Courtney King Dye took one step closer to her goal of becoming a para-olympian by bringing home a new horse.

Make Lemonade, an 8-year-old Hanoverian, arrived at Dye’s barn on April 12. Dye said she was drawn to his unbeatable temperament when she met him last month. During his first grooming at his new home, she said, “He didn’t move a muscle, just stood like a very cheerful statue! It was so great to be able to give his neck a full-on hug, something I haven’t dared to do with another horse in over two years.”

Dye said one of her sponsors decided against buying the bay gelding, but she couldn’t get “Buddy” off her mind. She approached Jane Clark, who owns top show jumpers, dressage horses and driving horses, as a prospective buyer for the horse, and Clark agreed.

Although Clark plans to pay the majority of the expenses incurred while caring for and showing Buddy, she asked Dye to help with the costs. In return for sponsorships, Dye plans to send e-mail updates on a regular basis to let people know about her journey. She provided more information about where to send donations and a video on her website CKD Dressage.

Make Lemonade, previously known as Wright On, got his name from a t-shirt Dye received while in the hospital following her 2010 accident, which left her with physical limitations due to the traumatic brain injury. She said she doesn’t know who sent it to her, but it was a favorite gift from that time. “Para is my way to make lemonade out of lemons,” Dye said.

Dye plans to compete at the Houston Dressage Society Spring Classic CPEDI*** on April 25-26 in Katy, Texas, on Rondo del Rae, owned by Kathleen Jones. Dye hopes to qualify for the para-olympic selection trials at the Texas competition. The selection trials are scheduled for June 11-13 at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, N.J.