“When I was born my mom already had a horse,” Haynes said. “My grandparents actually breed  horses, so we’ve gotten some of our horses from them.”

Haynes acknowledges that some people may be apprehensive to the idea of owning a horse. Still, she feels that everyone has the ability to care for such an animal, describing them as giant dogs capable of providing the same level of companionship. During a period in her life when she was a victim of bullying, Haynes’ horses helped her pull through. They were able to provide her with unconditional love even when she felt alone and unwelcome.

“I think horses are really therapeutic,” Haynes said. “If you have problems and stuff they can help you through anything.”

Haynes believes she is very fortunate to have horses, as it is a relationship that not many get the chance to experience. She feels that while there is a lot of responsibility required to take care of horses, the bond that develops is worth the time.

Little Bo snake

“I always wanted to know what it felt like to have a pet snake,” senior Pradyumna Sathishkumaar said. “In India [people] only have cats, dogs, fish — the typical standard pets. Once I moved [to America], I asked my parents if I could have one.”

Sathishkumaar’s father had no objections, but his mother was wary because she had worked in fields as a little girl and had been warned about snake bites. However, she eventually agreed and Sathishkumaar became the proud owner of Bo, a female corn snake. According to Sathishkumaar, Bo is a friendly pet with amusing traits, including a tendency to repeatedly crawl up and fall down the walls of her tank.

“The only downside is that you can’t overly interact with a snake like you would with a dog,” Sathishkumaar said. “You can’t play fetch and expect it to grab the ball and come back. But the benefit is that it’s a nice pet to have if you are a busy person like an MVHS student who wants to have the time to de-stress occasionally.”

Sathishkumaar recalls a scare when he and his family thought they had lost Bo. A few years back, his family went on a trip to Thailand and left her in a veterinary hospital. The snake hid inside the tank, and thinking that she escaped, the vets shut off the necessary heating equipment. Needless to say, the family was furious when they were told that she was gone.

“I was really devastated, because she’s a small snake,” Sathishkumaar said. “I cried myself to sleep … And then my mom let out this bloodcurdling scream. [Bo] came out from her hiding spot in the branch; she was still alive even though she was freezing.”