by Violet Inkpen, age 13

My eyes filled with wonder and awe as I stared at the thing before me. Mommy was cooing to me, as always. Daddy was video taping it all. I ignored them.

Slowly I looked the huge animal over, top to bottom, then I reached out a chubby hand and touched the softest nose in the world. The creature blinked gently, breathed in my smell, then gently licked my tiny hand with a massive tongue. I giggled softly, then reached closer and grabbed a fist full of the long mane. It wasn’t as soft as my mommy’s. In fact, it was hard and tough. I didn’t care.

Mommy moved closer. “You like the horsie?” she cooed, bouncing me on her hip. My eyes glanced at her then I looked back at the horsie and laughed; my eyes shone. Reaching out for the horsie again, I stroked the face with a clumbsy swipe. The horsie didn’t care. It gently nuzzled me as if I was an angel.

Five minutes later, with daddy’s large hands around my waist holding me onto the horsie’s car seat, I smiled to the world. Mommy led the horsie around and around the large place with white fences. Raising my arms up in the air I looked down at the horsie and knew that we had a bond.

“Lookie there Julie, our six month-old daughter already has talent for horses!” Daddy smiled at Mommy’s back. Mommy turned around and looked at me, a smile on her face.

“She’s our girl after all,” she sighed happily. I giggled again, and after a few hours of riding I fell fast asleep on the horsie.

That was my first memory. Smiling at the picture of me on a horse, I put it away and walked to the barn, bundling up against the cold rain.

“Hey Giddy Up, how are you?” I asked my beautiful thoroughbred stallion. Tomorrow he’d be in the second race of his life. I turned my attention to the stall across the hall where Giddy For Glory, Giddy Up’s mom, was gently sleeping.

Smiling, I thanked my parents for their introduction to horses. I loved thoroughbreds as much as I loved living. Without horses I’d rather not live. The thrill of racing, winning, seeing a horse you’ve bred and trained running across the finish line — it was all so wonderful. But just the joy of owning a horse in general was exciting. Yes, my parents got me horse-crazy at an early age, and growing up on their dude ranch helped. But even if they hated horses, I’m sure I would have still loved them madly.

Sighing, I left the barn and looked into the sky. Some things were meant to be, and I knew that horses were right for me.