the true heartbreak of growing up as a horsegirl in a non-horsey family

Picking up a sport in your childhood is a step that almost every child makes. Parents even encourage it, wishing for their kid to be more active outside rather than playing video games all the time. Most kids join clubs or teams when they enter school. You can join your school's soccer team and might win a game or two. Basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, swimming.. just to name a few sports.

It doesn't take much. Just buy the sport uniform, a ball or even cleats, a tennis racket or a pair of ballet shoes that'll last you maybe a few months before you need new ones.

But what about the girls who can't stop dreaming of owning their very own horse? Perhaps you became infatuated when you sat on a pretty pony at a local fair. Or when you watched Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

Ever since that fateful moment, every time you were on a car ride and spotted horses grazing on a field you couldn't help but yell "HORSES!". Whenever you visited your school's library you always went for the horse stories written by authors like Walter Farley. He wrote the Black Stallion series. Or what about the Pony Pals series by Jeanne Betancourt? Horse Diaries? Oooh or what about that Breyer Horse Collection books that came with the purchase of a model horse? And how could we forget Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry? Also, the classic Black Beauty by Anna Sewell!

You probably watched Horseland too. And did you ever get that subscription to Star Stable Online? I did, I got the lifetime membership.

From then on, your life was horses. Your bedrooms was horses, you talked horses and you dreamt horses. You read books about them and wanted to own your very own horse.

But there was a problem.

Your parents weren't buying you a horse. Not even a pony! While other kids begged their parents for kittens or puppies, you were set on getting a pretty horsey. Imagine the bliss of riding your own horse every day! You would have the joy of seeing it in your own backyard!

Instead you and your parents compromised and decided horseback riding lessons was good enough. You got your share of horses and your parents wouldn't actually commit to the big responsibility of caring for a horse.

You spent the entire week brimming with anticipation and waiting for that one day to come when you could run to the barn and for about 30 minutes to an hour, be in horse haven.

Deep down however, you knew the only way to placate this wish of yours was to buy your very own horse. A companion on the trail and in the riding arena. A best friend. You seethed with jealousy at finding out that other kids were born to horse-loving parents. Meanwhile, you had to be content with the one hour a week you spent at the riding barn.

So everyday, you prayed for a horse. When you blew your candles on your birthday, you fantasized about opening your eyes to find out your parents had bought you a horse. You dreamt about waking up on Christmas morning to a horse in your backyard.

But it never happened. So, you either learned to "grow out of it" or kept that wish tucked away in a corner of your heart until one day, years later, it emerged again.