Our horse Thunder is unique and special.

Thunder has a brand on the left side of her neck.

Just recently a family asked about our horse Thunder. They wanted to know if our horse Thunder was the same horse that they used to call Buffalo Gal because their horse Thunder was from Buffalo, Wyoming.

I have directed these folks to our blog. In fact, I am happy to say that because there is a search button in the top right corner of the blog, it is easy to trace Thunder's history at Sprucelands, at least since 2007 when the blog began.

If you try searching stories about her, you will see how she has aged over the years. She is still very spunky and probably one of the most popular horses in the barn during summer camp and spring/fall clinics. I do give her the coldest winter months off though because she gets a little spunky for riding lessons. That is her time to just enjoy being the mustang she was born to be.

There are all kinds of stories about Thunder. The first story we know about is how she was trained by prisoners. I always tell anyone who works with her that she is totally trustworthy. Yet she keeps a watchful eye on you because she doesn't totally trust you. I also make a point that there is a lot of goodness in prisoners. Thunder is a living example of the solid training and good care they gave her.

Interesting 'do'! Thunder is so patient.
You can see under her forelock how she is turning white.

When Thunder first came to us, she was very skittish about her back end. She was nervous when being approached from behind. Even pats on her backside were a reason to move away. At times she would spook a tiny bit. So we worked with her. Now she is foolproof quiet.

I remember the day we went to pick her up from where we bought her. She was in a pasture with sheep, goats, miniature ponies, chickens, and more. As we talked with Thunder's owner, there was a pesky miniature trying to mount her. While she was tolerant, I wondered if some of her nervousness came from his persistence. Today that nervousness is gone.

Two other things scared Thunder. One was fly spray. The other was the vet. It has been a lot of years at Sprucelands now though and the fly spray piece has been resolved. We can spray her just fine. And believe it or not, she stands perfectly still for vet procedures.

I think the handling she gets from our wonderful campers is the trick. She loves being pampered. They brush and braid her thick mane and tail. Sometimes the results aren't totally flattering but she accepts their love and gives hers back.

Kids like to 'just be' with Thunder. It's fun to watch.

We purchased Thunder from a woman who was ill with cancer. Apparently, she knew she couldn't keep up with her animals so was selling them. She was very sad about seeing Thunder go because she loved Thunder very much. I am happy to report that Thunder has been an integral part of our school horses all these years, a recipient of affections that connect horse and rider, soul to soul.

As I look at Thunder's papers, she was captured in Buffalo Creek in October 1988. At the time, the papers indicate she was three years old. That makes her 26 this year. I'm guessing that's why our dear Thunder is turning white under that lovely black mane of hers. She's getting up there. You would never know it though. She does trails, jumps and consistently carries her beloved riders to infinity and beyond. This is one little pony that makes a huge difference to anyone who loves her. We are so happy she is in our life.

Comments? Love hearing from you.