This page is dedicated to one of my best friends, Stormy. He was a horse that was born on our ranch in 98. It was March and it was a horrible spring storm. He had a leg back and it took several hours to get him out alive. Once he was born there was something different about him. He was special. Since the day he was born I played with him every moment I had. He was a stud for most of his life and was extremely hard to break. I kept at it and everyday I worked with him we grew closer. I spent every moment I had riding him and working with him to make him reach his potential. When he was three I started riding him without a saddle while moving cattle and working on different skills. I trained him to come to me when I whistled. Even when he was out in the pasture with the mares I could whistle and he would throw his head up and come running to me. This was back in 2001.
When he was out with the mares two years in a row. The other stud we had got through one fence and got in the pasture next to Stormy. With the mares around they were both very aggressive and stormy kicked at him through the fence and took out huge pieces of each of his hind legs. The wounds were severe and took a long time to heal. Everyday before school and after school I would change the bandages on his legs and do whatever I could to ease his pain. It was hard to see my friend have such large wounds and there was not much I could do. Day after day I would tend to him and get him through. While doing this we bonded more and became better friends. As we both grew we aquired bond that has yet to broken.
When I would take him to brandings with a lot of other horses around he would not act like a stud and would behave like a normal gelding. He would never act up or even look at the other horses as long as he knew I was around. I used to him all the time and enjoyed riding him more than any other horse. He had a unique nature about him. Like most horses do. If you treated him like a colt or were scared of him he would act like a wild horse. If you trusted him and treated him like the broke gentle giant he is he would do anything you asked of him and never let on that he was still a colt. I rode home through the mountains on our ranch and took him in some of the roughest terrain that I have seen and he was perfect.
After I left and started working construction while going through college I didn't get to see him as much as I wanted. Whenever I would go to the ranch I could whistle and he would come. My grandpa tried to get him to do the same but he will only do it for me until this day. When I had my children I would take them up to the ranch and they loved how when I whistle he would throw his head up and come running. With everything that we have been through he is a great friend. Most of the stories I have I could tell here but most would never believe them. So I will leave it at this and be glad I have shared part of the tale of Stormy, the best horse I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. That is not to say I have not had several other great horses but none as special as him. The way he is around kids or anyone who treats him like he is broke is amazing. He will let my kids ride around on him bareback and when we are out in the pasture he makes sure they are safe with the other horses and makes sure they stay a safe distance away while my kids walk under, around and crawl all over him.
I hope you enjoy this writing about Stormy the Friesian Quarter horse cross. I will add more to it if I think it will help the story but I am glad I shared what little I have. There is not enough room on this blog to share all the stories and very few would ever believe them. So I will leave you with this.
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