A Bit About Me and my Horse(s)

My parents first put me on a horse when I was five, and ever since then I have spent every day of my life with horses. I got my first horse when I was eight. He was a gorgeous Flea bitten grey Arabian. He was every girls fairytale horse. I spent every day after school with him. He taught me everything I know about horses. And I was able to teach him many things as well. Stormy and me had a bond like no one else. However, in March of 2008, when he was only 12 years of age, during a simple vet check up, the vet noticed that Stormy had a sight limp in his front left foot. Further checks showed that Stormy had an abundance of leg problems. He had arthritis starting in his knee, high ringbone, navicular (which is VERY rare in Arabians) and tendonitis. The vet let me know that Stormy would be unrideable and that he would only have about three years left before he could no longer wait. Now as a 12 year old girl, knowing that my best friend would not be here with me through some of the hardest years of my life, was devastating. My mom, the saint she is, agreed that we would begin looking for another horse for me. On June 18, we found Pistol. A dark liver chestnut, with four white legs, a big white face and one blue eye. He was beautiful, and I had to have him. We paid for him and the next day went and picked him up. He was a great teacher to me, especially since he was only three. Soon, I noticed that neither of my horses were looking very good. Their weight had dropped dramatically and they were very lethargic. Well my cousin, who was boarding at the same place as me at the time, needed to take her little paint mare to the vet, but does not trailer well without other horses, so we decided to take Stormy and Pistol. Well the vet was just down the road from the lady we had bought Pistol from, so we decided to pay a visit. Well she noted that the horses were very ribby and come to find out, that my horses were not getting enough food. So we moved them to her house. After a couple months of boarding there, I was able to begin leasing my barrel horse, Jeff. He was a dream come true. Standing at 15.3 hands, pure muscle and a beautiful red bay, I fell in love instantly, not to mention that he could run like no horse I have ever seen. I began getting him in shape to start High school rodeos. This horse could do it all. Run barrels, poles, cut and rope. Well the lady I boarded with also had many reining horses. I had always been into reining, but never had a horse to use. So she gave me one of her yearlings, Pita. He was a very well bred horse. He had some of the biggest names on his papers. And he was by one of her prize stallions. I began working with him everyday. He reminded me of Stormy, who now was just a pasture ornament. Pita had a flowing mane and tail and was a very red chestnut. He was a great little man. Well over the next couple years I was able to begin showing in bigger shows than I had been as well as start training Pita under saddle and kick serious butt in High school rodeos and NBHA on Jeff. Stormy was still a great friend to me, but I distanced myself from him, hoping it wouldn't hurt as much when I had to put him down. However, in the midst of all this, my dad ended up buying me Rhonda, a mare that I could train for barrels and poles. She was fast, but lazy. It took a lot to keep her going, but she was really sweet. Well Stormy slowly got worse to the point where at the end of August, I had to put the sweet spirit down. He went peacefully, but I was heart broken. For the first time in my life, I didn't ride for months. I would visit my horses occasionally, but I didn't ride. I ended up selling Rhonda right after my birthday. And finally I convinced myself to get up and do something. I started riding again. I finished up my show season, and started riding a beautiful grey mare, Gem, for my trainer. I decided to sell Pistol, so I could buy this lovely mare from her. Now I have 4 horses. Pita, Jeff, Gem, and Whitey

Country

United States

Website:

http://thunderroseranch.com

Do you have any pets?

4 Horses, one to be born on May 23, 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 birds