Heartful Obligations

At eighteen years of age, after many summers at 4-H camp and graduation from high school, Olivia leaves her childhood home. To the disappointment of her parents, she moves to California, pursuing a career in art. She finds it almost impossible to survive on her own, until she gains employment in an "upscale" art gallery. She then has the good fortune to meet movie stars and other people of money, and at long last begins to acquire commissioned work. With her surprisingly high earnings and her love of horses, she is able to purchase a Hanoverian. These horses are often bred to be used in the fine art of dressage. After a devastating heartbreak, a completely unexpected new world opens to Olivia. Her quest then becomes the Equestrian Summer Olympics. Along this road, Olivia runs "smack dab" into life. This is her story, as it was told to me…