Jacqueline had the privilege of growing up at her parents APH ranch, and the Engima family was well known in both the competition rings and breeding circles. They cared for their horses like no other, putting the quality of their animals above any amount of money. They employed natural training techniques in their programs, often taking in horses that were badly abused or deemed 'rogue' by others, and retraining them, giving them a new lease on life. Jackie had always loved horses, she helped around the ranch whenever she could, whether it was mucking out stalls or grooming. In her teenage years she went on to train a few great horses, one of which went on to become a big name in the reining circuit. At a local meet up, however she came across a new breed of horse which was rarely seen for the small time town of Elk. High stepping, fluid movement, flashy. The Baroque. Instantly, she fell in love with them and someday, she told herself she would own her very own stable.
Of course things changed, when she went off to college she had planned on becoming an equine vet, and returning back to the ranch once she had finished school. However, life never does go as planned. She fell in love and it was history from there. Johnathon Simmers was everything she had ever hoped for and then some, and when it came to charm she didn't stand a chance. It wasn't long before they were making plans to start their own practice after they finished school, and maybe even operate a small rescue of their own to uphold the training techniques perfected by her family. After graduation it was a dream come true, they found a large chunk of property already outfitted with a 10 stall barn. The add made it a bit...too good to be true, but when they made the trip out to the island they were stunned. Sure the facilities were in rough shape, they certainly needed to be fixed up, but the scenery was amazing, and the place had potential. The fact that it was beach front property definitely helped, the large island was home to a few other residents but was for the most part private. Just when it seemed like things couldn't possibly get any better, the couple was strolling along the beaches of their to be home when John suddenly stopped, and got down on one knee. The vibrant sunset framed the background, the waves crashed softly against the shoreline and the sand was warm beneath her feet. It was a moment that was engraved into her mind for the rest of her life.
It really did seem like she was living in a fairy tale, she had a wonderful fiance, a beautiful home, and a bright future ahead of her. It was a few weeks after they had moved into the new ranch, and they were still settling in when a present arrived in their driveway, in the form of a horse trailer. The trailer bore the Enigma ranch logo, and excited whinnying was coming from within. Her parents felt it was only suiting that their new home be broken in with its first official arrival, in the form of a beautiful American Paint Horse mare, a 3 year old named *Insert APH name*. The mare was sweet and gentle, ready to go in any direction her new owner had in mind. Jackie found herself attached to the mare quickly, the bond between the two growing ever closer the more time they spent exploring the island. It was after a long ride that they were returning to the ranch, a nasty storm looming on the horizon. John came out of the house distraught, waving a phone at her impatiently as she dismounted. A neighbor had called them, asking for help with a horse that had been abused for god knows how long in the possession of a known meat seller. The problem was, that no one could even enter the barn to get near the animal it was so aggressive. With the weather closing in Jacqueline and her fiance quickly hooked up their trailer and headed out to the old ranch that no one spoke of. When they entered the rickety barn it was worse than they could have imagined, the Fresian was covered in manure and open sores, its once proud mane and tail tangled into something unrecognizable. The neighbor hadn't exaggerated about its aggression, either. Every time someone opened the barn door it lunged forward teeth ready to take a chunk out of someone. After hours upon hours of gentle coaxing they opted to have the horse mildly sedated so they could safely handle it, just as the rain started to come down in streams. Even sedated the Fresian proved hard to handle and mistrustful, getting it into the trailer was another hour long battle. But now, the horse was safe. On the drive home the roads were slick with rain, the lightning streaking across the sky. They were nearly half way when the sedative started to wear off, and the horse started to panic, thrashing about in the trailer. John tried to hold the truck steady long enough for them to stop, but it was too late. The trailer detached, flipping onto its side and skidding to a halt near the ditch as their truck plummeted down the cliff. And that was the last thing she remembered.