It is not too often that I get to help someone's dreams come true. I am truly savoring my daughter's utter delight in her horse.
It is funny: a girl wanting a pony is a cliche. And seemingly like every other girl, my daughter has wanted a horse since she was old enough to know what a horse was. A few years ago, my husband surprised with an old white horse from the local auction.
I'll never forget that night and I'm sure that Haley will never forget it either. It was the end of December. We never spend too much on Christmas gifts so we did have a little extra that year. My husband and daughter went to the auction and came back and told me they bought a horse. I had heard so much negativity regarding auctions--I was very concerned that the horse that he bought was damaged or ill.
Snowball was delivered to us in the dark of the night in a swirl of wind and snow. The sellers parked in the lot of the little country church across the road. It was a beautiful scene - it took my breath away. Although he was at a new place and had been moved around from home, to the auction barn, and finally, to us, Snowball exuded calm and peace. It was as if he knew that he had come home.
Snowball and Haley have been in love ever since. We gave Haley a used saddle last Christmas but it still hasn't been picked up from being repaired. Hopefully we can get it soon. But in the meantime, Haley is taking lessons to learn how to properly ride and care for a horse. She knows that we will be able to pay for her weekly lessons throughout the next month or so but once harvest is over, she will be babysitting to earn money for lessons.
While I wish she stilled played the sports she has played since pre-school, I am happy that she has seemed to find her desire. She is focused and determined to learn all that she can and to some day be an equine veterinarian. She decided on a pair of riding pants and half chaps instead of some extra shirts for school. She is busy putting together a poster that she can put on the bulletin board at church advertising her babysitting services.
She has found her heart's desire.
