Benji - the horse that will always remain with me

your story kinda reminds me of mine, but mine wasn't quite so traumatic (that's another story, for another day though). There's something about Benji's face that is reminiscent of my Bobby's...
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thank goodness for a cold to disguise the tears!
 
Sorry I've been rubbish but for those of you who begged for some more... here it is

After a further 12 weeks of lunging, it was time for him to be 'backed'. I'd spoken to my 'team' who'd been with me from the start, i.e my vet, farrier, yard owner, Sophia. I'd been pretty adament from the start it would be me doing all the work with him, and after being assessed with him on the ground, it was agreed that would be the best way to proceed. I knew him well enough to know he might react sharply but I also knew he'd not do anything to deliberately harm me, as i him.

I started the morning as I always did, I hayed and watered him, fed him then mucked out, took him out and groomed him for a little while, he stood there being his usual good boy self, I knew then that he'd accept me 'laying' across his back, so I did. I walked to the tack room, asked Sophia to hold him for me and came back to him with my hat on.

Sophia gave me a mini leg up, and that was it. He stood there, didn't panic, didn't pull back, his ears forwards, happy as larry. Probably wondering what the hell i was doing on his back.

I was over the moon, he'd come right for me, and although we hadn't started ridden work, I was blessed to have such an amazing horse in my life...
 
With Benji being a prone to panicing as he was it was decided I would carry on 'laying' on him for a week, then I'd have the 'sit' on without tack at first just to see how he'd react initially.

The week flew past, and before I knew it I had under the watchful eyes of Sophia, my YO, the wonderful vet and a few others were watching. He'd become a bit of a star to those who'd met him. I lead him into the school and asked Sophia to hold him and my YO to give me a leg up, again, he shocked us by standing there and taking too it all like a duck takes too water. I had expected some sort of startled reaction from him, to the point where I'd worn a Body Protector (something I rarely did back then) but he didn't even flinch. I asked if they thought I should ask him to walk on, and they all agreed, waiting to see if he'd react, gently I squeezed his sides, and he responded, well if a little unsure of what I'd asked for, but as soon as he walked forward i told him what a good boy he'd been, he relaxed.

He's the only horse I'd ever felt 'at one with', and i've yet to meet another like him
 
I should have been getting up to typical yeenage girls things but instead I was fighting for this beautiful horses right to happiness - some still said i was mad for keeping him - and my own demons of self harm and anorexia.

I remember the day I got on him with a saddle like it was yesterday, he stood with his ears pricked whilst I tacked him up as if to say 'what are we doing today mammy' as usual I mounted in the school, this time I used the mounting block and after a couple of seconds of 'what the freak is that' he walked up to it like a lamb and stood there, I mounted carefully, and lowered myself slowly into the saddle, he moved sideways slightly whilst I found my other stirrup but he accepted me on his back. No nastiness in this horse. I asked him to walk forwards and turned him towards the central line - might aswell start as i mean to go on and all of that - then asked him to stop. I reached down and checked his girth, he fidgetted a little but nothing else. I walked him out onto the track and let him relax a little before collecting my reins and starting to bring in some change of rein exercises.

My vet called 'Fancy a little attempt at trotting', I shocked myself by instantly agreeing, it just felt right. I squeezed gently with my legs and he went forwards, a little jolt like a first but I was too soon discover how lovely a trot he had, I patted his soft neck and spoke to him softly. Two of the girls who'd slagged us off at the start stood there open mouthed as they watched us form, what was to go on to be the best partnership in my riding career, before there very eyes
 
Amazinggg , Pleaaaseeee tell more :) as i am now addicted to this thread! I love stories like this it really does show the bond! x Well done you have made my day for telling me this lovely story x
 
My vet said to me shortly after 'Millie, I don't know how you do this with these horses but keep going, your working miracles'. I later learnt that no-one expected me, a 14 year old girl with little experience in such situations, to be able to reach this 'broken' horse. Hell, my wonderful trustworthy vet thought the horse to be basically hopeless.

I was speaking to a girl at the yard who was having problems bonding with hers and she asked me how i'd done it and i simply asked 'do you love him?', she welled up when she realised that yes, she did infact love him but she was scared of him.

There was too be an in hand tack and turn out show at the yard next door and I had entered myself and Benji as a treat, I knew he'd enjoy being groomed, pampered and generally spoilt.

I spent hours bathing him, grooming him and making him look amazing, and he looked beautiful, his eyes sparkled as we entered the ring, he was a little on edge but he behaved perfectly. As the judges came round - having heard his story - they said 'you've done a great job, be proud'.

We didn't win but we're invited to go up and collect a special rossette for 'the best bond between horse and handler'. I was over the moon, and I cried as the judge pinned the rossette onto benjis bridle - months earlier he would have paniced at this but he stood there whilst the judge stroked his neck.
 
