There is something magical about horses, something that stirs the soul and calms the heart. I found this out at an incredibly young age, and it has continued in my life.
For me, loving horses is not just a hobby or a pastime. It is a necessity as it is my way of dealing with life’s troubles and stresses. Once I am on my horse, the world goes away, and it is just me and my beautiful horse.
From the moment I first laid eyes on the horses we had on our farm, I was hooked. I can remember being only four years old, riding our paint mare with my brother. It was heaven, and soon I was riding on my own.
I was given my first horse when I was 8 years old as a Christmas gift from my dad. She was a yearling paint filly. She was the first horse I trained on my own and it never quit from there. The passion for horses kept growing.
Their strength, beauty and gentle spirits have captured my heart in a way nothing else ever has. Being near my horse and looking into her soft, gentle eye is something that cannot be explained.
Horses are more than animals; they are companions, teachers and healers. They sense emotions, respond to unspoken feelings, and offer a kind of silent understanding that words cannot match and are difficult to explain.
When I am around horses, mine in particular, I feel grounded. The world slows down, and the stress fades away. There is only the quiet rhythm of hooves, the warmth of her breath, and the deep, steady presence she offers.
What I love the most is the connection between her and me. Building trust with a horse takes time, patience, and respect, but once that bond forms, it is unbreakable. They do not care who you are or what you have done.
They do not care if you wear designer clothes or if you did your makeup and hair. They live in the moment, and if you are lucky, they let you share it with them. That acceptance is rare, and it is part of what makes horses special to me.
My horse only has one eye, as she has a disease that took her right eye. This has not changed her one bit, but she needs to rely on her rider for sight on that side. This has made the bond deeper as we navigated through this.
Today, seven years later, she is still the same sweet horse. Often, people cannot believe that she has no sight on one side, as she is such a gentle soul and trusts that I will do what is best for her.
Whether I am riding across an open field or just sitting quietly in the barn with her, she fills my heart. It is a love that is deep, peaceful, and timeless.
Horses can sense how we feel and when I am having a bad day, she knows. She looks after me when I am in the saddle. The world disappears with every step she takes.
I do not think I will ever outgrow this love and passion I have for horses. I do not get to ride as often as I like, but each time I can, it is a new love all over again.
Everything about my horse is stress-free. The smell of a horse is special, the sound of her eating, I can listen to this all day, the crackle of the leather when I am in the saddle, it is all worth the time to be free for a few hours.
