Dreams Take Work

March 2014. I was going to buy my dream horse.

After finally selling Nugget, my horse-with-no-brakes, I went to a huge 3-day auction with my dad. As you can imagine, my head was full of dreams. What kind of horse was I going to come home with? A fun little Paso, just like my sister's horse? Maybe another Haflinger? A beautiful buckskin? Who knows?

I came home with an elegant black Friesian. I remember holding the end of the lead rope and walking him to the trailer, filled with awe that this ginormous beastie was now mine. We drove home, and I imagined what it would be like to gallop bareback across the hay fields...just like Alec and the Black Stallion, only the "I live in the mountains, far away from the beach" version.

Pepper at his fastest speed (a trot) at a Ride and Tie in VA.

But when I got home, my dreams were shattered. Pepper didn't like to ride away from the house alone. He panicked every time he got left behind by the other horses and would bolt to catch up (which, because he walks so slow, was pretty frequent). Loading and unloading him was a pain. He bucked every time he cantered, and sometimes when he was in a trot.

I cried myself to sleep a number of times. This wasn't the dream horse I had thought I'd bought. A few times I even wondered if I should sell him, but despite the rough rides I really loved him.

Pepper and Max getting ready for a ride in the rain.

Years passed, and I kept stubbornly riding Pepper. And then, one day, I realized I was riding my dream horse. I could load him right up in the trailer, go out riding by myself, trot and canter away, and load him right up and go home.

Pepper enjoying a quick cool-off during one of our solo rides.

August 2020. I was going to look at a cheap Craigslist horse.

A long time ago I had told myself, if you go to look at a horse and he's already tacked up when you arrive, the sellers are trying to hide something, so don't buy the horse. Well, this horse was tacked up, tied to a tree, and sweating. To keep the drive from being a total waste, I rode the horse anyway, and while he threw in a buck or two and tossed his head around and was an emotional mess, he wasn't horrible.

Then I took the saddle off and found I could see every rib on the poor thing. I offered the seller $500 less than what she was asking, and she took it and I took the horse. I've made a mistake, I told myself. This horse is crazy. He'll never be like your old Paso. He was trained by a drunk, never been on the trails, and has who knows how many bad habits.

Shadow learning to be a good little Ride and Tie beastie.

But I jumped right into working with him. I practiced loading him. I started on trails. Worked on tons of little quirks.

This November, I took this horse to VA with a friend and we rode over bridges, through tunnels, and even galloped a couple times. This little horse didn't put a hoof wrong the whole time.

Me and Shadow after going through the tunnel.

Perfect horses, dream horses, aren't purchased. They're made.

So pull your boots on, take a deep breath, and get on that horse. He or she may not be your dream horse yet. There may be a few rides between now and that "bareback gallop across the field" that everyone dreams of. But don't give up.

To those who don't have horses, maybe you have some other dream you're chasing and maybe it seems so unattainable. Maybe it'll take some bravery, or maybe some hard work, or maybe lots of time and dedication, or maybe a healthy dose of everything I just mentioned.

Don't give up. Keep pushing forward. Every little bit counts. Every step forward is forward progress. Every ten minutes spent on your project is ten minutes closer to finishing.

Don't give up on your dream. Stun it with your last bullet, and when it tries to get up and run away, grab a hold of the tail and and run after it through the woods and never let go no matter where it drags you (sorry, a hunting story analogy here).

2021 is beginning and we're all setting new goals and trying to get over the shock of 2020. Here is your reminder to keep trucking on. Don't give up. It gets better, I promise. It may get worse for a while, and you'll stress and you'll cry. But when you're done crying, dry those tears, maybe look at a different angle, and try again.

These boys have some blood, sweat, and tears in them, but boy, have they been worth it! <3 Don't give up on your dreams!