“I decided it was time for a horse and always had a soft spot for paints so the search began.  Buttercup is inherently sweet, and she was so thin, fresh scars across her face and hips and a defeated look in her eye.  She took the bit and I rode her bareback around the pen. I could tell she was green but that didn't matter I've been on horses most of my life.  It was the way she followed when we were all done sniffing my hand, nudging me that sealed the deal.  This horse needed me and within less than an hour she was willing to give me her trust if I would just take the time to help her,  As I said my heart was leading.

It soon became apparent that Buttercup wasn't like the other horses I've had.  They were all hot heads who needed to collect themselves, to slow down and focus.  Buttercup however would rather stand around and look pretty than do any real work.  She has been given mixed signals, been asked to go and then pulled back when she did.  She would bunch her muscles, raise her head to full height and flail her feet every which way when she tried to guess what I was asking.  Every session was reduced to frustration on both our parts,  I looked into training, however, she'd been through so much recently and we were trying so hard to make good experiences, I was afraid moving her again and sending her to somewhere else may have negative effects.  I scoured the internet for a trainer that would come to her to no avail.  Meanwhile, our training sessions kept leaving us dirty and sweaty and frustrated. I was at the end of my rope, feeling that I was too inexperienced to do for this horse what she needed.  She certainly wasn't turning out to be what I needed and selling was looming ever closer.  I was sad and I opened my facebook and saw Amanda's ad.  I contacted her immediately though I was finding it hard to hold onto hope.  I'm pretty particular with my animals. I've spent a lifetime building relationships based on trust and love, making partnerships. 

The first thing I noticed was her core of gentleness, her soft way of relating to another living soul.  As I watched her with Buttercup I also noticed that she is pretty no nonsense.  She corrects the silly behaviour without hard dominance, she puts the horse in the position to make the right choice without feeling forced.  It's been a couple of weeks and my Buttercup is a different, more confident mare.  She makes her transitions smoothly, she understands what she's asked and is starting to want to do the right thing.  Today, after several long months of ownership I felt that thing... that connection, that partnership that comes when rider and horse become one.  We still have a ways to go, but with Amanda on our team I know Buttercup and I will have a long and amazing relationship.”

— K. Brooks, Buttercup’s Mom