DUVALL, Wash. — For one family in Duvall, a horse peeking its head inside the house is no cause for alarm.
Charles Robbins-Linford and his pet horse, Amerigo, received a lot of attention online when Charles posted photos of Amerigo hanging out on his front porch. Amerigo has since come to be known as the “Porch Unicorn,” named after her favorite place to lounge as well as her calm, majestic demeanor.
Amerigo has become an important part of the family and often spends time snooping through the front window, but that doesn’t seem to bother Charles.
“That’s what my life is like. She’s in our house, she’s a part of our lives,” said Charles.
Their relationship was not always this close, however. In early 2018 Charles decided to ride Amerigo without a saddle and she bucked him off. He ended up underneath her and she stomped on his leg, causing damage beyond repair and Charles' leg had to be amputated.
Afterward, the traumatic moment proved difficult for Charles to relive.
“I had to look out here everyday and kind of relive it for a while, and that was pretty tough,” said Charles.
But the tragedy did not drive them apart, in fact, it has brought them closer together. Charles says that bonding with Amerigo after the accident has been a significant help in his steps toward recovery.
“It was either become more bonded with her or she was just going to end up being sad and lonely, and that was not a possibility for us,” said Charles.
As for her intrusions into the home, they remain quite welcome. As Charles puts it, Amerigo the “Porch Unicorn” is simply, a part of the family.