Kara wanted a horse more than anything in the world. Except for her parents and her baby sister, Tess, there wasn’t anything she loved more than horses.  She spent her days in school daydreaming about them. When she wasn’t daydreaming about them, she was reading every bit of information she could find about horses. Every day she would ask her parents for a horse and each time their answer would be the same: “Sorry, Kara, we just can’t afford one right now.”

    One hot July night, Kara lay in her bed listening to the buzzing music of the cicadas outside her window. She closed her eyes and in a whisper began to say her nightly prayers. And as she did every night, ended them with “Please may I have a horse? I will never ask for anything else in my life. Amen.”

    The next morning, Kara awoke with a strange feeling. It felt like a bubble of joy rising up from her toes all the way to her head. So far, it had been a pretty boring summer vacation. But, in an instant, she knew today was going to be different. She had a wonderful feeling that today her prayer would be answered. She jumped out of bed and rushed to the window. Holding her breath, she opened the blinds and looked across the backyard to the empty lot with the sagging, rusty wire fence around it. She let out the breath she was holding in a disappointed sigh. All was normal in the backyard. Pushing the thought of answered prayers to the back of her mind, she dressed and went down for breakfast.

    She was sitting at the table quietly eating her cereal and absently putting baby snacks in front of Tess, who was babbling happily in her high chair. She startled as her father’s voice broke the silence.

    “Kara, I’d like you to go somewhere with me today.”

    “Where?’ she asked, not looking up from her bowl.

    “Well, I ran into Doc Peterson at the Quick Stop last night and he said the Humane Society is sponsoring an auction of wild Chincoteague ponies from the yearly round-up on Assateague Island today.”

    Kara stopped eating and stared at her dad. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? She could hardly believe it when he smiled and said, “I thought you might like to go check it out.”

    “For real?!” she squealed. “That would be awesome! Can we adopt one, Dad, please?”

“I don’t know about that.” He replied. “The Government requires quite a bit from an adoptive family. The veterinary expenses alone can be pretty steep. There’s also the cost of buying it first.”

    “I have $110 in my savings!” Kara exclaimed. “I can pay for the cost and earn more by doing extra chores this summer. Oh, please, Dad, this is the answer to my prayers!’

    “I won’t make you any promises. Let’s start by checking out the auction first. We need to leave in 30 minutes.”

    “I’ll be ready!” she called over her shoulder as she ran up the stairs. ‘This is it.’ She thought, ‘This is my miracle!’ She couldn’t stop grinning as she quickly brushed her teeth.

    Fifteen minutes later, Kara met her father downstairs in the kitchen.

    “Ready to go?” he asked.

    “More than ready.” she replied.

    As they headed out the door, Kara stopped at the refrigerator to take out some fresh carrots. She wrapped them in a napkin and stuffed them in her pocket as she hurried out the door.

    The Tri-County Stockyard was a flurry of activity when they drove into the parking lot. Even a news reporter from the local TV station was there with a camera crew. The yearly wild pony round-up on Assateague Island off the Virginia/Maryland coast was big news and this was the first time that any had traveled as far as Kara’s town near Richmond, Virginia for auction. The Federal Government’s adoption program was the only way to keep the herds of wild Chincoteague ponies from getting too large.

    Kara knew that along with the adoption fee and veterinary costs, the Government also required proof that adoptive families had adequate pasture and shelter to keep them. She also knew that wild horses and ponies had special needs. Because they instinctively feared and mistrusted humans, trying to tame and break one was a great challenge. A wonderful and rewarding challenge, Kara thought.

    Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden clamor from the crowd that had gathered around the stock arena. Kara gasped as a dozen or more shaggy, mud-crusted ponies of all sizes were released into the holding pen.

    “We get 30 minutes to look them over before the auction starts,” Dad said.

    “They look so scared.” Said Kara

    “They are. This is the first time many of them have even seen a human this close.”  he replied.

    Kara’s eye caught a small movement from the back of the herd. She moved to the rail and climbed up to get a better look.

    The little mare was covered with dried mud, but Kara was sure she was black. She had the tell-tale swollen belly from a life of eating a diet of only salty marsh grasses, which make the ponies drink much more water than other horses. Kara thought her belly was even more bloated looking, though. Probably worms, Kara surmised. The mare stood apart from the herd, trembling with fright. She had the largest, kindest brown eyes Kara had ever seen. It was love at first sight and for a brief moment, Kara was sure they made eye contact.

