Folks in Cape Coral have probably seen a woman riding her horse around town, whether it be at the Tractor Supply, McDonald's or a 7-Eleven.
"My kids were in the back of, the back of the car, and the first thing they said: 'Is that a real horse?' I said, 'That's a real horse is. Yeah, it looks like it,'" said Drew Deberardinis.
Gulf Coast News caught up with Gina Rehm and her horse Josie, who was trotting through the Tractor Supply parking lot. Rehm has spent years in the saddle, taking Josie along wherever the road leads.
"We've totally bonded. You know ... We're like the Avatar together," said Rehm.
Over time, Rehm and Josie have become familiar faces around Cape Coral.
"Wherever I feel like going, it depends how much time I have throughout the day. People come out of their houses, she stops and we interact, and it's always been a positive thing," said Rehm.
Someone recently shared one of Rehm's nights out on social media. The post galloped through Facebook, showing her riding through the McDonald's drive-thru, turning heads and surprising drivers in line.
"My friend texted me a screenshot of it, and I was like, 'OMG, what is this?' And I went onto the Facebook group, and I saw it. I was a little surprised, but a lot of people recognized me and started tagging me," said Rehm.
"I've actually seen a couple horses walk up and down here, but outside of that, it's not a very normal occurrence to see, to see horses, especially in Cape Coral," said Deberardinis.
Now, Rehm and Josie are becoming Cape Coral icons, turning everyday errands into unforgettable moments.
"I'm happy to share. You'll see me riding around any given time, and I go visit different places," said Rehm.
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