I’ve always wanted a horse. A dainty spotted pony, a prancing Palomino, a strong black Friesian, a zorse, an fuzzy miniature that would follow me like a dog; any horse would do. I needed one, or I might lose my sanity, or what was left. I spent every free minute, looking online for the best local deals on horses and upcoming horse shows. I would beg my parents to take me to horse shows and when driving, I would beg until they would pull over at the pretty pony standing by the fence.
I didn’t need just a horse. I needed a friend that I could count on.

My life had been tough. My friends all left me; they all moved away or moved on. My grades in school were slipping, and my home life wasn’t great, either. I’d leave my homework in my bag, and go up to my room to mope or surf pointless things on the computer. I would also read. My only grade that was good was in English. I loved to read. Not any books, but books about horses. Any book that had a horse; whether a riding magazine, a biography, a historical fiction of a time where everyone had a horse, or a loved classic; I would read it. My parents had started to worry about me, but they didn’t know what to do, so they told themselves it as a phase that would hopefully soon pass.
Well, they did have a right to worry. I had always been outgoing and smart, always having friends come over or to going out with. I always dressed in nice clothes and was constantly smiling. Now, I only left my room for meals and school. I wore baggy sweatshirts and loose jeans every day. And I rarely smiled.
Until I found horse shows.

I stumbled upon them one day while searching on the internet. I wondered what it was about, so I asked my parents to go that night at dinner. Delighted that I wasn’t completely a hermit or that I was coming out of this phase thing, they said happily agreed to drive me 5 hours the next morning to the show.
The horses were so pretty, jumping over the gates, showing off their walks, racing around the poles in relay. I wanted to jump in the ring and go ride forever on one of those graceful creatures. All of them were well-kept and loved. Every single horse held his head high and proud, and they had the right to. I never saw something so gorgeous in my life. I didn’t stop smiling, from the time we sat down in the car, until I laid to sleep that night. My parents were in awe how something like that could make me so happy.
The next weekend, I had found a horse auction. I begged my parents to go. They let me, hoping that I would be so happy like last time; but warned me I couldn’t buy anything.

When we got their, we could browse all the horses up for auction. Many of them were young, spring-loaded, energetic yearlings; but there where a few sad, skinny, old horses that their owners were trying to sell for a few hundred dollars. Those horses wringed my stomach like a cloth, and made me want to cry. Then we came upon a buckskin-colored crossbred. She was so elegant and beautiful, with sparking blue eyes and shiny coat. I had to take this horse home with me. Her owner looked tired, trying to handle too many horses at once. It looked like he was selling all his leftover horses that weren’t fit for breeding but no one bought over the internet. I dared to take a peek at the price.
$500. For my dream horse. Only $500. I begged and begged my parents, not caring if I made a scene. I know I promised them but she needed to come home with me. I had found a horse barn only 15 minutes away from our house where she could live for only $250 a month, plus food.
My parents, seeing how happy the horse made me, wanting to give me something to smile about, tried to bargain the price to $350. If they couldn’t get the price that low then no deal, no horse. The man saw how bad I wanted the horse, and he had to get her off his hands. He made a deal with my parents right there, so she wouldn’t have to go up for auction. My dad paid cash right their. The man handed me the lead line.
She was mine.

We went around the grounds, buying her a new halter, a bridle, a saddle and a blanket. We also found someone who would drive her to the horse barn by our house. My mom had called when I told her, and they still had a stall open for her. My dream horse was mine. Really, truly mine.
And now my life was perfect. I threw out all my sweatshirts, and bought some new clothes. My grades quickly rose and I was moved to Accelerated classes. I made new friends with the girls at the barn. And I always had a smile on my face.
I was saved by my horse.