I was born and raised in upstate, New York and had an unquenchable thirst for animals and especially horses.  I moved to Texas in my early 20's and wanted to stay home as long as I could to raise my sons, Ryan and Kalen.
  

There were many, many years of wonderful times with children and animals. As my kids grew and I wasn't needed at home as much.

I decided that after 16 years of taking care of 70 animals, milking twice a day, shearing sheep and llamas, trimming many hooves (you haven't lived yet until you trim a 400 pound, male, llama's hooves...never mind the spit) feeding 30 baby goats, castrating pigs, disbudding goats, spending the night in the barn with a sick one and the list goes on...it was time to slow down and maybe try my hand at something else.  I felt kind of disadvantaged because my knowledge was really animal related.  I wondered if I should have done something that would have prepared me more for a mainstream job.

Then one day the Curator of the Mammals division at the Dallas Zoo contacted me, asking if I'd help get them started with their children's area. They wanted me to buy and train the ponies for pony rides at the zoo and look at their little petting area. It was then that I thought....maybe my time wasn't wasted after all. Maybe I can do that which I love so much. I started letting my animals go to other homes...and some went to the Dallas Zoo. The zoo paid me for my services and that is the money I used to buy my first Tennessee Walker.

As I looked for a job, an opening came up for an Animal Service Officer in my home town. I've been an Animal Service Officer for 10 years, and raise Tennessee Walkers and Papillons. It truly has been a dream come true.

Dark Sides Look At Me