Shortly after Nancy and her new husband, Rory, relocated to another state, she felt lost and missed her family. Knowing how much she loved horses, Rory encouraged her to adopt one. Reluctant because of the commitment involved, Nancy quickly changed her mind when she met Raji. She knew the minute she laid eyes on the chestnut colored Arabian that they were destined to be together.
At three and a half years old, Raji was green broke, meaning he was in the early stages of being tamed but was not yet ready to ride. Nancy thought the high-strung horse would be a good project. Having ridden horses since age 11, Nancy understood them well but continued to learn as much as she could since Raji would be the first horse for whom she was entirely responsible.
She was amazed by his intelligence. It was as though he had read the same horse-training books. He learned quickly and the two developed a close bond. One of Nancy’s favorite pleasures was taking him on sunset rides. Ever sensitive to his mistress, Raji would sometimes stop and look around at Nancy to ensure all was well.
A year after coming to live with Nancy, Raji contracted hives and had difficulty breathing. Nancy took him to UC Davis and learned that he was allergic to insect bites. The hives were systemic and it was suggested that Raji have a lung removed.
Hoping to avoid any drastic measures, Nancy relocated Raji to her father’s ranch in New Mexico where she visited often. It was winter when Raji arrived. He remained in New Mexico for the next six years until Nancy and Rory purchased their Northern California ranch. By then Raji’s health had stabilized but he was left with permanent breathing problems.
Having the California ranch meant that Nancy could tend to Raji herself on a daily basis. Raji needed to be kept completely free of insect bites, which was accomplished by covering him with fly sheets and a fly mask to discourage insects. She continued to ride him until eight years ago when he developed arthritis. Despite the money she has invested in caring for Raji over the past 28 years, Nancy says the biggest commitment with any horse is time.
“Horses are all legs and lungs. They love their freedom and that needs to be respected. Keeping a horse in a box (stall) until the human is ready to ride is wrong. Horses are not bicycles!” The commitment between Nancy and Raji has enriched both their lives.
Rory has often teased Nancy over the years that if Raji were a man, she would have run off with him. Nancy laughs...but she doesn’t deny it. Instead she demurely replies that she has two loves in her life and both names conveniently start with R.
by Elizabeth Sundstrom
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