‘Hoofprints on your heart’

When Brianna Brauer went outside to start her morning chores on Painted Arrow Ranch south of Holyoke on Feb. 24, she was hoping to have an opportunity to take pictures of the snow that blanketed the landscape that peaceful morning.

But the morning’s peace was shattered for her when she discovered that her horse, Dallas, had died at age 30.

Sometimes known as “The Kid Horse” around the ranch, Dallas had touched the lives of many riders who had either learned to ride on him or had expanded their skills and gained confidence with him.

Brauer purchased Dallas from Ray and Jan Ptomey four or five years ago. She said he wasn’t much to look at, but he looked at her with spunk and kindness. She worked out a deal with the Ptomeys, and she worked off the cost of purchasing Dallas with about $400 of labor. After a brand inspection, Dallas became part of the ranch.

Brauer wrote in a tribute post on Facebook that she originally thought she would resell Dallas after some work with him, “but little did I know he would become a part of our family.”

Brauer called Dallas their go-to boy and “the reliable one you would trust with your life.” She said over 15 adults and children learned to ride on him over the years, and he was also a therapy horse for some.

“You were a beauty to us inside and out,” she wrote. “You carried us for years and we will be forever grateful God gave us such a great horse. Most of all thank you for taking care of my little niece.”

Brauer said her 6-year-old niece, Dawsyn Daniel, took to Dallas right away. “She started riding him like she had been forever,” she added.  

“He made the best memories for my niece,” she continued. “He was very loyal, and even if he had a day where he was being stubborn, he’d push through for the kids. He never gave up.”

Dawsyn said some of her earliest memories of Dallas include riding him when she was 2, and she was quick to add that once she was 4, she began riding him without the rope lead. She said she knew he wasn’t going to do anything crazy, though she did point out that he ran very fast even though he was old.

“He was very good with me and went very smoothly when doing barrel races,” she said, adding that barrel races with Dallas are some of her favorite memories with him. She will also always remember “how much I rode with him and how much time I spent with him.”

Dawsyn shared Dallas with others who were often first-time riders, allowing him to impact their lives as well.

Dawsyn’s mother, Brittany, said Dallas really became Dawsyn’s horse, and she became an amazing rider as Dallas gave her confidence and passion that will forever drive her in her horsemanship. “She shared him with everyone, but he was her boy and he took care of my girl.”

Brauer said Dallas would always be there for the kids, and everyone could see it in his eyes that he loved them. “After every ride, he’d put his head down and ask for a hug from each kid,” Brauer said. “That was a routine for him. He did it for everybody, every time.”

Brittany wrote in a Facebook tribute, “If you’ve been to our barn, you probably have Dallas’ hoofprints on your heart because that’s what he did for so many that knew him. He taught us how to ride, he taught us how to be better and he taught us how to love.”

“He was really good with every kid,” Dawsyn said.

Stacy Romero of Paoli said her 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, took riding lessons on Dallas over the course of several months. “You could see the way he would change his demeanor based on who would work with him,” she said, pointing out that horses are well known for being able to relate to humans.

Stacy grew up on a ranch, and it’s important to her that Olivia becomes familiar with horses and learns to ride.

She said Dallas really had the knack for adapting to riders’ skill and experience levels. Her 5-year-old son, Ayden, would always ride Dallas for a bit after Olivia’s lesson, and Dallas would be sure to move more slowly for the younger rider.

She said Dallas reminded her of an old man who was in no rush to get anywhere, who had a “very patient, sweet demeanor — almost as if he knew it was his job to do all those things. Horses can meet you halfway. That’s why they make such good therapy animals.” She added with a laugh that the pun wasn’t intended but, “You could tell it was not his first rodeo.”

Janel Rodriguez of Holyoke and her 8-year-old daughter, Yaretzi Flores, both had the chance to ride Dallas a few times.

“It came at a time when it was really needed, and that’s what made it impacting,” Rodriguez said, noting that they were going through a rough period at the time, and riding, petting and brushing Dallas really helped.

She said Flores really loves horses, and she never had to worry that Dallas would speed up or make sudden turns that might be dangerous.

She remembered a specific time when Flores wanted to increase the speed, but Dallas knew better and took care of the situation by staying at a slower pace.

It had been a long time since Rodriguez herself had ridden a horse prior to riding Dallas, so she was a little nervous, but she knew she was safe and that Dallas would take care of her.

“He was definitely a calm and loving horse,” said Kimberly Parker of Holyoke. Her 8-year-old daughter Rayna learned to ride on Dallas.

Kimberly said Dallas was great for those first learning to ride, and sometimes a good beginner horse is hard to find. “He helped Rayna build trust in horses and further her excitement and love for the animals,” she said. “He had amazing owners. There’s no doubt about that.”

Stacy echoed that point. “You could tell he was really loved,” she said. “You could see how much they care for their animals and their quality of life. He wanted to love because he was so obviously loved.”

Morganne Kumm, a 2020 HHS graduate, has been riding all her life. She said she has typically ridden difficult horses, so she rode Dallas bareback to increase her confidence. She said she was able to do so because of his calm personality. “He was a really great horse,” she said.

Dawsyn loves all of her animals, and she said she goes to the barn almost every night and feeds all of the horses. “And I give them all a pet or a kiss,” she said.

But Dallas will always have a special place in Dawsyn’s heart, and she perhaps put it best in a fitting tribute memorializing her horse that was also a friend, a teacher and more, when she said, “He was a really good boy to everybody that rode him. He would do a lot of things for everybody.”

Brittany said Dallas’ empty stall in the barn left a void in their lives. “Our barn will never be the same and neither will we,” she said, but the lessons that so many learned about horsemanship — and themselves — will last forever.