It was around my anorexia really took hold of me and I was sent to a psychotherapist, much to my disgust, I was told that if I didn't start eating I'd have to give up riding. That was my turning point, I knew that without me benji could easily end up in the wrong hands, that night at the yard as I sat in his stable and sobbed, I promised him I'd eat again, I loved him too much to risk him suffering.

Over the weeks that followed we started building a relationship during ridden work as well as on the ground, he was proving to be a right little character and would occasionally get a glint in his eyes just before I mounted that told me that session was about to become entertaining. He never did anything really naughty but loved to bunny hop down the long side.

After 4 weeks of ridden work the vet came out to see him, and bless the dear vet they sobbed when they saw just how far Benji, the half dead horse, had come. I was thanked for my kindness by the vet who said 'in the nicest possible way, i hope i never see you again' ...
 
Amazing. He was so lucky to have you and what a good boy to behave so well after all he had been through. I'm glad you started eating again, I bet Benji was to.
 
I had found the horse of my dreams, or rather he'd found me. That summer I spent hours sat in the field with him, reading a book or just talking softly too him. With time I barely needed a headcollar to catch him for he would just follow me to the gate as if to say 'ok, i know i've got to follow you now'.

We were still contending with the girls bitching about us but now they were bitching about us for an entirely different reason, they were jealous as hell. Them with their perfectly schooled, gleaming coated warmbloods ect, they may of had beautiful looking horses but there bonds were not a patch on what Benji and I had. One girl described me as the 'girl who whispers horses', and it wasn't said in a nice tone either.

I ignored them, as long as I had benji in my life, nothing else matter. He was my world, when things went right he was by my side celebrating the truimphs with me, when things went wrong, his mane was the only thing that felt my tears. He was never 'just a horse' to me, he was my family, best friend, soul mate, saviour all rolled into one, and I adored him.
 
Aww hun you are an inspiration to us all, sounds like you were meant to find eachother. (thats how i feel about my boy anyway) he well and truly landed on his hooves with you :) and you guys fixed each other! Do you think you will get another horse now? Lovely story, all the best hun x
 
* wips tear out of eye* Thats soo beautiful, it sound like something out of a book. I am so glad he found you, and you had many happy years together. R.I.P benji.
 
What an amazing horse benji is and what an amazing person you are. I have tears in my eyes but am also smiling at that gorgeous picture of Benji. What a beautiful horse. I don't know how people can treat a horse like that!! You are a true inspiration to everyone!! So sorry to hear that you have lost Benji.

R.I.P Benji, xxx

Definately more x
 
Unlike any other horses I've owned, Benji, loved to play with balls so I got him one of those 'kick-for-a-treat' things, and he would spend hours kicking it across his stable, almost like he was 'dribbling' it and I would get the most disgruntled look ever if I dared to remove it. I used to spend time sat in the corner of his stable on an upturned water bucket just watching him, he paid my presence no mind thankfully, and would often kick it towards me and come for a fuss. That was just one of his many slightly quirky behaviours, the other girls continued to laugh at us.

He'd gone from a broken, ill handled, half dead horse to a beautiful, sensitive, kind alive horse, you'd think that would have been enough to make others shut up, but no, the more alive he became, the worse they got - jealously isn't attractive!

My vet paid us one of his regular visits whilst I was 'schooling' him - I say schooling as it wasn't really we we're just enjoying ourselves to much - and it was commented on that he had a 'very nice behind for jumping', I didn't think much of this as I was just happy he was alive but one morning as I groomed him, I thought 'freaking heck, they've got a point' and rang my vet to see if he thought he'd be up for some loose jumping, he said 'well give it ago' so I set up a tiny little cross pole and off we went, I lead him up too it and he sniffed it then looked at me as if too say 'what on earth are we doing now' but once he was okay with the jump and I asked him to go over it, he flew over it, although he stumbled on landing but recovered quickly. I watched in awe.

His ears were pricked, his feet were prancing and he looked happy. I sobbed as I watched him take to the air, my much trusted friend said 'Bloody nora, you've got your self a star there'. I just couldn't believe it. And as I stood with his head on my shoulder I really took stock of just how much of an amazing horse I had in my wake.

Benjis favourite thing in the world was hacking, and he loved every second of it, although he could be incredibly spookey, once I'd put a reassuring hand on his neck, he would go forwards and ignore whatever was trying to eat him that day. As someone who was previously terrified of hacking, we bonded on those short hacks up the country lanes, me trusting him to get me home safe, and him trusting me not to lead him to danger. I fell in love all over again
 
What a fantastic story, I am really sorry to hear to you lost him :( RIP You gave him the best 6 years of his life you are a true inspiration to have turned him around at just 14. You were meant for each other. You write about him and your life together beautifully.
 
Oh no, can't believe I've just found and read 9 pages and there are no more! More please!

Bet there isn't a dry eye in the house... I got as far as page 4 before I welled up .
 
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