Why I fell in love with Gracie

When I first met Gracie, she looked terrible. She had a horrible dread-locked mane, her winter coat had started to grow out but hadn't yet fallen off. She looked like what you would imagine a 2 year old un-handled filly would look like. But she was different, she was young, she hadn't been ruined by other peoples mistakes, she was a blank canvas.

The first few weeks of owning her, I had mixed emotions. I felt like an idiot, I was scared of her, she was new but so different to what I was used to. The only thing that kept me coming back to see her was the sense of accomplishment I got when she finally let me touch her head, then put a halter on, taught her to lead, then get her comfortable with touching all over. We didn't have a bond, she was teaching me and I was teaching her, and that's what it was all about at first.

She taught me a lot in the first year. She taught me patience, she taught me that little things for me, were big things for her. I loved her a lot and I never wanted to replace her, but there was still a hole that hadn't been filled yet.

Everything changed once we left agistment and moved her to Lisa's property. All of a sudden I had a confidence boost. I wasn't afraid to try anything new with her, and she wasn't afraid to try for me. She started whinnying and pricking her ears up when I arrived, she paid attention to me, I wasn't just some human that was an annoyance in her otherwise perfect spoilt life, she loved me and I loved her.

Now I realise what it is about her that makes her irreplaceable in my heart - she is a snotty brat, she tests me, we push each others buttons (I am just as opinionated as her!), she doesn't believe in being polite for a treat, she thinks it's ok to pull grumpy faces at me or Lisa when we bring her feed bucket in, she hates the vet, and the dentist, an the saddler and pretty much ANYONE who tries to walk into her life and push her into something she would otherwise be ASKED to do... BUT.. She will try for me, she trusts me, she does ANYTHING I ask of her (sometimes puts up a fight just for fun), she whinnies at me, she hogs the attention when there's other horses around, she will give me cuddles if I need them, she knows who I am, she knows I'm her mum and she loves me to bits.

And that's why I am in love with her. Because even with all her mood swings and faults, I know at the end of the day that we are two peas in a pod, we need each other so we can grow up learning what life is all about.