Jimmy's Story

by Dani
(Wisconsin)

My name is Dani and I am the proud owner of a 9 year old Arabian, Welsh cross. Now, I would just like to make sure everyone is aware that before you read our story, it may not be one of the most inspirational stories but it does have meaning to me. My pony's name is Jimmy and he’s a 15 hand dapple grey. My parents bought him for me for my Christmas present in 2011.

When he was first donated to the camp, with his half brother and where I ride, he was 5 years old and an unpredictable menace. He would buck and rear as soon as you asked for more than a slow trot. He could throw some bucks that you would see on the TV when professional bull riders are on. One of the older girls started riding him and she rode him for about 3 years. Her name is Rachel and she is about 4 years older than me and I idolized her and I remember wishing that I could ride like her. I used to ride all the old push button, school ponies and that’s where I learned to ride but I always wanted some sort of challenge. Something I could word towards and have a goal. I wanted Jimmy.

My wish was granted in September of 2009. Rachel was gone off to college and Jimmy was just eating, pooping and sleeping in the pasture. He had no purpose and my instructor decided I would be the person to give him a function. He was still bucking and rearing once and a while. My parents didn’t mind because my reputation with a glue butt was growing. It seemed that I could sit on a horse very well. As I walked out to the pasture I was in awe. I was finally going to ride my dream. I was going to ride Jimmy. When I was grooming him in his stall he was mildly interested in the little girl that was buzzing around him like a bumble bee. The first time I sat on his back I felt at home. He was my Pegasus taking me away from all my problems. When I was on his back the only thing I am able to think of is him. He keeps me on my toes every time I ride him because if I’m not all there then he’ll go back to his old ways. The past 2 years I had been riding him he had improved amazingly and has stopped going rodeo (mostly).

The first huge improvement we saw was when I took him cross country and he only bucked once and nothing else happened. He was a perfect gentleman. It seemed like my work was starting to pay off. However there was a down side, my instructor had begun to notice that he was bucking less, getting round and had a beautiful gate. She started having others ride him because he was still considered a great horse, however only Rachel and I had ridden him for the past 4 years. He didn’t like a bunch of different people riding him. He was more of a one or two person horse. It had broken my heart to see others riding him and I couldn’t do a thing about it because he wasn’t my horse. Ever hear of an 11:11 wish? Well every single night I would stay up and use my wish on Jim. Wishing that he was mine, he was always the first thing on my Christmas and Birthday lists. I wore my parents down enough I guess, because on December 25, 2011 my parents presented me with the Bill of Sale for Jimmy. It was the happiest day of my life.
Dani


Hi Dani,
What a wonderful story and such a happy ending! You just proved to all of us that dreams really can come true!
Happy trails to you and Jimmy,
Elaine