My First Horse -
She was Injured.... |   How we found Amazing...

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Well, come Saturday, I had guessed pretty much everything, but nothing would prepare me for what came! Up the drive came a gray trailer. My mom said, "They're here!"

The trailer stopped and a lady got out, and said, "Hello!" She went around to the back of the trailer and asked a girl, who was just about my age, to please untie the mare. I found out girl's name was Page, and the mare inside was her mare, Miss Kathy.

When the horse got out I saw a beautiful 15 hand Morgan / Quarter horse. The only thing I saw wrong with her was that her right leg had been very badly injured and was in need of care.

For one year my mom, my little sister and I had to check her each morning, and every night.  My trainer, Linda Vogedes from the University of Nevada Equestrian Center,helped  me so much.  She wrapped her leg when we could not because it hurt her so much. The vet came.  Together we all helped her fight her way back to health.

The four seasons have passed and Amazing Grace, who's name was Miss Kathy is fine. She is evening jumping!

I love Amazing now more than ever. She is a challenge sometimes, and is even a little wild in nature.  I love her most because she listens and she is there when no one else is. She loves and trusts me. Sometimes she is the only one that helps me get through the day. She is my best friend.  And she loves to share a bran muffin with me on Saturday morning, and a bite of carrot in the afternoon.

My mare will never be a tall, eloquent 17-hand dashing Warmblood -- but in my eyes she is the most beautiful animal to grace the planet. And I will never sell her, hurt her or change my mind about being her owner.

I just want to say thank you to my mom (Dee), my trainers Linda Vogedes, Carol Hinckley and Jason Fish.  I also want to say a special thank you to Page and her mom for this wonderful horse. And I especially want to say "Thank You, Amazing, for not giving up, not dying and today - 5 years later -remaining an important part of my life."

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She went on to explain that "Miss Kathy" had once been a polo pony, and then after an injury, was turned into a schooling horse. She had bought her for her teenage daughter, but the horse had fallen and had re-injured her leg. They lived at Lake Tahoe and were in the middle of a re-model.  The  winter of 1993 was harsh and they didn't think "Miss Kathy" would make it.

I couldn't believe myself -- the words just came falling out of my mouth, "My daughter has been taking English Lessons at UNR for two years, and I think it's time she had her own mare."

For a moment -- I thought about being 13 and owning my own horse. She was called "Lady Taffy Dee." She was a beautiful Morgan mare, chestnut in color. I loved her so and  I still do.  She died of cancer when I was a teenager.   I remember how riding her  had changed my life.   I worked so hard to place first and second in Western Pleasure and Trail classes.   I simply felt this was something I had to do for my daughter.

I didn't know how I would do it.   I had just gone through a divorce and things were very hard, but I knew that this horse was meant to be part of our family.

I called Diana's trainer at UNR, Linda Vogedes, and she had a place for her.

That special Saturday came, and "Miss Kathy" was trailered down from Lake Tahoe.   It was such a warm and beautiful day in Reno, and she was so pretty. She made me think of my "Lady Taffy." Diana was excited and even her little sister Jessika was willing to pitch in and help her.

Amazing Grace, as we call her is still with us.  She is doing great and Diana uses her for trail and flat work when she isn't showing with Maplewood Stables on her hunter / jumper, Riley.

by Dee Beaugez  ( Diana's mom)