Your Turn: Making your dream horse come true

If you’re willing to work hard, anything is possible. This is the story of Mary Coleman, a young rider who bought her own horse, with her own hard-earned money, at age 15.

From Mary:

I can specifically remember being 7 years old and having my parents gently tell little horse-crazy me that the $23.74 that I had been saving was not enough a to buy a horse. It was like all my hopes and dreams had been crushed in one heartbreaking conversation. I knew that I had so much room in my heart to love a horse, yet fate just wouldn’t let it happen. They told me that someday, when I was an adult with a job, I could have all the horses I wanted. Wiping tears away from my face, I held on to that hope.

In the mean time, I became a volunteer at a barn near my house when I was 11. I learned all about horses and even got to ride! It was an amazing opportunity for a little horse-lovin’ kid and I was truly happy. Still, I never forgot my life’s greatest goal: to own a horse of my very own.

Believe it or not, I accomplished my goal a month after my 15th birthday. I never imagined that I would be so lucky, but from the time I got my first job (cleaning stalls and giving pony rides to younger children), I saved nearly every penny I made. I’d long since realized that my parents weren’t going to buy me a horse, so I went out and made my own dream come true.

That was nearly three years ago, and my horse, “Missy,” is still my best friend. Between working lots of hours and studying my butt off to get through high school, it has not always been easy, but it’s always been worth it. It’s also pretty cool to be able to say that I have always paid for Missy all on my own!

I guess the moral of mine and Missy’s story is that if you want something bad enough, you have to be willing to work hard. Adults like to tell that to kids all the time, and we tend to ignore them, but it’s the complete, 100% truth. If you’re young, and horse-crazy like I was (and still am!), you can have your horse. It might not happen at age 15, but it WILL happen. Dreams are not created on shooting stars or in penny fountains. They are made with sweat, love, and a great desire to succeed.

About the Author: Mary Coleman is a young equestrian with a passion for for dressage. Her partner in crime is a 9-year-old Paint mare named “Missy.” She writes her own blog about the triumphs and trials of being young, horse-crazy, and having to balance both high school and working to pay for her passion at www.simplyhorse-crazy.blogspot.com.

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