I got my love for horses from my Mom. My mother grew up with horses and she loved to ride. Mom trained a young gelding named Sam that she bought when we lived in Florida and she rescued several horses as well. It is from my Mom that I first learned how to ride and care for horses, and at a young age with Mom having rescued a couple horses, that I first learned the hard truths about what cruelty people can do to animals. My Mom is a wonderful woman with a heart of gold and I hope and pray that one day I can become at least half the woman she is.
Mom and my little sister Jodi on Sam, June of 1970 in Taft Florida.
This picture is of Sleepy and Tarzan, these are two horses that my mom rescued, this picture was taken the day they came to our house.
Sleepy is on the left and Tarzan is on the right.
Me feeding Tarzan and Shauna laying and loving on him..This was the sweetest most loving horse. He would drape his head over our shoulders and follow us around like a puppy dog. Tarzan's immune system was weak and despite the vets and Mom's hard efforts Tarzan got pneumonia and didn't pull through. But we had the comfort of knowing that in his last days he knew he was loved..
My sister Brenda on Elsa, a Welsh/Shetland cross pony...
This is the same pony, when I was 5, that I was riding one day and the dogs came up barking and spooked Elsa, she drug me across a field with my foot hung in the stirrup.. Mom ran to the pasture,grabbed a handful of mane, jumped on Sam bareback and they jumped over the fence and ran in front of Elsa to get her to stop...After mom got my foot out of the stirrup I climbed back on Elsa and rode her some more, My sister Brenda loved Elsa and she would ride her all over the place without any problems, but I will admit that after that incident I stuck to the bigger horses :-)...
My sister's.. Shauna is holding Elsa and Jodi and Brenda are on Elsa. 1970-1971.
My sister Shauna holding Elsa and me sitting on Elsa
Bayfield Colorado 1907. My great-great uncle Bert is 2nd from left. Uncle Bert is the one who taught my Grandpa Branson how to train horses.
My mom and Grandpa Branson on Ole Frank in Rico Colorado, 1942-1943
my mom with the deer and grandma at the car
My mom and grandma Branson at Priest Gulch, Co on a camping trip. 1944
My Aunt Joanne with Ole Frank, stopping to take a break and pick flowers.1951-1952
Mom and Aunt Phyllis with Grandpa Branson and Ole Frank at the depot after a successful hunting trip.
Mom and Aunt Phyllis on Ole Frank, 1947
My Aunt Phyllis Jean Branson. Aunt Phyllis graduated from Durango High School, this is her senior picture taken in 1962. Aunt Phyllis died March 20th, 1964 she was just shy of being 20 yrs old. I have always heard from many different family members what a wonderful person my Aunt Phillis was. I feel so honored that I was named after my Aunt Phyllis. I just wish I could have met her.
Mom, Aunt Jo and Aunt Phyllis on Ole Frank, 1952. In 2007 my mom blessed me with a very special gift. She blessed me with the saddle and bridle that you see in all the pictures on Ole Frank. This saddle and bridle has been in our family for over 100 years. I keep this set under cover and in the house on a saddle rack, but I do on occassion take the saddle that is in this picture out of it's covers and use it to ride in. Mom also blessed me with the hand made Navajo saddle blanket that they used on Old Frank.
Grandpa Branson and Ole Frank.
Grandpa Branson on Ole Frank and some of the pack horses on one of their Elk hunting trips.
Grandpa Branson and Ole Frank, 1945
One of Aunt Phyllis's friends and Aunt Phyllis on Ole Frank, and Cisco the dog.
My Aunt Phyllis, on Ole Frank, Mom's cousin Elaine standing in the front and Aunt Jo standing in the back. Not sure who the little boy is..
Sitting on the horse is my Great Grandpa Edgar Henderson Branson and my Great Great Uncle Ira sitting on the log
Branding cattle in 1940 at Aunt Rene & Uncle Howard Shelhammer's ranch in Bayfield Colorado.
1926: Great Great Aunt Mett’s first husband George Wiser. He was struck by lightening and cut in half. She had 4 small kids. Great Great Aunt Mett later married Great Great Uncle Armor.
My mom's cousin Harry Wade Peacock in Bolivia in 1962, Harry Wade originally went to Bolivia on Mission work. Harry Wade still resides in Bolivia with his wife Gloria and son Oliver..
Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Gaddis, Great Grandma is holding Uncle Wade, then Aunt Bea, Aunt Pearl, Aunt Eva, Aunt Alice, My Grandma Mavis Gaddis Branson is in front of Aunt Bea and Aunt Marjorie in front of Aunt Pearl, standing in a corn field in Hugoton, KS. 1917
Great Great Uncle Ira Branson grading a road in California with his team.
Great Great Uncle Ira Branson and his son Carl hauling water in California
Great Great Grandpa Frank Wiley
Great Grandpa Fred King, I know the picture says great great, my dad got carried away with the greats..lol
My dad's Cousin Carl Lee King
Aunt Rachelle. Rachelle is my dad's sister.
My Great Uncle Clarence and Great Aunt Rowena, Rowena is my mom's Aunt and Clarence is her husband.
I was blessed to have been able to spend several summers with my Grandparents in Mancos,Colorado, Uncle Clarence and Aunt Rowena didn't live to far from my grandparents and my cousin Trina and I would go to Uncle Clarence and Aunt Rowena's to hang out and ride horses...It was so beautiful there and I am blessed with many happy memories...
Great Uncle Clarence on a packing trip
Great Uncle Clarence.
This is my favorite picture of my Great Uncle Clarence. This picture was taken by a Time Life Photographer.
