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Writing > Users > peekaboo28 > 2012

Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction


The following is a piece of writing submitted by peekaboo28 on October 17, 2012

IEHJA Scholarship Essay



"It is not how a riders horse performs; but it is how the rider and the horse perform together as one." -Unknown

Have you ever had something thats saved your life? 12 years ago I was introduced to something that will stay with me forever; riding horses.
I was 4 years old when my dad dropped me off at horse camp in the next town over. I kept asking, ‘Are we there yet? Is that it?!’ frantically pointing at every wooden building that slightly resembled a barn. When we finally arrived at Clover Hill I was in awe. The first thing you saw when you pulled up to the property was a big red barn and a huge piece of land, which I came to later find out was well over 100 horse head. It was any 4 year olds dream, and it was the start of a lifestyle that was no turning back.
When I was around 10 years old I had some problems in my life. They were typical 4th/5th grade issues, the whole ‘he said she said’ had started and popularity was in the mix. I didn’t have many friends and got made fun of when I was growing up, and if you put the problem and the situation together it didn’t end up very well. I’ll save you the details, but I got grounded. Nothing in my room except a bed, one pair of shoes and enough clothes to last a week. The first outside activity that was taken away from me was riding. This lasted for about 3 months until I finally convinced my parents to let me back in the saddle, and thank God I did. After my first lesson back I’ll admit, I was sore for days, maybe even a week but it was so worth it. I had to gain back my parents trust and prove that I was responsible enough to have the privilege of riding. The one thing I cherished most I had finally earned back and I had learned some valuable lessons about trust and accountability along the way.
After those long 3 months I learned something essential to my life. When you have the amazing opportunity to own your own horse there are so many responsibilities that you automatically gain. 4 years ago a unique animal came into my life. Her name is Abby and she is a 16 hand Apendix, although she looks more like a Thoroughbred. She came into my life after those 3 months and she’s been with me ever since. She has taught me things no one else has. The connection you get between a rider and her horse is unbreakable. We’ve tried some crazy things together, jumping hedges and brick walls but its something more than that. To be capable of doing out of the ordinary things you need to be able to trust your horse, and in return your horse needs to be able to trust you.
So I guess to answer the essay question, riding has changed my life in remarkable ways. It has brought me back on the right track, its given me responsibility, and most of all riding has made me into the person I am today. At 16 years old and in 11th grade you’re put in sticky situations with peer pressure and doing things that are ‘fun’, but all in all there’s a bigger picture of life lessons. "Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls- they give us hope" -Unknown

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