Listen to ten reasons why people love horses.
Yes, these ten statements describe good reasons,
but there are more than ten reasons.
For example, consider just the beauty:
the mane and tail flowing in the wind
when the horse is running free;
the rhythmic sound and power of the pounding
hooves across the meadow;
the rippling muscles that
show pure strength and power.

ONE. A horse can be a man's or a woman’s
best friend. A person may spend more hours
with his or her horse
than with another human being.
They travel together, work together,
and face hardships together.
A friendship develops
that words can hardly describe.

TWO. A horse can save a rider’s life.
A good horse can sense danger,
find its footing on treacherous trails,
and carry an injured or exhausted
rider home. People learn to trust their
horses, sometimes with their very lives.

THREE. A horse gives a rider freedom.
There is something wonderful about riding
across the open lands with the wind in one’s face
and the mountains in the distance.
A horse gives a person the freedom
to explore a world without fences.

FOUR. A horse grows to understand its owner.
After years together, a horse can recognize
the rider's voice, movements, and habits.
A skilled rider and a well-trained horse can
communicate through the slightest pressure
of a knee or movement of the reins.

FIVE. A trained horse never judges the owner/rider .
A person can have a terrible day, make mistakes,
or lose one’s temper, but the horse accepts all that.
The horse doesn't care whether one  is rich or poor,
famous or forgotten. The horse responds
with kindness and patience.

SIX. A horse is a hardworking partner.
Whether rounding up cattle, crossing a river,
climbing mountains, or working from sunrise
until sunset, a dependable horse shares the
rider's labor. The rider knows he or she
could not accomplish nearly as
much without their four-legged partner.

SEVEN. A horse brings comfort when a person
is lonely. Imagine riding alone for days, with
only one’s horse for company. That person
talks to the horse, sings to it, and sometimes
shares deep thoughts. That
companionship can mean everything.

EIGHT. A horse earns the owner's respect.
Horses have strength, courage, intelligence,
and individual personalities. An owner
comes to admire these qualities
and takes pride in caring for an animal
that is willingly to run and to work.

NINE.  A horse can becomes part of the person's
identity. People often remember a famous cowboy
and his horse together. Think of Roy Rogers
and Trigger, or the Lone Ranger and Silver.
The horse becomes part of the legend.

TEN. A frequent rider knows the horse
depends on him. A good rider/owner makes
sure the horse has water, food, rest, and protection.
The owner/rider tends to the horse's needs
before one’s own. That responsibility deepens
the bond between the horse and rider.