Did you ever have that want or dream of having your own horse? You were 5 years old and you could not make your parents understand that nothing in this world was greater than having your own horse in your own backyard. I was one of those little girls that dreamed of one day having my own horse I could ride through the woods and we would have lunch together under a big apple tree.

I would eat jelly sandwiches and my friend, my horse, would eat grass and apples. We would sit there for hours and hours until I could here my mom howler its time for dinner. Well, that was my dream.

Years went by and more kids were born (sisters). Of course there was no money for my dream horse. We had to put food on the table and maybe think about it, my mom would say. My mom kept her promise. It was a little late for me but my younger sister got the horse. I was not living at home by then. I was 21 years old and on my own.

But a HORSE a real horse! This was wonderful. At our house in our very own backyard! I could hardly stand it. All my dreams started to flood back to that 5 year old child with dreams taller than her. The horses name was Smoky. What a great name. He was an Appaloosa and he was beautiful. I knew my 10 year old sister would not mind if I would ride him on my days off, after all she was at school.

I could ride him when she was not there! I would take Smoky out in the woods and remember my dream. I would get off him and sit in the tall grass with him. But the dream seemed to stop there, as soon as I got off his back and set down the reins, he started running back to the barn as fast as he could. There he stood whining for my sister who was getting off the bus. So this was my dream, but Smoky did not know the dream and had other plans. We did this once a week for about a month until I decided Smoky wins. He's not my horse, he's my baby sisters horse. And so, adult life goes on.

Years go by and at the age of 32, I became pregnant with a baby girl. My dream was hidden deep. I chose a unicorn theme for my unborn babies bedroom. The magical horse! Everything was unicorns, the blankets, lamps, curtains, etc.

As my daughter grew and was old enough to point (age 1), she would point out every time we passed a horse farm or horses, she wanted to stop to see them. She awoke the dream I had so long forgotten. At the age of 6 we were going over to a friends house to see her horses. Now my dream is her dream, and the asking began. I want a horse mommy, please. It did not take much for me to be convinced by any stretch of the imagination. At the age of 10 we were set enough to make our dream come true.

Now the year is 2008 and we have been rescuing, rehabbing, and boarding for 13 years. We have great stories to share. The moral: NEVER forget your DREAM. It's worth the wait, I can promise you that!