Horse fever can strike anyone, at anytime in life. However, little girls seem to be the most susceptible. Brambles (the pony pictured), created a horse fever for one little girl would prove to last a lifetime.
Brambles carried away all her worries every time she climbed on his back. He kept her safe as she raced across pastures and swam with him through creeks. He taught her qualities she could never learn sitting in a desk at school. He was her life and how she preferred
to spend her days.
Eventually, life happened. Brambles was sold and the little girl's childhood dream came to an abrupt end. He left her life, but he never left her heart. Many years later while driving down a local road, the little girl (who was now an adult with her own children) spotted a pony grazing in a pasture.
Horse fever took over and she knew she had to take a closer look. As she approached the pasture, the pony came running towards her. He had the same distinct coloring and blaze, and also the same spot on his side. Long story short, that pony in the pasture was Brambles. After a few phone calls, she was able to buy him back and bring him home. Brambles continues to reside in his “little girls” front pasture. He can no longer be ridden and his face has a bit more white, but he will always be her childhood dream. One glance at Brambles and she is instantly taken back to her childhood days.
The veterinary field is challenging - mentally, emotionally, and physically. The heartwarming story of Brambles is an excellent reminder of why we love what we do. Everyday we get to witness the impact that animals have on lives and the lifetime bonds that people create with them. These animals cannot speak, but yet they still have the power to teach us qualities like patience, humility and unconditional love.
While we have only been a small part of Brambles journey, he still holds a very special place at Countryside. He is our model of unconditional love and he is also considered to be our oldest patient. In 2003 Dr. Myers estimated Brambles to be 32 years old. Based on this estimation, now in 2017 Brambles is considered to be 46 years old!
