Dreams. We all have them. We all need them. We all should live for our dreams.

Without dreams, we are pretty much useless. Without dreams, we have nothing to get up in the morning for. Without dreams, we have no drive. Without drive, we’ll never do anything.

When we dream, we are forming a hope that what we dream is going to happen. That is faith. Without faith and hope, your dreams die.

We also need to believe in our dreams. To believe, you need to hold onto your dreams. Never let go of your dreams. Never.

I sometimes have trouble believing that I will ever get a horse. I live in the suburbs, and sometimes it seems I’ll never have a horse. But I have to keep dreaming, hoping, believing.

I know the love between a girl and her horse is without limits. I will do whatever I can to get a horse. If I don’t get one until I’m older, that’s fine with me. But I’m not letting go of my dreams. They are a part of me.

Wherever I go, I carry my dreams with me. They make me who I am. Without my dreams, I have no life. My dreams are my very essence, my being. They are a part of my soul.

I encourage all of you horse-less horse girls to keep dreaming. If I can do it, so can you. Reach for the stars. The moon is too close.

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Do you ever think about horses before you go to bed in hopes of dreaming about them? Sure, you daydream about them, but in a sleeping dream it seems so real. In hopes of dreaming of horses I cover my wall (and ceiling) with horse posters and horse toys. I look up and see horses looking down. I look to my left and see horses looking at me. I read a horse book and then drift to sleep with a mind full of nickers.

One time I even had a dream I was riding a Pegasus! It felt like the whole world was mine! I could go anywhere, do anything. My Pegasus would do anything for me. I love dreaming about horses because even if I can’t have a horse in the waking world, I can always have my own in the dreaming world. I love dreaming of flying mane, pounding hooves, friendly nickers.

If you want a horse but can’t have one, here are some things you can try:

1. If you like art then perhaps you can draw a whole herd of horses and make it into your own personal book? Name each horse with a special name and pretend you own each. Make some Kentucky Derby champions or even make unicorns!

2. If you have toy horses you could always set up a stable using different things as stalls and take care of them each day. It is fun to just relax and pretend you have a horse.

3. READ! It is ALWAYS fun to read a good horse book and sometimes you can imagine yourself as the character!

4. If you keep a diary or journal you can make entries about a horse you own. Even if it isn’t a real horse a diary is YOUR personal space and you don’t have to write about real stuff! Make up a best friend to write about and you’ll find your heart soaring with adventure!

These may not be as good as a real horse, but they can help you feel like you have one! And it is alwasy fun to surround yourself with horse loving girls who share your passion.

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As a horse rider and a competitive swimmer, I know how it feels to get your hopes up too high. It is not wrong to hope — hope is what keeps your dreams alive — but keeping balance between hoping and hoping too high is tough. I have two examples.

Roxy is my miniature horse, and Lady is a welsh pony that I am training, but she is not mine. So right know I do not have a horse of my own that I can ride, show, bond with and play with. I ride my friend’s horse twice a week and work for lessons once a week, but it is not the same. I have often gotten my hopes way too high on a horse I want to buy, and then I hear they are too much or the situation is not right, and my hopes come crashing down. And down, and down. And frankly it brings me down because I have so many dreams of owning a horse that will be my best friend, that will carry me on its back, running through fields, and entering shows. And then it doesn’t work out.

Being a competitive swimmer, I know how this feels because you HAVE to get your hopes high. Swimming is almost all mental. You have to visualize getting the time you want to get. Three weekend’s ago I was at a swim meet. It was the last chance to qualify for Junior Olympics. One of my times were really close in the 50 meter freestyle, so I had been focusing on that event. After I swam the race I asked the timer for my time while I was still in the pool. And guess what — it was 81 milliseconds under Junior Olympic time cuts. I know it wasn’t real Olympics or anything, but LESS THAN A SECOND! I was mad at myself. In another one of my races I came super close as well. It was my first year in year-round swim so I cannot blame myself. I swam a couple of good races, just not good enough.

