Dreams (part 2) (Continued) To me, hearing that news was like giving a pack of bubble gum to a kid, but telling them that they couldn't chew the gum. Or An Olympian never to be able to compete for that gold medal. I was devastated. My friends wanted to hear the news, so I told them, and they were like "that's great! At least you get to still ride!" But to me, just sitting on a horses back, only being able to walk and trot (a jog for us humans) was pathetic. So I decided that I wouldn't ride ever again because I know that I would have my horse go into a canter (a fast run for us humans) or a gallop (racehorse speed/ track sprinter) or jump over a log, and all I had to do was fall, and it would all be over for me. My friends from my barn keep sending me pictures of them with their ribbons from winning their jumping class, and it kills me inside. I feel like a part of me has been ripped out, and crushed, never to be filled again. Whenever I jumped over a jump, what I felt was freedom. Pure freedom. And now that it's gone...I mean sure there are other dreams that I have, like to become a cop, or FBI, or to be a vet technician, but those aren't my passion, my drive, the one thing that keeps me sane. I will get over this, but right now, I'm just devastated. So my saddle, my ribbons, my trophies, are almost all packed away. I will teach kids how to ride for now, but I won't be the same person that used to have a passion for riding. That person of me is gone. Packed away, hoping to come out again someday...