    “Daddy, we have to adopt that one,” she pointed to the little mare. “She needs me.”

    “That scrawny, blackish one?” he asked. “I was hoping you would like that big Paint colt over there by the gate. He looks like a real go-getter.”

“No, I definitely want her.” Kara answered. “We were meant for each other. I just know it!” Then added, “Please?”

She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the carrots she had brought. Holding her open palm through the fence rail, she whispered gently, “Here, pretty girl. Would you like a treat?” The pony sniffed toward the carrots and warily started forward two steps and stopped when Kara’s father stepped up to the fence. With a snort and toss of her head, she whirled around and bolted back into the safety of the herd.

    The bell clanged to signal the start of the auction. Kara’s father grabbed her hand and led her into the bleachers.

    “Are you sure you’re up to this kind of responsibility?” he asked.

    “Of course I’m sure! I’ve been waiting for this day my whole life.”

    The auctioneer started his sing-song calling of bids on the first pony. One by one, ponies were being sold to the highest bidder. Finally, the little black mare came trotting into the ring. She paced back and forth, trying to find a way out. Her eyes were wide and glazed looking. Kara thought she had never seen anything looking so terrified. Or in need of her love.

    Her father raised his bid paddle at the first bid. Someone to her left raised a bid paddle in response. The amount was climbing higher. Panicked, Kara turned to her father.

    “Daddy, who is that bidding on my pony? Do something!”

    “That’s Bill Upton. I feel sorry for any horse going home with him today.”

    “What do you mean?” Kara asked.

    “He’s got a reputation for abusing animals. He’s even been fined by the law for neglect. Don’t worry, he’ll never get approved for adoption.” Dad said as he raised his paddle again. 

Mr. Upton responded by raising his paddle. He wore a determined look on his face and turned to look at Kara and her father. He smirked at her as he raised his paddle again to outbid her father.

    “Daddy! He can’t win!” Kara cried.

    “Kara, I can’t bid much higher. We already can’t afford this amount.”

    The auctioneer called “Going once, going twice, sold to number 183!”. Kara looked frantically at her fathers paddle. The number was 112. Her heart plummeted into her stomach. She couldn’t believe they lost. Choking back the sobs that were trying to escape her throat, she ran down the bleachers and out into the blazing afternoon sun.

    Much later, on the drive home, Kara was in a daze. She still couldn’t believe the miracle that happened. She had spent a long time waiting for her father to return to their truck. She was too sad and sickened at the thought of her little mare in the hands of that cruel Mr. Upton to even cry. ‘How can life be so unfair?’ she had thought.

    Soon, her father had returned to find Kara sitting on the ground in the shade of the truck, her head resting on her bent knees.

    “Kara, honey, you okay?” he asked.

    “I’ll never be okay. How could this happen?”

    “Well, sometimes wonderful things happen to good people.” He said.

    She looked up at him, confused. “What?”

    “Doc Peterson had a little talk with Mr. Upton. Seems Mr. Upton decided he didn’t need another mouth to feed after all. He sold your little mare to Doc for the same price he just paid. Doc asked me if I knew anyone willing to take the mare off his hands for only the cost of the vet fees. You interested?”

    With a squeal of sheer joy, Kara jumped up and threw herself into her father’s arms.

    “I guess that’s a ‘yes’”, he laughed.

    After the adoption papers had been signed and the money paid, all that was left was the veterinary exam. Kara shuddered as the remembered the look in Shadow’s eyes. That is what she decided to call her. Doc Peterson had hobbled her front legs and brought her to her side on the ground so he could examine her without being kicked.

    He administered the necessary vaccinations and listened to her heart and lungs. Next he instructed Kara and her father on the special diet Shadow would have to eat to accustom her to regular grass and grain. Now Kara smiled to herself as she recalled the vet’s next words.

“Congratulations, Kara. Your new mare and her unborn foal are in perfect health. They just need a few good meals and a lot of love.”

    Staring out at the road ahead Kara sent up a silent Thank-you for her answered prayer and the extra miracle that came with it. Miracles, she mused, not only happen to ordinary people, but also sometimes even happen in pairs.