My Precious Brandy

I'd like to share the story of how Brandy came into my life. About 8 years ago a friend I know wanted to sell me her horse. At the time I lived in the city and could not afford one and than 5 years ago this same friend said she would give that horse to me. I now lived in the country. I will never forget coming home and asking my OH if I could have a horse, he knew how badly I wanted to get back into horses again and guess what he said? Yes! Somebody wake me up, am I dreaming?

My OH went out right away and bought all the fencing and had it up in a week. My new horse came home on my birthday. What a wonderful birthday present!

Brandy, at the time was a 9 yr old 1/2 Arab 1/2 Paint mare, she was very greenbroke! What was I getting myself into?

This is Brandy's first week home. The way she is sticking her tongue out, I am not sure she is too happy!

The first month I had her, I spent alot of time grooming her, walking her around the property and doing alot of groundwork. I knew she was very green, very insecure, very spooky and not ready for the big ride yet. She had been saddle broke. She just did not have much riding done on her. It seemed like everything I did with her, from picking up her hooves, touching her face, giving her a bath and being left alone, was too much for her. I eventually saddled her up and took her for a ride on our property, I did not have an arena at that time. Of course my OH was here and he walked with us. She was ok, she was on alert and I just knew she would spook at any minute. The only place to ride was on the "trails" that we had made on our property and I had a makeshift arena on one side of the property.

I could not ride her 5 feet off the property, her fear was so great. If my OH walked in front of us she would tentatively follow him down the road but everything was a monster to her, boulders, mailboxes, culverts, babies in strollers, the painted white stop line, paved driveways and the list goes on. The only thing she didn't spook at were cars and dogs. Well, that was a plus!

Brandy and I on one of our many walks around the property.

Here is my first ride ever on Brandy. She looks so uncomfortable with a rider on her back!

After many months, my friend who gave Brandy to me, would come and pick us up and we would go on trail rides. Let me tell you, being on a green horse on the trails was very challenging! Remember, I hadn't really ridden all that much in 12 yrs! We had so many challenges. I was seriously starting to wonder if Brandy would ever become a good trail horse!

Brandy at 8 months old. Yes, this is the same horse! I wish she would have stayed this color!

I had to train Brandy to longe, to stand still while mounting, to pick up her hooves, to tolerate being tied, to deworm, to accept a bath and the most important, to trust me! I remember when we would go on trail rides and we would get to the bathrooms in the middle of the woods, I would be told that while I was in the port-a-potty, Brandy was very concerned about where I was. Her head would go up, looking at the direction of the port a potty, looking for me and she wouldn't relax until I came out of the bathroom. That made me feel so good! That just showed how insecure she was and that I was her security blanket. She trusted ME!

Brandy being a sweet girl!

After a couple years of inconsistent training from myself, crappy weather and no arena! Fritzy had come into our life. We realized we would need a trainer for Fritzy and than decided to just have the trainer work with Brandy too. We were able to send both off to the barn my trainer was training at for 3 months. We went on numerous training trail rides. My most wonderful trainer gave me so many lessons during the whole training process, I was 100% included in her training! I couldn't have asked for a better trainer.

My first bareback ride on Brandy!

We continued on our trail rides. Brandy always had her "moments". Whether it was crowhopping, spooking at something as simple as a dandelion or butterfly, jigging or just plain did not want to go down a certain trail! I was starting to wonder if she would ever make it as a trail horse.

Brandy and I enjoying a warm, sunny day on the trail!

After many years of working with her we can now almost have a complete relaxing trail ride! She still spooks at those dandelions and butterflies, why are they so darn scary? But now she will go through chest deep water and go on that claustrophobic trail! She will still jig, feel insecure, spook and do a random crowhop from time to time, but I am ok with that! It is nothing like it used to be! I can't believe how far we have come and I believe that she will just keep on getting better as the time goes by! Maybe by the time she turns 30?!?!

Brandy and I warming up in the arena at the Pony Cousins get together last summer, where we won the Rodeo Queen tiara and trophy. Who would have thought this completely insecure, spooky horse would win? I guess I didn't give her enough credit! Brandy was on her best behavior that week! I contribute alot of that to the 104 degree temperature's we had!

Brandy has alot of heart. She tries so hard, and I know she has become so trusting of me and has become less insecure. This is why I could never sell her. She needs that special kind of person and I know alot of people couldn't deal with her issues. Brandy has a forever home and for that I am forever grateful that she came into my life!