At the age of 14, I got my first horse. For a shy little homeschool girl, this wound up being a huge boost to my confidence and completely shifted my identity. In the years that followed, I joined 4-H, worked in the stalls, and eventually went to college to ride horses. What did I learn through all of this? Even if you're unable to live your dream right now, there are always ways to get close to it and prepare yourself for what's to come. Listen to find out how I got my first real mentor when I first got my horse.• To begin your homesteading journey, head to http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/grow to get complimentary access to my best homestead resources.• Visit my blog at www.theprairiehomestead.com for all my from-scratch recipes, homestead inspiration, and old-fashioned tutorials.• Get Old-Fashioned on Purpose hats & shirts at www.homesteadswag.com• Follow Jill on YouTube: http://youtube.com/theprairiehomestead• Follow Jill on Instagram: http://instagram.com/theprairiehomestead