I rode a horse for the first time when I was six. I watched a TV show about a girl and the bond that she had with her horse and of course, the little six-year-old me decided that I absolutely needed my own horse. I found a barn just outside of the city where I lived and I begged my parents to let me start riding horses. They gave in, brought me to the barn, and I had my first horseback riding lesson. Though this was just my first lesson I fell absolutely in love, I loved the adrenaline that it gave me, I never felt freer than when I was on a horse. But I also felt so in control, I felt like I was in control of this animal that weighed over a ton. This newfound control was because of the bond that I had started creating with Jack. Jack was my first show horse, and to this day he is the best horse in the world, at least in my mind. It wasn't until I was 10 that I had my first not-so-pleasant horse ride. A brand new horse came to the barn named Ed, he was used to being in control and not being controlled. Ed refused my commands and eventually threw me off. When I stood up I was covered in sand, embarrassed and terrified, I decided to climb right back onto the horse and finish my lesson. From then on every time I fell off, I got back on. This principle does not only apply to horses but to many different aspects of my life. Get back up, dust yourself off, and get back on the horse. Riding horses made me stronger, made me a fighter, and made me always want to try again when I failed.