The Lonely Little Horse

Spanky the mini horse used to bite and kick. Even the big horses on the ranch were scared of him, and sometimes he bit people. So Spanky’s owners decided that he could not stay. But who would take such a grumpy little horse? 

Luckily, Francesca Carsen was willing to give Spanky a chance. She brought him to her own ranch to see if she could find out what was bothering him. 

“Maybe someone is acting out because something is missing,” she says, “not because they want to act out.” 

Francesca decided to train Spanky. Perhaps he was just bored and needed exercise. If he could stop biting, then he could be with the other horses. 

Spanky is a mini horse. He used to bite and kick. The big horses on the ranch were scared of him. Sometimes he bit people. So Spanky’s owners decided that he could not stay at the ranch. But where could he go?

Luckily, Francesca Carsen wanted to give Spanky a chance. She took Spanky to her ranch. She wanted to see if she could find out why he was biting and kicking.

“Maybe someone is acting out because something is missing,” she says, “not because they want to act out.”

Francesca decided to train Spanky. Maybe he was just bored. Maybe he needed exercise. If he could stop biting, he could be with the other horses.

Spanky the mini horse used to bite and kick. Even the big horses on the ranch were scared of him, and sometimes he even bit people. So Spanky’s owners decided that he could no longer stay on the ranch. But who would adopt such a grumpy little horse?

Luckily, Francesca Carsen was willing to give Spanky a chance. She transported him to her own ranch to see if she could find out what was bothering him.

“Maybe someone is acting out because something is missing,” she says, “not because they want to act out.”

Francesca decided to train Spanky because maybe he was just bored and needed exercise. If he could stop biting, then he could live with the other horses.

At first, no one wanted Dally either. Dally was a little Jack Russell puppy. She was the runt of the litter. But Francesca liked her and took her home. 

At the ranch, the new puppy liked to watch Francesca train the mini horse. Then one day, something surprising happened. Dally the puppy joined in!

“I turned around one day, and she jumped up on a step stool and onto Spanky,” says Francesca.

As Dally sat on top of Spanky, Francesca was nervous. The horse might get upset. He might buck and make the dog fall off.

Dally was a little Jack Russell puppy. No one wanted her either. She was the smallest puppy. She was the runt of the litter. But Francesca liked her. She took her home.

The new puppy liked to watch Francesca and Spanky. One day, Dally surprised them. The pup joined in! 

“I turned around one day, and she jumped up on a step stool. Then she jumped onto Spanky,” says Francesca.

Dally sat on top of Spanky. It made Francesca nervous. The horse might get upset. He might buck and Dally might fall off.

At first, no one wanted Dally either. Dally, a little Jack Russell puppy, was the runt of the litter. But Francesca liked her and brought her home.

At the ranch, the new puppy liked to observe Francesca training the mini horse. Then one day, something surprising happened—Dally the puppy joined in!

“I turned around one day, and she jumped up on a step stool and onto Spanky,” says Francesca.

As Dally sat on top of Spanky, Francesca was nervous. The horse might get upset and he might buck, causing the dog to fall off.

But Spanky didn’t mind having the pup on his back. He didn’t buck or kick!

After that day, Spanky let the little dog sit on him when he walked around. He made sure Dally did not fall off. If the pup was losing her balance, Spanky slowed down. The grumpy mini horse became calm and careful now that he had a new friend.

“Dally was a friend that didn’t judge him,” says Francesca. “She just wanted to be with him.”

Francesca took the pair to horse shows. It made people happy to see a dog riding a horse! She wondered if she could train them to do tricks. But could two different animals really work together?

But Spanky didn’t mind! He let the pup sit on his back. He didn’t buck or kick!

After that day, Spanky let the little dog sit on him when he walked around. He made sure Dally did not fall off. Spanky slowed down if she started to fall. The grumpy horse became calm. He was careful now that he had a new friend.

“Dally was a friend that didn’t judge him,” says Francesca. “She just wanted to be with him.”

Francesca took the pair to horse shows. People were happy to see a dog riding a horse! She wondered if she could train them to do tricks. But could the different animals work together?

But Spanky didn’t mind having the pup on his back. He didn’t buck or kick!

After that day, Spanky allowed the little dog to sit on him whenever he walked around. He made sure Dally did not fall off. If he sensed the pup was losing her balance, Spanky slowed down. The grumpy mini horse became calm and careful now that he had a new friend.

“Dally was a friend that didn’t judge him,” says Francesca. “She just wanted to be with him.”

Francesca took the pair to horse shows, and it delighted people to see a dog riding a horse! She wondered if she could train them to do tricks. But could two different animals really work together?