We bred and raised Bambi. With about 45 rides on her as a 2 year old, she was reserve high point all around horse at a horse show we had taken her to. She was super easy to start under saddle, and retained training so easily. After about 60 rides, we turned her back out to pasture and be a horse again.
She enjoyed resuming training as a 3 year old. Training was focused on basic training, and letting her trot at her own speed around a barrel pattern. At 4 & 5 years of age, Bambi enjoyed trail riding, and entering some barrel racing futurities, where she won $$. Unfortunately Bambi picked up pigeon fever at barrel racing finals as a 5 year old. Due to the location of her abscesses, Bambi became quite ill, and spent almost a month at our large animal veterinarians hospital. Her abscesses were in areas near her heart and lower lung lobe. Bambi recovered from the painful and dreadfully long process. She continued to be under the close supervision of our treating horse vet, and Bambi regularly had ultrasounds of affected areas to oversee healing/progress and PEMF treatments throughout affected areas. One of Bambi’s lower lobe lungs did show some scar tissue. Because of this, our vet advised that Bambi not return to explosive speed events like barrel racing, as her lung capacity MIGHT not be 100 percent. To add insult to injury, we had strangles go through several horses on my property. Bambi quickly and fully recovered from the strangles.

Since then, Bambi has continued to enjoy carrying flags in parades. She is pretty much unflappable in parades, even with scary, loud entries behind her. She and my daughter learned how to throw breakaway roping ropes together. Bambi stood like a statue while my daughter practiced throwing the rope onto a plastic steers horns. She has given some riding lessons to experienced riders. Bambi was really good with the kids, but like most horses, I feel Bambi would not enjoy that job on a regular basis. I don’t blame her. Most horses don’t want that job either.

My daughter and Bambi have enjoyed miles and miles of trails together. In 2025, Bambi was bred, and had a lovely gray filly in April of this year.
It was about 2 years since Bambi had not been ridden while on maternity leave. My daughter brushed Bambi, put her tack in and got in Bambi with zero lunging. Bambi acted like she had not missed a day of riding, and at that time her foal was running around the arena like a Wild child as Her mom was being ridden. Bambi could not have been any better for her first ride back. Her lack of fitness was obvious. She was really out of shape.

Her foal was weaned about 6 weeks ago, and Bambi and my daughter have been doing lots of trail riding. Bambi can lead or follow on the trail. If horses get far ahead of her, she does not panic. She quietly continues doing whatever speed my daughter asks her to do. She is more of a Sunday Drive kind of trail horse, not a speed demon. She ties and trailers great.