Edgar Degas, Racehorses, 1885

I am thankful for the opportunity to ride and the lessons I have learned from it. Since the first time I was on a horse I learned a lot. My first pony ride was at a local petting zoo when I was in pre-kindergarten. There I learned just how massive these animals are - and how much fun they can be. After this, I only saw horses in pastures outside the car door, or even in books.

The next time I rode a horse was at a family friend's farm. They let me walk the horse by myself, brush him. But they had to tack him up- I was too short. Once I mounted the horse I was free from the confining circle of the petting zoo. This experience taught me to enjoy this freedom and the time I have with horses.

A week later was my birthday. For my birthday I received a helmet which was a ticket for horseback riding lessons. From this point on riding horses has been an influential in my life. Because of riding I learned how to be graceful when under stress. I am thankful for my horses for teaching me to be organized and how to communicate without talking. Also many of my horses have instructed me not to fear failure, but to grow from it.