07/02/2025
I had the most incredible experience yesterday. I was on the phone with my sister, Karla Boyd and my Ferrier, Leandro Ramirez called me. I wanted to finish my conversation with my sister so I hung up the call. Leandro immediately called me back. I told my sister I had to go and thank goodness I took his call. Leandro says to me "Your neighbor called me and your horses are out and they are on the road (Hwy 164). I said a word I still need to ask forgiveness for grabbed my purse, water bottle and flew out the back door. I grabbed the emergence halter I keep there and noticed the stallion was calling. I look up and can see he is looking into my neighbor's field. I look over there and the gate between us is on the ground - I'm going to need more halters, lead ropes and grain. I Ran into the barn scooped everything up threw it into the car and drove like a maniac next door. I turned into the driveway which winds around and is about 3/4 mile long. I passed the first house and didn't see the horses. Continued on around the corner and I see the year-old fillies. Should I stop there and block the driveway so they can't get to the road or drive to them?? I decided to drive over there. They are standing on one of the neighbor's septic mounds and the nice neighbor is gently trying to get them off of it and they are not cooperating. I get out of my car and the neighbor tells the filly's Mom is here and they are in trouble. I took one of the lead ropes and a halter plus the bucket of grain and 2 mares start walking right up to me. I hook them up, set the grain down for the fillies and start leading the horses through another neighbor's hay field toward our ranch. One mare isn't sure how to cross over the bar gate. The other mare (most likely the one that pulled it off its hinges) knew just how to get across it. After we were across, I looked back, and the fillies had followed us but they also were not sure how to cross the gate. I locked up the mares in the corral and looked up and another neighbor had come to help me - Raphael (I hope I spelled it right). He had pushed the fillies over to the gate and Peep went through ok but Lainey wasn't sure what to do. We still had Stormy, Lainey and Diamond on the wrong side of the fence. Stormy being the big pet that he is I walked right up to him and snapped a rope on him. On the other hand, Stormy can be a turd when it comes to leading. I Had to put the line over & around his butt and got him around & over the gate and into the pasture. All the horses were now on the right side of the fence. Raphael at this point had done more than just being a friendly neighborly he could have left and gone home but he didn't. He picks up the gate and puts it back on its hinges. He then takes a lead rope and ties it around the pins so the horses can't lift it off again. Then Raphael turns to me and asks if I want to see his Friesian stallion - you bet I do!!! I have always loved Friesian horses after watching Dr. Pol. We drive back to his house and go into the barn and there stands the most beautiful horse, all black but about 20 white hairs in his forelock. I pet him and Raphael tells me his mane goes all the way to the ground; he has it tied up in a ponytail band to keep it clean. I have never been this close to a Friesian before. Raphael asks if I would like him to take the stallion out - YES! Out he came through a gate and into a round pen and Raphael starts lunging him. The stallion floats around the pen. I took a video of it butt need to ask Raphael for permission to post it. I want to say how special I felt for him to share his beautiful horse and encouraging words with me. I'm still on a high and don't think I will ever forget Raphael's kindness.
