Bradford Bridge, LLC

More gut wrenching news for our family. Just two days after we had to say goodbye to our beloved Ace, we also had to help our beloved Wanda cross the rainbow bridge.
Her life was very hard before our lives were blessed by her and after many, many, many conversations and consultations we had to do the most loving thing for her but horrifically painful for us… let her be pain free.

Wanda made us first time horse parents. We had a short time with her but learned a lifetime of lessons from her.
She was
beautiful,
confident,
gentle,
strong,
patient,
forgiving,
a healer,
in love with rolling in mud,
the boss of any field,
trusting and trustworthy,
a tear catcher,
a hope dealer,
a laugh provider, and
a joy.

And had juuuuust enough sassitude to keep things interesting.

Thank you Wanda for your service and for trusting us despite what your past was and thank you to God for giving us such a Wanderful gift.

I surrender everything and everyone to You. 💔❤️‍🩹

Take time to stop and smell the roses, er I mean irises. Cisco and I did! I had no idea they smelled like grape bubblegum! Thanks God the these beautiful flowers!

Super excited for our friends at BLOC Ministries to be seeing this dream come to fruition! Can’t wait to celebrate with you guys!

All are invited to come check it out!!

❤️❤️❤️

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

🐎 Anatole France

Mud season is here 🤦🏻‍♀️🥴💩🤎🤎🤎

Happy adoption day Wanda! One year ago today we brought you home and also celebrating two weeks as Cisco’s new parents! Thanking God for both of you and love watching the joy and healing you bring others and thanks for the joy and healing you bring me!
You both sure love the mud!🤣🤎

A gorgeous day for a walk in the woods with friends! 🧡💛🤎

It’s that time of year! Join us this Saturday for our 4th Annual Rivers Crossing Celebrate Recovery Hootenanny!

So. Much. Fun!

Kids games, face painting, inflatables, food, line dancing, music, fellowship, bon fire, and just fall fun!

Bring a chair and a side or dessert and join the fun!
(If you can’t just come!)

See ya all on Saturday!🤗

Aaaahh fall! 🧡🤎💚❤️

I’m not sure it can get more peaceful and picture perfect at the barn!

Pick a pic and take some deep breaths or better yet, pick a day and get some Wanda time in all this splendor!

What a beautiful gift God has given us in Autumn!

“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.17.NLT

“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.16.24.NLT

Love these reminders about how powerful words are. This is why I developed my program for health and healing for the body, mind and spirit for horse and human!

Wanda says, “Come have some fun with me! It’s a beautiful time of year for horse-in around!”

Something the Lord has been working on in me is rest… not just for my body but mostly for my mind and spirit. My mind races with what ifs and attacks from the enemy… lies of things I’m not doing enough of or that I’m not doing well enough. All lies that I do my best to take captive to Christ.

Joyce Meyer reminded me to think less and thank more!

Thank You God for horses and beautiful October days!! It’s with her my mind can rest because with her, my mind is present with my body! It’s Him working through the gift of her to heal this weary soul! ❤️

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/jos.1.9.NLT

We can do hard things with Jesus and with encouragement from a loving community! I gently encouraged Wanda to be brave and stand up on this stool and she got up right away! Oh Wanda! You’re amazing and brave!

Are you surrounding yourself with people who encourage you or tear you down? Come to the barn and let’s work through hard things together! ❤️🙌

God calls us to take care of our bodies, minds, spirits, the Earth and everything in it. Cool! How about playing with bubbles and going for a ride?!
Mind and spirit-bubbles (introducing something new to Wanda, and bubbles lighten my spirit! 😜🥰)
Body, mind and spirit - trail ride in the woods! Ahhhhh… peace, joy, nature!

Wanna come play with bubbles and go for a ride to get a dose of peace and joy?! Give me a shout! Fun is a phone call away!

Don’t mind me, just paaaaaaaasssing through. (read in goat speak)

Brave Wanda taking part in an enrichment session today!
God gave us the task to take care of the Earth and everything in it, including horses! I learned early on at the Dolphin Research Center how important it is to take care of ourselves and the animals’ bodies, minds and spirits.

Way to go Wanda!!

