In the noisy marketplace, amidst the smell of stale straw and manure, you stood – a neglected, exhausted horse that had long since lost hope for a better fate. Your owner was harsh and merciless. He didn’t care for you, didn’t feed you enough, and your hooves were overgrown and painful. The light in your eyes was fading, and your fur, once shiny, was now dull and tangled. People passed by, grimacing with distaste, but a young man stopped and looked at you differently – not with contempt, but with compassion. He was the son of a wealthy stud owner. Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out his purse and bought you from your previous master, who only shrugged, pleased with the quick profit. When you arrived at the stud, you felt something you hadn’t felt in a long time – peace. The new owner gently put on a new halter for you, cleaner and better fitting. He led you to the washboard, tied you up on either side so you stood steady, then reached for the brush and slowly began to remove the dirt that had been collecting on your body for months. The water ran down your fur, and for the first time in a long time, you felt relief. Once you were clean, the blacksmith came. He removed your overgrown, worn-out horseshoes and replaced them with new, well-fitting ones. Every step became lighter, less painful. The young man stroked your neck and smiled. “Now we start a new chapter,” he said quietly. You learned that he had big plans for you. He wanted to teach you everything from scratch, to show you that you could trust people. He knew you had a long way to go, but he believed that in time you would become his best horse—and that together you would achieve great things. Maybe even take part in competitions, where you would prove to everyone how valuable you were. But for now… for the first time in a long time, you just felt good. And that was the best start you could have imagined.