When I came to the ranch 2 1/2 years ago I probably needed rescuing as much as the horses did. I had moved to New Mexico in 2015 after life had left me a widow and my career as a professional classic dancer rendered me practically immobile. Life then threw me another curve; I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A fabulous team of doctors fixed me physically but there was something missing, the passion I had, not just for dancing, but for life when I was a performer. I thought about what made me happy before I became a dancer and my memoires brought me back to my youthful infatuation and love with horses. Like any good little east coast girl I rode, what I now call “perfect little ponies” and took ballet class.

Of course, as a WNCR volunteer, I wanted to work with the horses but I also wanted to make some friends outside the dance community, which would be a first for me. What I didn’t realize was that my new best forever friend would have four legs. One October day, I was at the ranch grooming, walking horses and doing ranch chores like everyone else, when three new horses arrived. One little guy caught my eye. He had been abandoned, was grossly underweight, and I later came to discover, most likely abused. We seemed to gravitate toward one another even though it was a little one-sided on my part at first. He spent his first months in the barn as ranch manager Ashley Snider did her magic to restore his health. We spent many an hour together in his stall as I groomed and talked to him. We both were slowly gaining trust in each other. He was a funny little horse, never lifting his head from his hay bag. Then one day as I walked into the barn he lifted his head out of his hay bag and nickered to me – the beginning of the bond. Time passed and he was on the road to recovery. I was ecstatic when I was told he had gained enough weight and I could take him on walkabouts.

In the meantime, classes were getting under way for WNCR’s first Adopt-a-thon. I started honing my horse handling skills with another horse because “my guy” was physically not up to snuff yet. It was a blustery March day when Ashley told me that he was now fully recovered and asked if I would like to compete in the adopathon with that funny little Arabian. She said, “I don’t know if he knows how to lunge, but why don’t you go see.” I did and he did.

He was no longer that docile recovering guy; he was a sassy true-to-form Arab who could not stand still for a New York minute. With help from Ashley, Kendra Werner and later Ann Lacy, my little Arab and I worked through “our issues” and the bond became impenetrable. I started sponsoring him in November 2018; this general sponsorship turned into an exclusive sponsorship. It was a sunny day in May 2019, Laurice Chappell approached us and told me that someone was interested in him and wanted to see him. I had a decision to make. As I looked into his eyes my heart fell. It was then and there I knew we had rescued each other and had become inseparable.

It has been a year half since we officially became a family. Most of you know the rest of the Cloud and Suellen love story.

And so the story continues; after 40+ years of not riding, I am back in the saddle. Cloud and I are exploring the world of “at liberty” work. I don’t know where this journey will take us but I can tell you, we are joyfully moving forward, dancing through life together – forever.

- Suellen Haag

From My Eyes To His