Nahlea's Story is Our Story.
A Painful Goodbye, A Grateful Heart
2023 began with one of the hardest days of my life—saying goodbye to my beloved horse, Nahlea. She was more than just a horse; she was my greatest friend, my adventure partner, and a soul who shaped me in ways I never expected.
Our bond was —a deep, generous trust and love that pushed me to grow as a rider and as a person. Without her spirited nature, I might never have sought to advance my skills or create Eques Pante. Some animals change your life forever. Nahlea was one of them.
A Rough Beginning: The Foal Who Shouldn't Have Survived
At just three months old, Nahlea was sold to a "meat man," loaded onto a truck bound for Mexico, crammed among sheep and goats. Malnourished, untamed, and terrified.
A rescue volunteer intercepted the truck and saved her from that grim fate. How she ended up at that auction, I'll never know. But I'm forever grateful she was given a second chance.
I met Nahlea in a dry dusty lot in Southern California with active, loud train tracks very close by. Having grown up in England and always having horses in the countryside among trees and rolling hills, this for me was an unfamiliar environment for a horse but there was something about meeting this little red filly that made me want to get to know her.
Building Trust, Building Bonds
On our second meeting, she saw me from across the pasture and came galloping toward me with an abrupt stop. She was curious and had such a sweet eye. That night, I had a conversation with my partner about buying Nahlea but being hesitant as she was so very young, he said "buy her, you guys will have a great relationship." His words couldn't have been more perfect.
It took me a while to gain her trust. I went slow, meeting her twice a day for short periods. Some days we would make great progress and others she did not want to know but I knew she wanted to bond, she just wanted to take her time. Once I gained her trust she followed me everywhere.
From Rescue to Inspiration
Although mentally Nahlea was doing much better, physically her rough start caught up. She needed surgery and rehab. I was nervous about her being so far from me after surgery as the rehab was four months and eight hours drive but it felt necessary to get her the best surgeon and rehab time for success.
The pandemic really pushed me to start designing and creating Eques Pante. In 2020 when the hair and makeup business I had worked so hard building, stopped, like so many of us, I was in a state of panic. To keep my sanity I needed to put pen to paper.
My first ride with the prototype was wonderful. I felt comfortable, relaxed and so happy I had found the solution. I thought well, even if no one else agrees I have found something I can enjoy my passion and that'd be good enough for me!
Reflection.
Science tells us energy is not destroyed, it merely changes form. I live in the hope someday I will experience Nahlea's sweet and fun spirit again. But, I have our memories and all the lessons she brought me. With all this comes reflection of how lucky I was she chose me and I her. What's more, I have a brand to build and riders to reach.