(Emily and her horse, Piquito, at Kay el Bar Ranch.)
When Emily was four-years-old we took her to Irvine Park Stables to watch the girls there practice riding. Emily was fascinated and declared, as all four-year-old girls do at some point, that she wanted a horse.
Larry, as all good dads would do, knelt down, looked her right in those big blue eyes and wholeheartedly promised her that when she was eight we would buy her a horse. **glup** I just smiled at the exchange knowing full-well that there wasn't going to be a horse with a big ribbon in our driveway on Emily's eighth birthday.
Thankfully, miraculously, she never mentioned daddy's promise again. So either she totally forgot, or she has just stopped listening to any of our wholehearted promises. Either way, we have some time.
She is not even close to being horse crazy yet.
"Yes, I am! I'm horse crazy!" she said a few days ago after she asked to take lessons. But, I know horse crazy, because I was horse crazy. When I was about 9 until about 12 my cousin and I talked about nothing else but horses. We spent all our money on horseback riding. Two weeks every summer were spent at Rawhide Ranch Horse Camp. We badgered our parents daily to buy us a horse. We plastered our rooms with posters of horses.
"You'll get there, Doll," I told her and I sure hope she does.
✼✼✼✼
My friend Bryce sent me a prerelease of the movie Wild Stallion staring a young Maranda Cosgrove of iCarly fame. Our whole family watched it together and then Emily watched it a few times on her own. She then lent it out to every friend she had who loved horses.
I think what resonated with Emily the most in Wild Stallion was the relationship between the two girls and the independence the horses brought them. With so many movies out there that are supposed to be for young girls, few show girls in strong friendships, acting with courage, and following their passions like Wild Stallion does. I think it has brought her closer to reaching horse crazy status.
You can pre-order it here: Reel Family Films.
Or join Wild Stallion's Facebook fan page.
If it’s a passion she WILL get there!