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Cast
Listed in order of frequency of appearance

A Fat Girl (Amanda)

Photo credit S. Neal Photography

I am a 1985 edition, residing in Atlantic Canada. Current body measurements (June 2013) - 5'11" tall, size 12 feet, 260ish pounds. I am built like a linebacker and even if I were to lose a significant amount of weight, will likely always be in the double digit clothing sizes, but that's completely okay with me.

I am new to the body positivity movement and even newer to some of the feminist ideas that have been floating around in my head lately. I tend to put my foot in my mouth most of the time (in fact, my mother has told me that I am the only person she knows who can still walk with both feet in her mouth!) due to strong emotional responses. I grew up with horses, and never used to think about my weight - at my highest, 325lbs, I was still riding. I love pink, and ice cream, and long walks with the dog. 



A Fat Horse (Bronwyn)

As far as we know, Bronwyn is a 2004 edition draft cross - nobody is sure what breeds she is composed of. Current body measurements (June 2013) - approximately 15-15.1hh tall, 1300ish pounds. She is just like me, built solid - and even at her most svelte and athletic state, will likely still be a fat horse.

She is a pretend dressage pony but a true trail horse who will go in whatever direction you point her. The first few years of her life have pretty sketchy details but included malnutrition, birth and death of a foal, and four homes in less than six months. When she got to me, she was unhalterbroke, afraid and still a bit skinny (though definitely not as skinny as when she was pulled out of the original home). She loves to work, especially if there is a food reward involved, but is unwaveringly loyal (unless she thinks you need to eat a piece of humble pie) regardless. She will always be what I call "spinny" - regardless of exposure, there are still things that frighten her, and I think she will always be that way - and I can live with it. 


Angel (2000-2006)


She has been gone longer than she was ever here, but she needs to be mentioned. I consider Angel to be the driving force behind many aspects of my life. If she had never existed, and I had never lost her, I would never have found Bronwyn - and this blog would probably never have existed. I lost her to colic in 2006 when Rex (see below) was almost 5 months old.

Though I had grown up with horses, if I had never met Angel, I probably wouldn't have a horse or even care about them now. There aren't enough words to express how much I miss her every day, or how difficult it was to heal the pain of losing her and come to the understanding that it played out exactly how it was supposed to, but the entry The Horse That Changed Your Life is a pretty good place to start to understand it.


Rex (AKA Sexy Rexy or Rexy Perplexy)

Photo credit Scuffed Boots Photography

Rex is a pretty special guy - a 2006 model, he remains my link to his mama. He will be coming into the forefront as I become reacquainted with him over this summer after living away and having Bronwyn boarded out. Now that I have her back at the family farm, where he is, he is finally "someone's horse" again. He has had a couple of rides and has the same level headed, unflappability that his mother had, most of the time.


Ari

Photo credit Maria Casey

Ari is my other offspring of Angel, who went to her true forever home in 2011. As a need was seen when I met Bronwyn, I saw where she was needed somewhere else, and I have not regretted it for a day since as she is loved and doted on by a friend I met through the blog and her daughter. She is definitely her mother, through and through, and will always have a place in my heart and in my home.



G

G is my other half. I found someone to love only after I could truly love myself - and there he was. Officially, we met through a mutual friend who told me "I have the perfect guy for you!" five years before we reconnected via an online dating site. I feel like I am completely myself when I am with him and he keeps me on my toes and humours all of my crazy ideas - including keeping horses on property when we are ready to purchase a home, even though he has no experience or love for horses. Bronwyn sees him as her main treat dispenser and part-time groom. 

Sometimes he frustrates me (I think we have a lot of similar character traits!) but all of the time, he pushes me to be the best person that I can be and encourages my dreams.


Morrie

Photo credit to S. Neal Photography

Morrie is my furry constant. A 2005 miniature Australian Shepherd, he has been my barn buddy, my farm dog and then easily transitioned into city dog when my life circumstances changed. I hate to be "that person" but he is like our son in a fur suit, and took to G like "dad" immediately. He loves people and is a great ambassador for his breed, greeting every man, woman and child he meets with his "wiggle butt" and happy grin. I honestly can't imagine life without him in it!