WHF Youth Rider Profile ~Maida~

I found Maida, at the local market, of all places. She was working there during summer. The lovely shy young girl caught my eye; she was petite and a natural beauty, without extra make up , tattoos or body piercing, bright intelligent eyes chestnut hair in a pony tail. What really captured my attention is; she radiated kindness. She never said much just smiled a lot until one day she asked me what kind of horses did I have? She didn't have to ask me twice the flood gate opened and I told her just about everything about my beloved Mustangs. Then I asked, and do you have a horse? She said oh no, just Ponies, with a shy smile. Ponies are great I replied, some of my best SPMustangs are Pony sized. Her eyes got big and asked if she could come over to see them? Of course I said.....you can even ride them if you wish, since it's just me right now. As I was leaving, she called after me, may I bring my sister, she loves horses too and she is the same size, she is my twin. Oh boy, I felt like I hit the jackpot, two petite, good riding girls! One never knows the treasures to be found in a small country market. The rest is history......this was a couple of years ago, and I adore "my twin girls"! The Mom, Wendy is an excellent farrier, so this was meant to be. Maida and Robin proved invaluable help towards the final months of my best friend, and soul mate Montana. The last two weeks we had to help him up every morning, and Maida slept with her phone and rushed over no matter how early it was....just to help old Monte. Some mornings Robin came and even their Dad pitched in. After I had to say farewell to Montana, the girls left a single rose at the doorstep with a box of herbal tea and a lovely card with comforting words to ease my pain. I was truly touched by their genuine kindness. They came and helped with paddock cleaning, and riding those "Mustang Ponies" and falling in love with them. Maida bought a brand new halter for Blackie and an endurance saddle from her hard earned money. She wrote an essay at school about the perils of the Wild Horses and Burros out on our Public Ranges. I had a good chuckle on that one; Maida called me to ask some more questions for her essay, then she ads, ".....well I was going to interview the BLM jerks in Palomino Valley, but ran out of time...." She also accompanied me last September, when I was picking up Misty, the beautiful Grulla mare, I bought for the famous Calico Stallion, Lightning. Misty was Lightning's mare in the wild, and I felt there is no greater gift, next to Freedom of course, then being able to reunite a Wild Horse with his "family". For Maida it was an unforgettable experience. Just now WHF is experiencing real difficult times, and when we were contacted by a fellow SPMustang rescue person in Oregon, to help saving an elderly mare and her 12 yrs old son from uncertain fate, I was agonizing having to say no, due to luck of funds. What was tearing my heart apart was, the fact that the elderly mare was a Daughter of our beloved Foundation stallion, Anasazi! Here I was, having saved so many other horses, and now I can't save the one who is "family"? Here comes the touching part, where Maida came to the rescue......with the zeal and faith of the young, she said we can do it, I will pick up an extra job and we can fund raise and I apply for the "Lido Fund" (....a small rescue fund with very limited finances) and she rattled off dozens of "great ideas" all in one breath. This sure touched my heart, here is this young girl, who is actually practicing what WHF is all about; "Saving Mustangs with the help of the Youth..."  Maida is in the process of orchestrating her very first "Rescue Mission"! She is doing all the phone calls, correspondence and coordinating with transport, arranging for Coggings & H.Cert. funding, and the owner of the horses, who is "just not doing enough...." according to Maida LOL.  I volunteered my time and our rig to meet the transport in Eugene, Oregon, for the cost of gas....thus save some money. I also told her she could keep the horses here at the ranch for the cost of feed and she'll come and clean for them. I wish WHF could do more. Maida is all excited to have her very own SPMustang and will finish training the younger one with the help of a young friend, and she wants to campaign it in endurance to promote the Mustangs! WHF feels truly fortunate and is proud to have Maida to sit on our Board of Directors!