My Daughter and Horses....

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rockin r

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I read this years ago..... How true it is....

"My daughter turned sixteen years old today; which is a milestone

for most people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood

trinkets with her, I took time to reflect on the young woman my

daughter had become and the choices she would face in the future.

As I looked at her I could see the athlete she was, and determined

woman she would soon be.

I started thinking about some of the girls we knew in our town who were

already pregnant, pierced in several places, hair every color under

the sun, drop outs, drug addicts and on the fast track to no where,

seeking surface identities because they had no inner self esteem.

The parents of these same girls have asked me why I "waste" the

Money on horses so my daughter can ride. I'm told she will grow out

of it, lose interest, discover boys and all kinds of things that try

to pin the current generation's "slacker" label on my child. I don't

think it will happen, I think she will love and have horses all her

life. ...........

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has compassion. She

knows that we must take special care of the very young and the very

old. We must make sure those without voices to speak of their pain

are still cared for.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned responsibility

for others than herself. She learned that regardless of the weather

you must still care for those you have the stewardship of. There are

no "days off" just because you don't feel like being a horse owner

that day. She learned that for every hour of fun you have there are

days of hard slogging work you must do first.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned not to be afraid

of getting dirty and that appearances don't matter to most of the

breathing things in the world we live in. Horses do not care about

designer clothes, jewelry, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on

our bodies to try to impress others. What a horse cares about are

your abilities to work within his natural world, he doesn't care if

you're wearing $80.00 jeans while you do it.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned about sex and

how it can both enrich and complicate lives. She learned that it

only takes one time to produce a baby, and the only way to ensure

babies aren't produced is not to breed. She learned how babies are

planned, made, born and, sadly, sometimes die before reaching their

potential. She learned how sleepless nights and trying to outsmart a

crafty old broodmare could result in getting to see, as non-horse

owning people rarely do, the birth of a true miracle.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she understands the value of

money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of

feed or farrier visits. Purchasing non-necessities during lean times

can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and

starvation. She has learned to judge the level of her care against

the care she sees provided by others and to make sure her standards

never lower, and only in crease as her knowledge grows

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to learn on

her own. She has had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor

communicate beyond body language and reactions. She has had to learn

to "read" her surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look

for hazards where others might only see a pretty meadow. She has

learned to judge people as she judges horses. She looks beyond

appearances and trappings to see what is within.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned

sportsmanship to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a

winner. Trophies and ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do

not prove someone is a horseman. She has also learned that some

people will do anything to win, regardless of who it hurts. She

knows that those who will cheat in the show ring will also cheat in

every other aspect of their life and are not to be trusted.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has self-esteem and an

engaging personality. She can talk to anyone she meets with

confidence, because she has to express herself to her horse with

more than words. She knows the satisfaction of controlling and

teaching a 1000 pound animal that will yield willingly to her gentle

touch and ignore the more forceful and inept handling of those

stronger than she is. She holds herself with poise and

professionalism in the company of those far older than herself.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to plan

ahead. She knows that choices made today can effect what happens

five years down the road. She knows that you cannot care for and

protect you investments without savings to fall back on. She knows

the value of land and buildings. And that caring for you vehicle can

mean the difference between easy travel or being stranded on the

side of the road with a four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what she has learned and what it will help her

become, I can honestly say that I haven't "wasted" a penny on

providing her with horses. I only wish that all children had the

same opportunities to learn these lessons from horses before

setting out on the road to adulthood.
 
I love it!!!! I would love to put this up in the tack store where I work for some of those "complaining" mothers.
 
Please remember that any time this is posted on the internet or anywhere it supposed to--at the author's request--include the author's name.
 
Please remember that any time this is posted on the internet or anywhere it supposed to--at the author's request--include the author's name.
I love the truths of the above essay. Does anyone know who the author is?

Okay, I decided to look it up and the author is Tracy Meisenbach.
 
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