My job as a veterinarian is to provide the highest level of pet care I can for my clients and sometimes even save a pet's life through proper diagnosis and treatment of illness or disease. But sometimes our clients end up coming to our rescue like my client Leigh Murray who raises and shows miniature horses in Stillwater, Okla.  She has been a client at our clinic for over a year and we all just go crazy when we see her pull in with her miniatures!

My latest book, “Pistol the Horse,” is about my registered Quarter Horse named Pistol.  For those of you who have been to one of my readings with “Rosie the Pig,” you may recall the most memorable part of the reading, which I take absolutely no offense to, is meeting the actual pig, Rosie. For me, part of the educational component of my readings is getting to introduce kids, and adults alike, to animals they may not get the opportunity to interact with in their every day lives. But, when it came to Pistol, the idea of hauling him to schools and trotting him INSIDE libraries and gymnasiums seemed a little…too big.  

Rosie was pretty easy. When she was little, she road in a pet carrier in the back seat of my pick up truck soaking in all the A/C she could get.  When she got a little bigger (and smellier) she was transitioned to the back of my pickup in a bigger carrier. 

When I started thinking about how to haul my horse around, I knew I was going to need something a bit smaller.  That is where Leigh Murray came to my rescue!  She told me she had the perfect little mare that would be great with kids!  And she was right!

Pistol (Real name Chrystal) has filled the role perfectly.  It also helps that she is the most adorable thing ever. 

We had our first outing at Guthrie Red Brick Nights a few weeks ago and she was a hit! 

I am thoroughly looking forward to our book tour starting next month.  We will be going to three to four schools per day, reading about “Pistol the Horse,” meeting Chrystal (aka Pistol), and learning about veterinary medicine.

Did you know that a miniature is usually less than 34 inches in height?! They are so tiny and cute!

Pistol and I cannot wait to see you at our various events coming up this fall. 

Check out Leigh Murray’s miniatures on Facebook at Jovon Miniatures.

HUGE thanks to Leigh for allowing me to use Pistol to help educate the next generation of veterinarians!