General What is your plan and goals in regards to your horse riding? Do you just plan on having a few lessons each week for fun, or plan on progressing into an equestrian sport with more extensive training. If you don't have a plan, you could find yourself in disarray, both financially and emotionally.

To start, ask your parents just how much they pay a year for your lessons and other equestrian expenses. Assume your mother or father earns $12 dollars an hour and your new breeches cost $70, monthly boarding expenses run $250 and that lovely saddle pad that you are dying to get costs $35.

Horse Fiction “How does she look?” I asked John excitedly from the fence line of the riding ring at Red Oaks.

“They look fantastic,” he replied happily and put a arm on my shoulder.

“You sure did good, Anna,” he told me.

“Thanks,” I laughed, “Sure wasn’t easy.”

Horse Fiction “My mom left, so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me and we are going to talk whether you like it or not,” I snapped at her. So many weeks of irritation and anger was spilling out of me in a flood, she was not going to turn her back on me! She was not going to refuse my efforts, not this time! I clenched my teeth and began, letting all my feelings flow out of me in the words, “You don’t think I know how you feel? You can see! You can ride! You can do anything you want to but you sit all huddled up in your room. I won’t ever be able to ride again, Midnight is wasting away and I'm only keeping him out of pure selfishness. You just lost your horse, I feel your pain, I feel your anger, and I feel you ebbing away inside. But you cannot leave, I need you Kailee.” The tears flowed fast and furious down my flushed cheeks as I finished.

Horse Fiction “Turn!” the voice of Sue called across the arena. But I had forgotten which way and was to slow to turn. Midnight came to a sliding halt at the fence and I fell to the ground in front of him, not for the first time. I curled up in a ball in fear of Midnight stepping on me and waited for Sue to say something. Heavier footsteps approached me though and lifted me back up. John.

Horse Fiction Days past with hardly ever a sound coming from my mouth. There wasn’t another name for it, I was depressed. I heard things from my parents at times, whispering about me behind my back; slowly killing my will and spirit. I told myself I would call Sue and Kailee today but part of me resisted. What would I tell them? That I was ok and everything would be back to normal soon? How much did they even know? I reached for my phone on my bedside table with trembling fingers. Four, the number for Kailee. I held it down and let the ringing from the speaker infuse my head. Please don’t pick up, I thought desperately but sure enough, a light voice came on the other end after the first couple of rings.

Horse Fiction Next thing I knew I was back on my bed. My head throbbed with a hundred needles as blood pulsed faster into my now active brain. I sat up and rubbed my temples gently, How did I end up here? I wondered. Felt around my bed, no one was there. What time was it? I slid off my soft bed and headed in the direction of my door with my hands outreached. There! I opened the door, feeling some satisfaction and started to head downstairs. But I stopped when I began to hear the voices.

“Do you think she would agree to that? You know he means so much to her,” came the soft, worried voice of my mother.

“She will have to, she won’t ever be able to ride again. She has too at least see that,” came the harder voice of my dad.

Horse Fiction This was it, the turn just up here. The turning of the car was agonizingly slow as John turned into the driveway of the stable. I quickly unbuckled and went to edge of my seat. The sight never came though. The large, natural colored, cider barn never came into sight; or the shiny black fencing of the pastures and the horses eating the green, luscious grass. My heart cracked as I realized I would never see it again. Ever. John must have seen the pain in my face and slowed down the car a little more.

Horse Fiction Back in my room I swayed with dizziness and unbalance. I didn’t know where anything was anymore. I tried to bring everything to minds eye and stepped forward a couple of steps. I tripped over something on the floor and fell to the floor. I forgot I moved my chest there. I reached out my hand and climbed onto my bed and as I sat down something slid down and hit me. I closed my hand around and smiled faintly, it was my phone. I flipped it open and felt the buttons under my fingers. I could still call people... I held down the number three to speed dial John. It rang once, twice and then the soothing voice came over the little speaker in the phone.

Horse Fiction My eyes flew open to the darkness the next morning in eagerness. I could visit Midnight today! I got out of my bed and felt around to the little closet for my clothes. I heard a nurse come in to help me, “No! I’ve got it,” I said letting a little bit of the anger that had built up out. She stopped short and walked back out. I sighed and relaxed as I felt around for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My hands soon found the dense, strong fabric of the denim and the textured soft cotton shirt. I headed into the bathroom with my hands outreached, this would be challenging.

Horse Fiction “Anna, someone is here to see you.” came the nurses voice once more. Two more days have passed and they finally took off the cloth around my eyes. They were right, I couldn’t see anything. I turned my head to the doorway with my unseeing eyes and listened for the footsteps. They came in steady and soft, with a purpose. “Hey there, Anna,” said a calming, deep voice.

“John!” I exclaimed and smiled for the first time since my accident. The smile faded away when I realized I would never be able to see his sparkling green eyes or see that cocky smile ever again. I turned my head toward the direction I thought he was and waited for him to say something. Anything.

Horse Fiction The pain, the flashing of red in front of my open eyes. I was falling... Falling.

Where was I? I began to feel, but I could not see. A soft cloth was pressing on my aching eyes kept them from opening. I felt the pain in my bones and muscles and it overwhelmed me. I moaned at the pain and let mental darkness came over me once more in a painful wave.

I gasped as I woke once more; the pain was still there but less now. “Anna?” a soft, familiar voice came from the right of where I laid. It was my mother! “Mom!” I cried hopelessly. I still could not see! What was this on my eyes? I tried to move my slender arms but they only jerked weakly. “No, Anna, leave them covered.” came my mothers voice again, pain from watching me seeping into voice as she spoke.

Care and Grooming If you are trying to sell a horse you know it is hard because it can be extremely difficult to transform that horse into an eye catching model. Well, I am here to help! I have had a lot of experience in grooming dirty and disgusting horses and have mastered the technique. Grooming is not for the faint of heart. You will get covered in hair, dust, dirt and other nasty things. A thorough grooming can even get you injured, depending on the horse. If your not ready to get your hands dirty, you better loose those fantasies of getting a horse or becoming a top notch rider.

Shows and Events James came up to me and said “OK, I want you to keep your eyes up, sit up, and put your leg on all the way to the jumps. If she doesn’t listen to your leg the first time go right to your stick and give her a tap. If she doesn’t listen to that give her a smack and growl at her.” I said OK and nodded. “Ok, you will do great, I don’t care how you look going over the jumps, just don’t fall off.” He said. That got a laugh out of me.

“5-4-3-2-1 go. Have a nice ride!” said the start box people and we were away.