It's been a long road, getting from there to here,
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near,
And I will see my dream come alive at last, I will touch the sky,
And they're not gonna hold me down no more,
No they're not gonna change my mind...."

When I first met Samson, he was this gawky giant of a horse, half Belgium, half of another breed but all power.  He stood at 17 hands and just looked massive.  I'm not one to shy away from big horses, Argyll stood over 18 hands but he had skinny legs, sleek body and a very handsome head.  Samson was just plain ol' big.  Huge hooves, huge legs, a round body and a massive head.  His mane hair sprouted in different directions making him look like a rogue.  He was quite simply, a bigger version of a horse we had named Chewbecca.

It was my suggestion to ride Samson, not my instructor.  She thought against it, she didn't think we would make a good team.  The first day I got on him, I couldn't stop him, he would pull me everywhere.  I saw a disaster, my instructor saw so much more -- she saw a making of a team.  She continued to put me on him and little by little, Samson and I started to click more and more.  My position was better, our jumping was great and if I could only figure out why he does lead changes when he feels like it, we would be no match in the show ring, regardless of his gawky appearance.  If there is one thing I have learned by this, a horse doesn't have to look beautiful or fancy to be on top...all he needs is heart to do the work and Samson has all that and so much more.

"Cause I've got faith, of the heart,I'm going where my heart will take me,
I've got faith, to believe, I can do, anything,
I've got strength, of the soul, But no one gonna bend or break me,
I can reach, any star, I've got faith,
I've got faith, Faith of the heart" - Rod Stewart
 

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