact," she said.

The stallion, named Farruco, is a rare, all-black Andalusian that Resk imported from Spain. The horse was gone Thursday morning when Resk went to feed him and her other three Andalusian stallions. Part of the backyard electric fence had been plowed through, leading Resk to suspect the three bigger stallions fought with Farruco and forced him to flee.

Resk and game warden Greg Funkhouser met at dawn and searched the acres of wooded hills behind Resk's Back Creek Road property in Roanoke County. After searching for hours, she found a "skinnier and skiddish" Farruco in the woods at about 10 a.m.

She said a veterinarian will tend to Farruco's lacerations tomorrow morning. She is thankful for numerous concerned locals who since Thursday called to wish her well or took hours out of their day to help her search.

"It really reassures your faith in humanity," Resk said.