Small Cowboy-in-Training Reunited With His Horse

Sandbox, a horse stolen from team roping competition in Stephenville last weekend, was found alive and well and was reunited with his 6-year-old owner Wednesday afternoon.

The Berry family launched a Facebook page, "Find Sandbox the Horse," and an update this morning said:

"We are headed to Stephenville!!! Someone found a horse covered in mud walking down the road. Description matches!!! This looks really promising!!! Pray pray pray!!! 

Micah Berry, the mother of the horse's owner, confirmed that the horse was definitely Sandbox.

Ryan Taylor, 22, found the mare when he arrived to work on his ranch. Taylor remembered receiving an e-mail about a missing mare and got in touch with the Berrys. They were able to figure out it was Sandbox by her identifying markings, such as a scar on her back right hip.

"You know it always bugged me, her having that scar on her butt, but I love that scar now," said Kirby Berry, the father of the Sandbox's owner.

The Berrys drove to Taylor's ranch to get the horse.

"She jumped out of the truck almost before it came to a stop and was in tears," Taylor said.

"I was opening the door, 'That's her, that's her, that's her.' You could tell by her tail -- she was swishing her tail, and I could see the scar, and I was like, 'That is her, that is her,'" Micah Berry said.

A vet checked out the mare and said she's a bit hydrated but otherwise doing well.

After school, Kade Berry was reunited with his horse. The 6-year-old, who has won several rodeo awards on Sandbox, said he plans to rope on her soon.

"I'm just so glad that he's sitting up on her, and that she's OK," his mother said. "My kid's happy."

The quest to bring Sandbox home started Sunday with a reward that quickly grew to $8,000 by Wednesday morning.

"It's been unbelievable, the response we've gotten from everybody," Kirby Berry said.

"My heart is just turning inside out. It's just, it was our goal and we did it," his wife said.

More: Facebook: Find Sandbox the Horse

NBCDFW's Lindsay Wilcox and Susy Solis contributed to this report.

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