01/08/2026
I know the cost of loving horses.
I know it in early mornings
when rest would be easier.
In long days that don’t pause
just because I’m tired.
In plans that change
and priorities that shift
without apology.
I know the cost financially,
but that’s never been the hardest part.
The real cost is time.
Energy.
Emotional space.
It’s the mental load of always caring.
Always noticing.
Always being responsible
for a life that depends on you
whether you feel ready or not.
It’s the worry that never fully turns off.
The decisions that weigh heavy.
The knowing that loving deeply
also means risking loss.
I know the heartbreak too.
I know what it’s like
to say goodbye too soon
or hold on through seasons
that are harder than you imagined.
I know that grief is part of the agreement
you sign the moment you choose this life.
And still—
I choose horses.
I choose them because of what they give back.
Because they ground me
when the world feels loud.
Because they teach me patience
without preaching it.
Because they ask me to slow down
and show up honestly.
I choose horses
because they don’t care who I am
outside the barn.
They care how I arrive.
How I breathe.
How I listen.
They’ve taught me responsibility
without resentment.
Strength without hardness.
Confidence without ego.
They’ve shaped the way I move through the world—
steadier,
more aware,
less reactive.
I choose horses
because they’ve been there
in seasons no one else saw.
Because the barn has held me together
more times than I can count.
I choose them
because this life feels real.
Because the work matters.
Because the connection is earned,
not given.
And yes—
the cost is high.
But so is the return.
The peace.
The purpose.
The quiet understanding
that I am exactly where I belong
when I’m with them.
So I keep choosing horses—
not because it’s easy,
not because it’s convenient,
but because it has shaped me
into someone I’m proud to be.
Some things cost more than money.
They cost heart.
And some things are worth it
every single time.
Horses
have always been one of them.
Do you still choose horses, despite the cost?
