Laura's love of horses began when she was barely four years old, but it wasn't until she got her very own black stallion that she truly fell in love.
From the beginning, she was determined to get Figaro for her own-saving up her money and then arguing with the seller who was afraid to sell such a headstrong horse to such a young girl.
But Laura was used to handling tough colts on the track and pleaded her case: "You showed him to me for a reason. I was destined for Figaro to be my horse," she told the seller. After lots of pleading, she took home her prize.
She trained him, grew with him, and bonded with him-becoming one in mind and spirit with her horse. As time went on, she came to realize that there was an unknown chapter in his life that made him act up with some people. His judge of character was pretty much dead on.
Laura and Figaro may not be in the history books as champion athletes, but they brought out the best in each other and showed each other the meaning of unconditional love.
