I saw this comic the other day, and it really struck me.  It highlighted the internal struggle between our hearts and our brains, between responsibilities and horses. It struck me because I’ve had a horse my entire adult life.  I was able to keep my show horse from my childhood, because of my adult responsibilities.

I realize that I could not have kept William in the life he was accustomed throughout college without my parents.  But, as soon as I graduated college, William was fully my responsibility.  And I made choices based on his bills.

Most “kids” right out of college aren’t “saddled” with the responsibility of horse, let alone an aging show horse.  William took care of me for years; it was my turn to take care of him.  I have bought and sold horses for my whole life…. He is the only one that I just couldn’t part with, a true heart horse.

There is a way to have a horse and be an adult.  Most people just don’t want to hear about it… it’s called hard work and sacrifice.  I worked over time to afford William- crazy overtime.  Like (no exaggeration) 100 hour weeks.  Could I see him all the time?  No.  Most of the time I was too tired or had to work.  But, he got everything he could ever need.  I didn’t go out with friends; my awesome boyfriend (now husband) took me to dinner so I could have a break from just eating hummus sandwiches.

I was, in fact, making more adult decisions than my friends- who were spending crazy money at bars.  Would have I rathered spent time at the barn than work?  Absolutely.  But, William taught me the meaning of sacrificing for my horse- something that was instilled in me before becoming an actual adult, although I *might* not have been fully aware of the financial sacrifice.  Giving up parties, putting every extra penny toward my horse and riding, and sacrificing sleep were all conditions of me getting a horse in the first place- starting from my first horse at 11 years old.

If your heart truly wants horses, you grow up real fast and take on more adult responsibilities to make it happen.  I was never light heartedly playing at the barn…. it was my whole world.  And William is still alive, well, and (quite literally) a HUGE part of my family.

This comic fails for me.