The Sweetest Horse & Rider Pair
Nala is truly the kind of horse every girl needs in their life!
When Allison reached out to me to be photographed with her horse, I was as equally as excited as she was, because this was a story I couldn't wait to photograph and share with the world. When the simple and powerful words of "she is always there for me" comes out of a rider's mouth my heart jumps for joy as they are exactly the horse and rider pair I want to have in front of my camera. Where the story is full of love at first sight, disbelief she found this sweet barrel racing horse, and everyday love, filled with hugs, funny faces, and nickers, this is every girls dream, a heart horse!
You wouldn't know it when you first meet Nala because of her sweet disposition but she is a trained barrel racing horse. However, in Allison's words "she doesn't act like it", which is exactly on point. In Allison's words, she said, "This barrel horse is a 14 year old registered quarter horse mare, on her fathers side she is judge cash bred, and her mothers side she is easy jet bred. She is a chestnut mare with a flaxen mane and tail and a big white blaze. While Nala is a trained barrel horse, she doesn't act like the typical barrel horse. Nala is calm most of the time, and allows me to take her on trail rides, and I have gone to cattle events with her. She is the sweetest mare I have ever been around, and the most athletic horse I have ever owned."
Allison's horse melts her heart by being the first animal to greet her when she comes home from nursing school or work. "I walk out to her field when I pull up to my house and she immediately comes over to me and puts her head over my shoulder, and lets me pet her for as long as I need to. I truly believe that when she does this its her version of giving me a hug. She also does this thing with her lips where she will smile at you and show her teeth to you. She just makes my heart melt every time I look at her. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to chase my dreams on such an athletic and well bred mare," Allison said. Every horse has a favorite treat and Nala loves molasses cookies from Purina. They are her absolute favorite treat.
When you have a favorite memory of your horse you know they are your best friend. Allison said her favorite memory of her horse is when she went to their first barrel race. "I had done time-only practice barrel races with Nala previously, but time onlies are nothing like the real thing. I turned Nala off the wall to head to the first barrel and my fiance has me on video with my voice cracking yelling whoaa whoaaa... she scared me coming into the first barrel. We laugh about it now but my first run on her I was basically just holding on and trying to stay in the middle of her... She continues to impress me with her athleticism every time I ride her," Allison mentioned.
When your horse makes you feel like you have a purpose and doing something right, you know you have a heart horse that loves you. Allison said "My horse makes me feel like I have a purpose, and like I'm doing something right. Nala has gotten me through a really hard time in my life. My nursing program was cancelled in my first semester because of covid. I had worked so hard to get into this program and to make progress towards my dreams of working in trauma as an RN and it all got ripped away from me in a matter of a couple weeks due to covid. It was heartbreaking, I was sad and depressed and emotional. I cried into Nala's shoulder more than I'd like to admit. I'm back in school now and everything is going a lot better this time around. I am so thankful that I know no matter how hard of a day I have had I always have Nala waiting for me when I get out of school."
Having a horse like Nala who brings up the best feelings, like just knowing they are always there for you no matter what day of the week it is or whether you want to ride or just want to get those precious hugs and kisses from them. Allison adds "She knows when I have a hard day and I just need a shoulder to cry on. Nala has truly become my best friend and my favorite girl."
Nala is Allison's "best friend and her favorite girl"! Nothing tops this bond! I'm incredibly blessed for meeting this wonderful, hard working young lady and her sweet horse, and I hope you have or will find a heart horse and have a story just like this to share the world, because horses really are the best.
