My two-year-old daughter could play with the neighbors’ horse for hours on end, but one day we discovered something awful about it 
When my daughter first became interested, she was just two years old. At their house, our neighbors had an actual horse. It seemed miraculous to a young girl that she could spend so much time with this large, placid animal.
She put her tiny hands on its warm back, pushed her cheek against the soft mane, and caressed its neck. They occasionally played together in the hay, and my daughter once dozed off next to the horse in the straw, as though it were her best friend.
As we watched them, we chuckled, but we secretly worried occasionally because, after all, horses are big animals. However, it was evident from the first encounter that the horse was exceptionally smart and kind, almost as though it recognized that it had a child ahead of it that need extra care.
This continued for months. The neighbor’s cherished pet reciprocated our daughter’s growing attachment to the horse. Our neighbor, however, knocked on our door one day. His expression was particularly solemn.
As soon as he entered, he remarked, “We need to talk.”
“Has something occurred? Did my daughter make a mistake? With anxiety, I asked.
He shook his head, saying, “No.” However, this concerns your daughter. It is imperative that you take her to a physician.
My heart became constricted.
— “Why? Is something not right?
Then I discovered something awful.
The neighbor mentioned that his horse had been acting abnormally around our daughter lately. The horse had been tamed and trained to perceive changes in human health.
It no longer played quietly; instead, it frequently sniffed her uneasily as though it was trying to figure out something, and occasionally it even positioned itself between her and other people in an attempt to keep her safe.
His remarks caused us to pay attention, even though at first we assumed it was merely the animal’s whims.
Thus, we visited the physician. Our two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer during the test, which was a terrible news. However, the doctors were able to take quick action because the ailment was discovered at a very early stage.
Our daughter is still alive and well today. She still enjoys playing with the neighbor’s horse, and we are so appreciative of that creature. Because it was the first to make us realize how important it was to look after our child’s health.
