Alyssa Jackson's essay from the city of Santa Clara:

     It would be an honor to me if you choose me to go to this camp because it will help me deicede my furture. It will deiced my future by seeing if I want to take care of a horse. If I want to spend the money to buy a horse, to buy the food, reins, saddles, groom supplies, and property to keep the horse in good health. If you choose me that then I will deiced if I want to do all of that.
     I think horses are magnificent animals because of their strength and thei beauty. How long they can run is amazing.
     I loved horses since I was five years. It started like this, I was on my first pony ride and then it came to me that horses and I where meant to be. Ever since then I loved to be around them. Now I just go to half-moon bay to ride horses or go to my mom's boss's ranch and even some very nice people let me ride their horses. But to me it is not enough. If you let me go to this camp I will probably stop begging my dad for the rest of the year.
     So please choose me to go to this camp.

Jessica Schubea's essay (age 13) from the city of San Jose:

     Throughout the past years of my life I've noticed myself getting more and more attached to horses of all shapes and sizes. I've often been asked why I have such an unbreakable passion for these magnificent creatures and to put it simply enough, their beauty surpasses any I've ever seen in my life. They carry themselves with such grace and style that I have always been immediately drawn to them. In a way they remind me of myself. I'm very spirited and graceful. Be kind to me and you have just gained a lifelong friend. Be cruel to me and you have lost my trust. In my point of view, there's a difference between being in a bad mood and been flat out cruel. I can forgive someone for taking their bad mood out on be. As can a horse. A horse without spirit is a horse that has been treated cruelly and no horse deserves that.
     One of the things that has always attracted me to them is that they don't care what you look like or how you dress. They just want your company and friendship. To me they seem like wild spirits that become one with the wind as they run. Just to watch them run takes all my sadness away and puts me in a content world of my own. Nothing else matters when I'm with them. They aren't going to judge you or decide that they're too good for you. Popularity holds no balue to them. Sure they have their opinions on some people, but they seem to treat you how you treat them. They deserve just as much respect as any other creature does. What really makes them so much like people is how understanding they are of your emotions. If you're sad, then they're there to listen quietly and comfort you. And when your happy, they're right there, ready to go have fun. My feelings towards them are so strong that I only feel happiness when they are near me.
     It's hard to describe the feelings you get when you're riding them. All the things around you... the clopping of their hooves on the hard ground, the gentle breeze against your fae, their backs beneath you, all contribute to my love for them. I guess you could say its pure bliss when I'm with them. All my issues mean nothing anymore when I'm with them. There is truly nothing that makes me happier. The difference in their personalities has always amazed me as well. Some have the cutest habits, and others can be a real pain at times, bu that's just more of a challenge for me. I would never change my opinion or my view on horses for anything in the world. They are my lifelong love that I couldn't ever leave behind. Horse are beauty in its truest form.

Zayna Seyedit's essay (age 8) from the city of Campbell:

     I want to know a horse because I love watching them and I read lots of books about them. There so beautiful. When I go in trips in the car I always look for them in herds and by themselfs. Sometimes I evan daydream about riding one. My favorite book about horses is pony pals there chapter books there kind of like mestery books. My favorite colord horses are dark brown my whol class loves horses bu me and my best friend kiersten probably love them the most. But once, I read a book about horses it said that when you go to rodeos and camps about horses that you make new friends. But I would rather have a horse friend insead of kids I know a lot of kids but I want to know a horse.