Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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{ hd makes things pretty }

A year ago today on my 18th birthday I met and rode Willow for the first time.
I thought he was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen. Despite his imperfections, I thought he was absolutely stunning. I almost didn't ride him, but his owner coaxed me into it. I was very rusty, and she was adamant that he needed a strong and confident rider. Despite the odds being against me, I felt an instant connection with him in the saddle, and my heart was stolen.

Willow was everything I did and didn't want. He tested me from the very beginning. He tried to buck me off, run away with me, and he really didn't see why he should give me the time of day. I don't have a single video to show the true hardships we went through, but I remember everything. I would just constantly tell myself to imagine the outcome, to imagine how much of a better rider he would make me. And he absolutely has, without a doubt.

Even knowing this, he would make me cry. He made me want to give up. He's shown me complete disregard and basically asked me over and over, "Why should I trust you?" For the longest time I didn't have an answer.

I didn't really want an Arabian, much less one that was already 15 and required a very experienced rider, but he truly became everything I needed. He has shown me his incredible athleticism and endurance, and has taught me the value of patience and trust in a way that no horse ever has.
In April, he was offered to me for free by his previous owner. The day I learned he could really, truly become mine, I cried my heart out. My dream of owning a horse was finally coming true.

Willow never has and never will be an easy horse. Working around his delicate brain has been a huge obstacle, but is one that has made me a better person and a better rider. I've done some things I'm not proud of, but he has forgiven me. When he flipped in the cross ties and injured himself in September, I learned to truly value his life as something other than just an athlete. His life became more than about jumping and the possibility of being in the show ring. He has truly become my best friend these last 4 months during his recovery. His happiness and his longevity is all that matters to me.

Willow was never supposed to be a long-term thing, really. But it became clear to me very quickly that living without him was impossible. He is my best friend, and he has taught me more than any horse, trainer, or person ever has. Everyday he continues to teach me something new. He has taught me that nothing matters more than absolute kindness, and that was something I really needed to learn through some of the darkest periods of my life. Even when I have nothing, I have Willow. And I want nothing more than for him to spend the rest of his life beside me.