“Wound up and always ready to go, Natalie would probably be happiest if she could gait and run for miles every day,” notes Jule Drown. Here, the duo sets out on a ride.

A high-strung reject, my little mare Paso Fino, Natalie Bravo, didn’t become a trail-horse success overnight. My horse has certainly earned her nickname, La Loca (“the crazy one”). She’s proven that some hard-to-handle, spirited horses can become good trail mounts for certain riders under the right conditions.

When a large Paso Fino breeding ranch in California needed to reduce its stock, then 5-year-old Natalie was sold to a Paso Fino trainer in Tucson who worked at the farm where I boarded. Although Natalie gaited well, I’m sure she was sold because of her small size (about 750 pounds) and nervous disposition.

Natalie probably takes after her maternal great-grandsire, Hilachas. In 1968, he was selected by an American as the best stallion available to be imported to the United States from Colombia. His offspring had the finest gait and conformation in his home country, one renowned for its Paso Finos. In America, the stallion’s new owner discovered he was very temperamental and almost impossible to ride; from then on, Hilachas was used exclusively for breeding.

A ‘Little Pistol’
At the Paso Fino farm in Tucson where I boarded my first Paso Fino horse, poor Natalie seemed to be overlooked by everybody but me. The trainer who’d bought her was too busy to work her, so day in and day out she stood in a little stall receiving no exercise.

Every horse deserves to move about, especially a spirited horse like Natalie. I took pity on her and approached the trainer, who consented to let me do groundwork exercises. Pleased that I was giving Natalie attention, the trainer soon invited me to ride Natalie while he ponied her. I doubted I could ride the little pistol. I was thrilled when I found I could stay on Natalie while she was being ponied. I could actually ride this challenging horse! Soon, I was venturing out for short rides in the arena and on the trail. 

I enjoyed Natalie not only because she was sweet-natured, but also because she was turning me into a much better rider. I bought her, and the past three years have been a heck of a ride!

Wound up and always ready to go, Natalie would probably be happiest if she could gait and run for miles every day. She’s spooky, claustrophobic, and sometimes difficult to keep calm. The whole time she’s ridden, her lower lip bobs up and down from nervousness. When she gets the least bit anxious, she throws her head up and down or from side to side, twisting her bit, bridle, and rider.

Painful Times
Two bad riding experiences with Natalie stand out. The first was when she became inpatient while trail riding behind a slower horse on a narrow desert trail. Refusing to be held back, she forged off the trail to pass the horse in front. In her haste, she accidentally lunged right into cactus. I stayed on as she leaped with pain and fear right into another cactus patch!  Another time, I was riding Natalie alone when the wind came up, and it started to sprinkle. Absentmindedly, I unwrapped my rain jacket from around my waist and started to put it on. Natalie spun around lightning fast as the jacket ballooned out in the breeze. I was flung off, my right hand hitting the hard ground first. I managed to stand up, then looked in amazement at my right hand drooping uselessly, wrist broken.

I’m proud that I remounted Natalie, who was still dancing around in wide-eyed fright, using my good left hand. I rode back to the stable to find someone to take me to the emergency room. The break was so bad, my wrist required surgery. For two months, I was forced to groundwork Natalie and my gelding, Alegro, until I could resume riding.

The Payoff
My husband worries about what Natalie may do to me and more than once has suggested I sell her. But Natalie stays with me. I’m stubborn, love a good challenge, and my horses are family members forever. And three years with a devoted owner, regular exercise, some training, and a favorable living environment are actually beginning to pay off.

To my surprise, I’ve begun receiving compliments from other riders about my awesome trail horse — Natalie. Yes, Natalie! How has she gained their respect? Experienced riders who aren’t put off by a horse with an abundance of energy are impressed by tiny Natalie’s ability to step out, her willingness to always go, and her toughness. Rocky trails, steep trails, going shoeless, kicks from other horses — nothing stops her.

I’ve tried to help Natalie relax through nutritional changes. The calming homeopathic remedy that helped Alegro seemed to have no effect on Natalie. I’ve switched her from alfalfa to grass hay, and provide concentrates. A trained herbalist recently persuaded me to give Natalie a special equine calming treatment with chamomile, hops, and valerian.

I sense that Natalie is less tense and performing more reliably on the trail, because she’s more content than ever before. She likes her daily routine of feeding and turnout. She enjoys working off her inherent excess energy with regular exercise. She’s learning to be more respectful. She adores my gelding and yearling colt (although she has a love/hate relationship with the colt’s dam). She’s always eager to go on a ride, just us two or with neighborhood friends.

The crazy little La Loca mare, Natalie, is turning out well after all.

Jule Drown can usually be found with her horses, if she’s not asleep or at work in Tucson, Arizona. Her e-mail address is juledrown@juno.com