Undergraduate / "Riding horses" - my University of Florida application essay [13]

I began riding horses when I was nine years old, but it didn't take long for me to catch the "horse crazy" bug that adolescent girls often acquire. I was at the barn every day after school, and on the weekends I was there from the break of dawn until dusk - absolutely horse obsessed. The "bug" usually only lasts for a few years until a new obsession or hobby comes along and puts horses out of the picture. However, this was not the case for me. With time, lots of perseverance and every penny of my savings, I convinced my parents to let me get a horse and begin showing in western reining. I had a dream, and in January of 2006, I decided that I was going to pursue that dream by striving to become a National Reining Horse Association Youth World Champion. I knew the haul would be long, and that the year would be tiring, but I was determined to turn my aspirations into reality.

Thirty-five horse shows and 30,000 miles later, the trek was completed, and I was awarded the National Reining Horse Association World Championship. What I gained from this yearlong experience, however, was much more than a just a world title. I developed perseverance from the relentless schedule of hauling from one horse show to the next, going into the show ring again and again. I gained self-determination because I knew that from the moment I entered the show ring, it was all up to me to succeed or fail. I learned that my thresholds for frustration, patience, and physical exertion could be expanded far beyond what I would have thought possible. However, I would say the most important principle I obtained is the belief that anything is possible with enough hard work once I put my mind to it. I have used these values in several aspects of my life, one of which is my schoolwork.

I have always been a good student, but after my year hauling for my World Title, I attacked my school work with fervency and unwavering force because I wanted to be the best student possible - another dream. Just like my horses, my academics became part of my self-identity. I pride myself on my determination. I know that no matter the class, the test, or the assignment that is given to me, I will be able to succeed because of my tenacious internal drive to excel.

Horses have given me memories, values, and an aspiration to become a large animal veterinarian to give back to the creatures that guided me throughout my youth. By specializing in lameness, I want to work rehabilitating horses that have undergone crippling injuries sustained from their equine profession. For the horses that have been injured and are incapable of being cured, I would like to open an equine sanctuary/therapeutic facility where the animals can live out the rest of their lives in peace.

Horses have played such a major role in my life, and I feel that many kids miss out on the wonderful experiences that horses have to offer. Therefore, in conjunction with my equine sanctuary, I have a dream to open a therapeutic facility for handicapped and underprivileged children who would otherwise never have the opportunity to experience the serenity and tranquility of a horse's presence.

I knew by the end of my first western reining lesson that horses were going to change my life forever. My passion for horses and my world title in the sport of reining have shaped me into the person I have become. These incredible life experiences have given me a high level of discipline, perseverance and responsibility which I look forward to translating into my academic efforts as a student at the University of Florida.