Horses, no one dislikes you at all here. You are quite young and you have dreams and that's great. I was (am) the oldest of four kids in five years, so Mom was always busy with the younger kids. We lived out in the country near an old walnut orchard. I spent a good part of my free time when I was about your age going out in the orchard and picking grass for my IMAGINARY horse! I wanted a horse, too. So badly! When I was an adult I had horses. And yes, I have loved them. But I was also kicked in the gut by one when I was 21 and lost my spleen and half my pancreas. I remember one time spending nights checking a pregnant mare almost every hour to see if her foal was being born yet. I have fallen off numerous times and been bucked off a few. And I still love horses. So I understood completely your desire to have one. But I also know, that having raised six children of my own, as well as THEIR horses, that unless the parent or another adult is on hand for a good part of the work, the animal will suffer. So I was trying to warn you about all the negatives.
At any rate, you are not disliked here and you don't have a bad rep, OK?
fabmandi86, I'm so sorry about your pup. It's hard, isn't it, when an animal is sick? We have three dogs right now and old Sam, a German shepherd mix, is about 15 and we know this is his last summer. He has a hard time walking now due to arthritis and he is coughing at night and we have seen bits of blood we think he is coughing up. He used to be strong enough to just about jump over a car. He used to walk alongside me no matter where I went. He wanted me always in his eyesight, making sure I was OK! He used to come up to the bed at night and put his head on it and 'talk' to me. He wanted to get to me one time and so walked THROUGH a screen door as easy as pie.
I look at him now and think, "Oh, Sammy, I CAN'T have you put to sleep! I just can't!" And then I see him struggle to his feet to follow me when I leave the room and I know that he is fighting pain every minute of his life, despite the medications he is on. So I go up to him and hug his big old neck and there will be tears in my eyes because I know I am in the process of saying goodbye to this gallant old dog now and my heart aches.
Animals are special. Whether they are as big as horses or as small as chihuahuas, they are special and they make us grow up and take responsibility and they can bring out the best -- or the worst -- in us.
Horses, I hope you do get your horse someday. I hope you start, though, with some calm old nag who will be patient enough to teach you about horses from a horse's point of view! Horses teach humans better than humans teach humans when it comes to horses for a lot of things. But make sure you have a good farrier. The hooves are extremely important and there is no way those of us who have NOT been professionally trained can judge just what is best in terms of trimming for each horse. I know this sounds funny, but the hooves are probably the most important part of each horse. The coat is second and the amount of meat on the bones is third. Then, when they get older, the teeth will need attention. They wear unevenly and must get filed down by someone who knows what he or she is doing. This is called 'floating' the teeth.
But I hope you get your horse when you are really ready and when your parents can help you with one. And if you can't get one now, I hope, with your desire and love of horses, that you will be able to work with them when you are older.
God bless you.