Send me a message to take part in some horse and human enrichment!! ❤️

From Mustang Maddy: No amount of training will matter without this ⚠️⁣
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You can be the best horse trainer on the face of planet earth, but if you’re missing this key factor… ⁣
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All your efforts will *not* result in the happy, responsive, relaxed, connected horse you want to see 🐴⁣
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The #1 thing to focus on to achieve *any* goal with your horse? ⁣
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✨ Holistic health care ✨⁣
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Even if you train for an hour every single day without fail… what’s the horse’s life like the other 𝟸𝟹 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺?⁣
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And what if your horse has hidden pain and discomfort *during* your training session?⁣
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The truth is, it’s impossible to have a happy horse without a healthy environment + body for her to thrive in.⁣
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And as much as we advocate for ethical & compassionate training practices…⁣
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Solid holistic health care is still the *most important* part of a horse’s overall well-being 🌱⁣
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And, unfortunately, humans have long kept horses in incredibly unnatural environments, so this does require some extra effort and out-of-the-box problem solving.⁣
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Some of the most important things to consider in your journey to a healthy, happy horse:⁣
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🐎 A species appropriate environment⁣
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This includes access to forage 24/7, the ability to move freely, having a purpose and motivation to move throughout the day, a social life in a herd dynamic, varied terrain, micronutrients, and enrichment opportunities.⁣
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🐎 Physical well-being⁣
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Excellent hoof health using an option as close to nature as possible for the individual horse, excellent dental care, natural alternatives for vaccinations and parasite control (when possible/appropriate, with testing, depending on the horse, location etc and with help from a professional), body work, and good biomechanics in training.⁣
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And remember…. Everything is deeply connected ♾️⁣
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〰️ Whether a horse wears metal shoes or goes barefoot can massively impact her dental health 🦷⁣
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〰️ How much a horse walks in a day in her living space will be a determining factor in her temperament in training sessions⁣
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〰️ Frustration while training with food rewards can be far more effected by forage availability than *how* you’re using food in training⁣
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… the list goes on and on.⁣
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This is your starting point to a connected horse-human relationship 💞⁣
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Post by MM team 💫

Why should I give being with horses a chance?
My testimony: as I process another devastating loss of a dear loved one, I get a reprieve from the anguish, the anger and the gut punching sadness. My jaw is less clenched and my heart feels lighter. I even smiled as I felt the breeze in my hair as Wanda and I trotted around the arena melded together in partnership. I encourage her over some pole obstacles and she has no idea how much she encourages me over my own. What a gift from God Wanda is at just the right time.

Testimony from a long time client and friend: see text screenshot

I encourage you to come for some Wanda time even if you don’t need “therapy”, she’s still pretty sweet to come meet!

Now for the summer, I’m offering gentle riding lessons!

“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” ~ Winston Churchill

Let’s be honest, it’s the inside and outside of a horse that is good for our insides.

Here I am faced with another devastating loss, grief that feels unbearable, a feeling of crawling out of my skin because I can’t phathom my life without this person in it.
To say Charley Hartmann will be missed is a vast understatement. This is an immeasurable void that only a big God can fill and heal. We don’t move on. We move forward changed. I must press forward in this uncharted territory that no longer has Charley on Earth. A deep deep ocean of grief.

BUT GOD and His gift of horses. As I spend time with this beauty, my heart gets some relief from the grief. That crawling out of my skin energy is focused into good use… loving on Wanda and getting some exercise.
It took pushing past the lie that she wouldn’t help. I know better because being with horses has helped me over and over… especially to deal with grief.

“You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand
And I will call upon Your Name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now.”

I trust you God that You can handle my fear, anger and utter shock and turn my mourning to joy once again.

Check out Wandaful Wanda! She continues to do stellar with her staying put being ground tied! Yesterday I was able to walk farther away and even walk behind her! Also, she’s not a fan of standing at the mounting block so it’s pretty incredible that she stood there patiently!!

Need a break from the crazy? Want to do something fun this summer? Sign up for some sessions with Wanda the wandaful!!! What will she help you stand patiently through?! ❤️

Be still and know! Check out my girl trusting me to be ground tied with me a few feet away from her!

Being still is something I have so much trouble with because of my anxiety. It’s hard to quiet my mind and focus on Him and what the truth is. That’s why I love being with Wanda! In God’s creation, the horse, my anxiety takes a vacation!

So, be still and know that you are
Safe
Loved
Called
Chosen
Precious… no matter what flies are biting you, what rain is pouring down around you and what other horses are neighing about!

Send me a message to book a session this summer to come have some horse joy!

In need of a vacation? Can’t get away to the tropics? How about a mini vacay to the country?!!
My anxiety has been ramped up a bit lately but I’m so grateful that I get a mini vacation from it every time I hang out with this beauty!

Send me a message and come get away from it all for an hour! I may not be drifting on a floatie in the ocean but everything seems to drift away when I am with her!

Friday the 13th horse humor…