Peaches & Brenda

The instant that Brenda laid eyes on her Divide Basin palomino mare, Peaches, she felt the little girl obsessed with horses and the boundless freedom they represented, come roaring back to life. Unbeknownst to Peaches, she was already so deeply loved from that moment onward. Brenda's journey with Peaches is more than just training her horse; it is a resurrection of a dream.

The initial days have been slow. Peaches is one of the more reactive Mustangs at our facility and earning her trust is no easy feat. At first, Brenda would bring apples and carrots, leaving them near the fence, allowing Peaches to approach on her own terms. Peaches gets overstimulated easily and can occasionally get explosive, but slowly, tentatively, Peaches began to understand that Brenda was not a threat. A soft nuzzle on the offered hand, and a curious glance, were small victories that filled Brenda’s heart with a profound sense of accomplishment.

Peaches will now eat from Brenda's hand and accept soft touches to her forehead, jaw, and neck. She will even eagerly follow Brenda around the training arena! Progress is still slow-going but for Peaches these small gestures are an enormous leap of faith and testament to learning to trust and forming a bond with Brenda.

As their journey continues we will update