I’ve been digging through my small, but much cluttered closet for about 15 minutes now. I’ve been trying to find my Minnesota T-shirt that I got at the airport last summer. I think it’s about time I clean out my closet. All of the sudden I came up across Nantes’ halter. It has three stripes, blue stripe at the top, white in the middle and red stripe at the bottom. The colors could be brighter, but instead the entire halter is covered with dirt, which is never going to come off. It could also use some stitching. This halter is a symbol of friendship. Friendship between me and Nantes, between a horse and a woman. This halter belongs to a beautiful, bay horse Nantes. I’ve known him for three years. It was love at first sight. He was a beautiful and very powerful horse. But that wasn’t why I fell in love with him, and definitely not the reason why our two souls connected. His eyes were very beautiful, yet very sad. I wasn’t really happy at the time either. I just moved to Colorado from Texas. I was in a new climate, new school, around new people. I was away from all of my friends; I didn’t want to be here. Nantes, on the other hand, has been in Colorado for about five years, but like me I don’t think he wanted to be here. Nantes was, and still is, a dressage horse. He has always been good at it. What he was missing was a true friend. Nantes had a very old owner, who would on occasion come and visit him. He also had a trainer. She is a great trainer. She loves horses deeply, but I don’t think she really had time to be close friends with Nantes. Then I came. I lived close to the barn at that time. Nantes was like a big magnet. I didn’t want to be apart from him. I used to spend hours grooming him. He would shine after I would finish with grooming. But being a typical horse, Nantes would roll around as soon as I put him back in his corral. Nantes was such a joy to be around. I had the hardest time taking pictures of him. He just didn’t want to stand still. He would follow me everywhere. I remember spending an hour in his still. Just sitting there. Nantes would munch on his hay for a little bit, and then he would come over to me to give me a few kisses. After that he would go back to munching his hay. I loved the simplicity of all of it. No words needed to be said. We were together and that mattered the most. Our bond was slowly growing stronger and no one could stop it. Next year, when I go to college, I am probably going to cry on my last visit with him before I head of to New Mexico. But, no matter what, Nantes will always be in my heart. His halter will always be with me as a reminder of him. While most of my stuff will be packed away into boxes soon, the halter will be at my side reminding me of my special friend.