"Horse Girl" by Sarah Law—Our June 2024 Gold Medal Winner

Sarah Law is our first place winner from the contest posted in our June 2024 issue and her story will be published in the September 2024 edition. Congratulations, Sarah!

What the judges had to say:

“…this story speaks volumes about acceptance, and the social injustices so often experienced but not acknowledged.”

“The dialogue shone and the pace ‘trotted’ along nicely.”

“…appealing and engaging.”

Meet Sarah

Sarah Law is a reporter for CBC News in Thunder Bay, Ont. She lives with her partner, Austin, and two cats, Panda and Luna.

Horse Girl

an excerpt of Sarah’s winning story

Carly was a horse girl. That’s what everyone called her—and the label stuck. She wore horseshoe earrings on picture day. She walked around in tall, fake leather boots when everyone else had light-up sneakers. She dressed as a cowgirl for Halloween three years in a row. And wherever she went, she carried a saddle bag bursting with toy horses.

During recess, she’d line up the herd based on pedigree. These weren’t just any old horses; these were Grand Champions model horses she stole from her older sister. They were really popular in the ’90s, which she made sure everyone knew about.

“This is a thoroughbred stallion,” she said to me one day while brushing a horse’s mane with what looked like a lice comb for Barbies. “And here’s my Black Morgan mare. The Appaloosas are the most distinguished; I’ve got six of them.”

“You mean the ones with all the freckles?” I asked. “Were they out in the sun too long?”

“No, obviously,” she snapped back. “They’re actually worth a lot. One day, these will sell for hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars, if I keep them in good condition.”

Of course, the toys had long lost whatever collector’s value they once had, free from their packages and scuffed with the wear and tear of a child’s love. What also didn’t help was when a couple of the boys in our class snatched a few from inside her desk when she went to the washroom, and broke their legs off.

“What’s wrong with you?” she screamed, holding the mottled plastic limbs in her hands.

Some kids started to laugh, and then I laughed, too—but stopped when Carly began wheezing. The boys made a show of dropping their jaws in mock surprise.

“Stupid horse girl!” shouted Connor, the ringleader.

…

to read the rest of the story, order your copy of the September 2024 issue.