Ranch Rat Stories

Hello my name is Jinny Gwin. I am only doing this because Grandma asked me to. I am away from the life I once had and now live on my own. I was about 13 when a friend of mine took me to the ranch because I was having trouble with my horse and couldn't afford a vet. I really don't remenber what I thought about it then, I really didn't like being around to many people. And of course I thought I knew all I needed to know about horses. Boy was I wrong, after a while I did start coming to the ranch, and everyone there made me feel welcome. I was not used to that. Let me tell you how I grew up. We lived in a small trailer in the back of my Grandfather's place. I hated it. My mom lived in the bay area. She is a junkie. My dad is a druggie too. and my Grandpa and uncles, most of them, all do drugs and sell them to. Everyone was always high or fighting or both. When I got my horse, no one bought it. I worked for the money for her, and no one ever payed for my feed. That is till I met Grandma and Pa. Many times they have helped me with hay or grain, but they also saved my horses life. Not just once but a couple of times. I remember when she was hit by a car, I knew she would die, but Grams and the kids came over and Dr.ed her up and stayed with me, or when she hurt her leg. The worst was when she ran away and didn't make the turn into the side road at the ranch. She cut her throat. Everyone was screaming and she was squriting blood everywhere. Grandma came out looked at her and started fireing off orders for everyone to do this and get that and so on. Some of the kids kept asking if she would die, and Grams said only if you guys don't shut up and calm down. By then she had both hands in her neck trying to slow down the bleeding to assess the damage. She then had one of the other kids come over and take her place while she got the vet. My dad wouldn't pay for it, he said to bad let her die, so Grams paid for it. Then after she had her baby, the baby got out and got hit by a car. Even animal control wanted me to call Grams. She came, and with the trailer, even though I was only a half a block from my place, we took the baby to her place and again she called the vet. Her leg was broken but the vet said we could try to fix it. Me and Grams slept out in the trailer with her for several days. Then she got worse and we called the vet again. This time the vet said she should be put down. I asked Grandma what to do, and she gave me my options. I can't take seeing here in the pain, but I agreed with the vet. I later found out that Grams didn't, but it was my horse so I had to do what I thought was right. She stayed with me the whole time paid for everything. I found out that the men in the Gwin family where wrong. Women are not here just to cook, clean, and service a man, we have rights. I thought so many times about dropping out of school, but that was not an option at the ranch, but everyone there helped me with my school work. Them one day Grams asked me if I would like to become an equine adjustor, I couldn't afford to go to school for that but Grams paid for it both mine and Brittney's. That way no matter what, we would always have a trade to fall back on. We would never have to be on welfare, we could help ourselves. You should have seen my face when I got my certification. I don't know who was prouder me or Grandma. These are just a few of the small things the ranch has done for me. I could write a book, and that is what it would take to tell you about *THE RANCH*. So I guess I will close with just these words. If there is a God he chose the right person to care for the abused kids and animals down here. By the way the horse in the back ground is my horse Jewlely, she would have died at least 3 times if not for the ranch.