From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a horse,” or “that’s a lot of money for just a horse.”

They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent or the costs involved for “just a horse.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a horse.”

Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a horse” but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a horse” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a horse” gave me comfort and reason to over the day.

If you think it’s “just a horse,” then you will probably understand phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”

“Just a horse” bring into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a horse” bring out the compassion and patents what makes me a better person. Because of “just a horse” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a horse” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a horse” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a horse” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a person.”