I have been showing Peruvian horses for the past 15 years, and while I have thoroughly enjoyed it, over the past couple of years the joy for me just wasn’t quite there anymore and I felt like something was missing. In 2017, I adopted a yearling BLM Oregon Mustang but knew it would be a few years before I could ride him, so I just started browsing some local horse pages to see what was out there. I had been thinking about adopting from a rescue, as I’ve always been called a horse whisperer and knew I could provide a good home for a horse in need.

Well after several months, I saw a paint mare pop up on a local Facebook page, but things had changed in my life and I had stopped looking to buy another horse for the time being. Something about her caught my eye and I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Another couple of months went by and once again I saw her ad come up, and I just knew it was a sign. On a spur of the moment decision my mom and I went to go see her at the rescue she was at, and I got her full story. She was an orphan foal that they had rescued who had a severe nose injury (she still has a bump on her nose from it), and a slight club foot. Nevero has been adopted out twice and returned for being “aggressive” towards people. After getting her story, we went and caught her (she came right up to us), took to the round pen and they let me take my time to get to know her. I knew right away she was my next horse and she was not aggressive at all. All she wanted was love and attention.

Ever since I was a child, my mom and I have wanted a paint, and while we bred our mare for one several times, all we ever got was chestnuts. We both felt like this was a sign from up above that Nevero was meant to be with me. I have had her now for four months and she has been nothing but a dream. I have used her in parades, drill team practice, trail rides and my “therapy” sessions when I’m having a bad day. Nevero has brought the joy of horses back to me that I thought I had lost a couple of years ago, that part that I felt was missing. I found her at a rescue and she is a breed that I have never had in my life, but boy am I glad I found her! I am probably going to adopt another horse from the same rescue in the near future.

What #RightHorse means to me

The right horse for me is having a horse you can go to no matter kind of day you are having, and by just spending 5 minutes with them your day can be turned around. I truly believe in the power of therapy horses, but not everyone connects with every horse.