Lois Elaine was born in 1927 in Fort Bidwell, California. When I read the book "The Faraway Horses" Buck Brannaman with William Reynolds, his story reminded me so much of my mother. Moving to a ranch near the town of Ely, Nevada, physical, mental and emotional abuse started at the tender age of seven. Hard for some to imagine and believe that she started working with horses at that age but she did, taking on horses that grown men had given up on. This provided not only an avenue to help her cope with the abuse, but also enabled her to become an extremely skilled horse woman for the rest of her life.

The horses she owned she kept for life, while rescuing others along the way as she could. When I was three years old I rode her horse Chief, a 6 year old, 16 hand quarter horse gelding, all by myself in the Reno Rodeo Parade. No one was leading me, no one was walking along side, just my mom behind me on another horse, "talking" to Chief.  That is the horse woman she was, gaining a horse's trust and understanding.  Chief was with her till the end.