Charlie
Charlie was my first horse, and my heart horse — thirteen years together. He was a sweet boy with a rough past, and it took a long time to earn his trust. Once I had it, he'd follow me anywhere. He was sensitive, funny, and magnificently dramatic: a thrown shoe was a medical emergency, a fly was the end of the world. When he acted like royalty, I called him Sir Charles.
People used to say he was lucky to have found someone who'd put up with his antics. I don't think that's true. I think we were both lucky.
Charlie was boarded at a facility, and I always wanted him at home with me — I promised him that someday it would happen. He's gone now — but this sanctuary carries his name, and when the farm finally exists, he'll be there in spirit. He's the reason for all of this. I miss him.
