A Ride of a Lifetime

    There once was an eight-year-old girl named Kim. She was always timid in whatever she did. It was the time of the Revolutionary War. Kim lived right in the middle of the big busy city, Boston. Kim, who was very young, was extremely terrified of horses. The reason for this was, when she was three years old renegade soldiers rode into town and trampled her with their mean horses. Because of this sad incident she envisioned that every horse was wild, and they were all out to get her. The war dragged on, seeming interminable. To Kim, the war meant more soldiers in town with their horses.

      Kim was always being made fun of at school, stores, and sadly, even in her own home. She had absolutely no idea how to do this, but she wanted to overcome her fear. She knew it would be hard, but she was up for the challenge. The first step she took was to try to ride her father’s horses. The moment a horse moved its head the slightest bit she ran away in fright. She imagined that she would have this fear forever. Then times got tough because of the war, and her family needed all seven of their children to find jobs. Kim found a job at the local general store. This store had everything she could imagine. Her job was delivering things to all different people. Little did she know that every once in a while she would have to deliver things…on horseback. The young girl, who was terrified, would have to face her fears. She tried her hardest not to have to use a horse, until one very scary day. The store keeper rushed up to Kim and exclaimed, “Quickly, Kim, mount one of our horses! I have an urgent delivery that needs to be made to a dying woman. Hurry, now!” Before Kim could even think, she rushed to the stable door. Her hands were trembling as she tried to open the door. Finally it opened. She forced herself inside. She looked around the barn. Are all the horses gone? But then she heard her answer. There was a lone horse that was not very happy. Kim saw the horse and stared in fright. It was a huge, chestnut mare. She reared in her stall with her ears pinned back. Kim only knew one thing; she had to ride this horse.

      Her heart was pounding wildly as she walked closer to the stall of the wild mare. She then found a saddle. Before she knew it she was racing out of the barn, on the horse! She couldn’t even explain the amazing feeling of riding. Kim felt so free, free as a bird. A girl who was once extremely afraid of horses was now riding a horse, one that some had called crazy. Kim kept riding, on and on, to make her urgent delivery, until the horse limped to a stop. She kept trying to urge her on, but the mare wouldn’t budge. She got out of the saddle. She remembered this happening to one of her father’s horses. He had checked the horse’s hoof and to make sure that it was not injured. Kim picked up the hoof and there it was! A sharp stone was caught in the horse’s hoof. She easily pulled it free. Soon the delivery was made, and all was well because of Kim’s bravery. When this was all over, Bella, the chestnut mare, and Kim were best friends. Kim rode Bella everywhere. Bella was not a wild horse like everyone said; she just needed someone to trust her. By facing her fear, Kim had experienced the ride of a lifetime.