In the horse world, the swim world, and the real world in general, you must be prepared for stuff to not work out. When it doesn’t, it is painful. But when it does work out, it brings you that much higher. So is ‘getting your hopes too high’ just keeping dreams alive? Like I said before, with stuff like swimming you have to be mentally 100% sure, and sometimes that gets your hopes too high. With horses you can’t resist getting your hopes too high. In both examples, even though you can be greatly disappointed by getting your hopes too high, that is the only way us girls can keep our dreams alive.

Getting your hopes so high,

They almost touch the sky,

And when they crash you feel like you must die,

Lie,

Or just deny,

But it is the only way to keep you dreams alive,

So what to do?

When it seems like dreams and hopes are stopping you,

Keep hoping,

Keep dreaming,

It is not how it is seeming,

Right now,

But maybe tomorrow,

All your sorrow,

Will be worth it,

So keep dreaming!

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About a week ago I fulfilled a dream with the help of my friend and her horse. That dream was to gallop bareback in the country. Well sure enough, on a warm day with a slight breeze, I got on my friend’s 13 year old mare bareback and went for the ride of my life.

With the wind in my face Glory, the horse I was riding, raced down to the pond and around the pond with her tail streaming out behind. My hands were sore the next day from gripping the reins and her mane so tightly. I will admit that it was a little scary, but the scariness was nothing compared to the thrill of my wild ride!!!!

After galloping for awhile I went back to cantering, which is a lot more comfortable and easy. If you ever get the chance to gallop bareback take the chance. Oh, and don’t be scared if you fall off. I came close to falling several times while galloping.

Thanks for reading.

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I have never flown in an airplane, I have never flown on a horse, but I have dreamed about it. Not just daydream; I once had a dream I was on a Pegasus. What does it feel like to fly?

It is hard to explain! Flying feels like… anything is possible! You look down and see the countryside; you look up and see clouds. You clutch your Pegasus’ mane and shout a walloping ‘YAHOO’ for pure joy! You feel a tingle of excitement and your belly does a few flips before you settle into flying. Once you feel comfortable, your horse dives down then pulls up again. She try to scream but you can’t; even if it seems scary you aren’t too afraid. Just amazed.

You quickly leave everything you know and see sights that dazzle and complete you.

I know this was only a dream but when you ride a horse you ARE flying. You may not be in the sky but your heart SOARS.

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I am sure there is only a handful of girls out there that HAVEN’T dreamed of horses! Maybe there aren’t any. I was shocked when MY mom said she used to like horses the way I do. I find that hard to believe because she has developed a ‘fear’ of them. She even used to ride on a trail with girl scouts, and yet she is afraid of horses.

She thinks I am silly to want a horse. I use to think that anything was possible, but she makes it feel like having a horse is like asking for wings. But it is! Not in the way that it is impossible; in the way that having a horse IS having wings! But what happened to my mom? She used to dream of flying mane, pounding hooves, gentle eyes, wild spirits. Did she love them as COMPLETLY AND ADORINGLY as I do, or did she just think they were ‘cool’? Did she ever love them or did she just admire them?

There is no way of knowing, but what I do know is almost every girl dreams of horses and if they don’t then they are crazy. But about 1 in 100 have horses, if not less. What happens to the passion, to the love and dreams children have of horses? Why do adults forget about these amazing animals?

Do your parents ever tell you to ‘grow up’ to ’stop dreaming’? They tell you having a horse is impossible, but is it? Dreams DO come true! It takes hard work and believing in yourself but it is possible to own a horse. Thousands of people do!

Is it really reaching for the stars to ask for a special friend called a horse, or is it a dream that really can and will come true?

It CAN come true if you make it! It’s up to you to find that special horse, and it’s up to you to be his or her friend too. Childhood fantasies aren’t silly, they arent’ stupid — they are dreams about what you want and love, and I LOVE HORSES!

