At Equine Connection The Academy of Equine Assisted Learning, we believe horses do not just stand beside us, they stand for something. They stand for truth. They stand for presence. They stand for the kind of honest reflection most of us do not get in our busy human lives.

When we partner with horses, we do not get to hide. We do not get to pretend. Horses respond to what is real, not what is polished. They see through our brave faces and our busy schedules. They feel the parts of us that are tired, grieving, determined, and still hoping.

That is why this story matters.

This is not a perfect story. It is not a “look at me, I did everything right” story. It is a real story. A life story. The kind that includes big dreams, big work, and big heartbreak. It includes a young girl holding onto a dream so tightly she carried it through more than two dozen moves, through adulthood, through motherhood, and through loss.

And if there is one thing horses have taught us, it is this.

A dream worth living is not the one that arrives easily.

A dream worth living is the one you fight for.

The Horse and Human Mirror

The parallels between humans and horses are uncanny. If you have ever stood quietly near a horse, you know exactly what I mean. The horse does not need words to speak to you. Their body tells the truth. Their breath tells the truth. Their choices tell the truth.

When people spend real time with horses, especially in a guided learning experience, something happens. They start to see themselves. They start to recognize patterns. They notice where they grip too hard, where they shut down, where they rush, where they freeze.

That is not because the horse is trying to teach a lesson like a human teacher would. It is because the horse is being a horse. And in their honesty, we find our own.

The Dream That Does Not Leave

So why do so many people feel drawn to horses?

It is especially common in young girls. That deep longing to be near a horse can be so strong it feels like part of their identity. You see it in their eyes. You hear it in their voice. Ask a young girl where her love of horses comes from and she will smile like she is remembering something she cannot quite explain.

But then life happens.

Girls become women. Responsibilities build. Jobs, kids, finances, marriages, health issues, and grief step in. And many women quietly let the horse dream drift away.

Not because they stopped loving horses.

Because they stopped believing they were allowed to have that dream.

The One Thing Kari Never Let Go Of

Kari Fulmek did not let go.

Promised a horse by her single mom, Kari believed that somehow and someday she would get one. Even when life was unstable. Even when they moved constantly. Even when she had to grow up too fast. That dream stayed alive because her mom did something simple but powerful.

She gave Kari a used book. A twenty five cent garage sale book.

It was not fancy. It was not expensive. But it was a symbol. It was a reminder that some dreams are worth waiting for.

And the truth is, that this book became a kind of anchor. Something she could hold when life felt like it was tossing her around.

The Dream Comes With a Price Tag

Fast forward.

Kari is now on an acreage outside of Carseland, Alberta with a herd of horses, and a life that is built around partnering with them to help people grow stronger and more connected.

But this story is not about a fairytale ending.

It is about how she got there.

It is about the cost.

It is about grit.

It is about being broken open by life and still choosing to move forward.

Because the truth is, the dream did come true.

But it did not come easy.

Final Thought

If you have a dream that keeps coming back, even when you try to ignore it, pay attention.

That is not a random thought.

That is a calling.

And if it feels hard, if it feels scary, if it feels like it will take more than you know how to give, you might be closer than you think.

Because it is not your dream if it is not hard.