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Never once have I mentioned I don’t take lessons any longer. It is not because I am afraid; I never have been or will be. Owning a horse is another thing. Times are rough and the economy is falling. I can’t afford one and don’t have the time. That is another dream, yet to come, still hoping.

Over the last years, I still wonder, “When will I ride once again and feel the breeze in my face; my hair whirling?” I feel as if somewhere out there a horse  is waiting to be ridden by me. Waiting as I wait.

My mum has a friend who owns four horses. I have been to where her horses are boarded and ridden a couple times. It’s like my own private lessons for free. But over the last few months, we’ve lost touch and contact. Neither my mum or I have heard from her.

But I still have hope. I believe that when the time is right, the horse is right, and I’M right and ready, the time will come. The horse that has been waiting for me all this time, as I have been for him, will be ridden. And I will gallop once again, feel the breeze in my face, and my hair whirling.

All of it stronger than ever before.

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Have you ever wanted a horse, but know for sure you’re never going to get one? Have you had friends who own horse(s) and even their own ranch? But you don’t? We’ve all gotten that feeling at one point.

Times are rough. But one thing that will always, always stay by your side is your imagination. It could be hidden way deep inside you, or right on the very top. Even when you’re an adult, you may not use it, but it’s with you.

Imagination. Fantasy. True, it isn’t real life, but don’t spoil the fact that when you use it, life is even better than it already is.

The question might be spinning in your head, ‘What’s this have to do with having a horse?’

With imagination you can do anything. You can imagine you have a mansion with maids. You can imagine you have robots that do homework for you. You can imagine you have a horse.

My imagination horse is Peter. He is a Friesian and… I shouldn’t be explaining! You should be thinking of your imaginary horse.

So next time someone says to you, “You don’t have a horse” you can reply, “Oh yes I do. Her name is…” But if that person doesn’t believe you, well, you’ll have to bring the imagination side up in that person.

If you comment, tell me what your imaginary horse is like. I would be happy to know. :)

Dreams.

They can light the path in some of the darkest times in life. They are beautiful, inspiring and a spur to many. And I’m sure that for many of us, these dreams are about horses.

But as glorious as dreams are, left in your mind they can easily fade. How can we bring our horse dreams to life?

First and foremost, we need ambition.

Without ambition, dreams are just pictures. Ambition is not just a longing, it is a doing. It is a flame that burns inside of you, it pounds inside of you like the hooves of a mustang. But if you don’t seize it, you’ll never get anywhere.

You have to ride after your dream, but don’t stray into the dark paths. If you lose yourself along the way, you know something is wrong. Your dreams should define you, not change you into something you never wanted to be.

Here is a recipe for success:

DREAMS. The dream is what you are galloping after. The dream is the picture that you love and adore, and will have come true.

AMBITION. This is the longing *and* the doing. You work, you study, you fight to get to where you long to be.

LOVE. Love is a strong ingredient. If you don’t love your dream you won’t be willing to fight for it. You have to love it so much that you would be willing to give up many things to follow it.

STRENGTH. Don’t be afraid to fall. If you fall you get stronger and you can climb farther the next time.

STRATEGY. This helps me along greatly. I keep a ‘battle book’ where I record the battles I have fought, won, and yes, lost, going after my many dreams. In my battle book I keep track of my journey. It is a friend that will always be there to listen, and to remind me of what I have succeeded in times past.

Here’s a bit of advice and encouragement:

Don’t give up your dreams. They define who you are. Even if you don’t know who you are yet, you will in time. You’ll find when you follow your dreams that somewhere along the way pieces of you will begin to fall into place.

And don’t be discouraged if your dreams change shape and form in your head. They have a way of doing that as you grow older. It’s a part of growing up and a part of becoming who you are.

I think of my dreams as a wild, beautiful and untamed horse that gallops in the vast wilds of the unknown. I have to find him, and then somehow I must catch him. It won’t be an easy road at all, but it will be one well worth it.

Your dreams are out there. They are running loose, wild and free. Now matter how trapped or low or stuck you feel, your dreams will always be free.

Will you follow them?

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