Expanded Story: Born on the eve of the summer solstice, when the stars were at their brightest, Horizon's destiny seemed clear. His father, a ship worker, had always wanted a colt who would follow in his footsteps. His mother, a dockside seamstress who helped keep the sails of the schooners that came to port mended and in good repair, certainly had no argument. They both knew that whatever their foal was, they would cherish and love and guide them towards whatever it was the future had in store. While his father would ply his trade at sea, Horizon would remain at home with his mother learning all he could about everything that made a ship, helping her mend the heavy sails. When his father returned, he would skip alongside down to the wharf to watch and later help unload the ships of their wondrous cargos that came from afar. Horizon was fascinated with everything from salt blocks to precious jewelry that the sailors would bring back on their journeys and it was with pride when the little foal announced to his parents that someday he was going to own a ship of his own. Though he was too young at first to be entrusted with even the role of cabin boy, his enthusiasm and even temper certainly never went unnoticed. When he was large enough to help with unloading the cargo, he resolved himself to grow strong and sure. Though Horizon got in few fights, scraps amongst colts his age was not unknown and even when he returned home with a bloody nose, his eyes were still bright from what he had learned that day. His future of becoming a shipmate was foremost in his mind, and it certainly didn't take him long to learn the sea shanties that the crews would sing to themselves to keep time as they worked their trades. One in particular titled 'My pony lies over the ocean' stirred such images of his mind that somewhere over the vast water lay some pony for him. When he finally reached his dream, it was through unexpected means. After finally achieving his goal of becoming a cabin boy on his father's schooner, a particularily terrible storm brewed up and assailed the tiny ship. Rigging snapped and sails whipped, and ponies were lost overboard. Even though his own father was lost when the mizzen mast broke under the weight of the winds and took him with it as it crashed into the rain, Horizon refused to give up and leapt into action. Through his hard-earned strength and determination, he fought the storm with the crew that was left and managed to help keep the stricken ship afloat. He lashed tattered sails, stowed loose cargo, and even took a turn at the bilges until the storm had finally given in and let them go. Somewhere during one of the bolts of lightning and crashes of thunder, his cutie mark of a broken ship's wheel had appeared. His hard work had brought him to the attention of the owners of the ship and shortly after he recieved his first promotion. Years of sailing followed, working his way up through the ranks until one day he was rewarded with the ship's bell of his own vessel, the Sassy Mare'. She was a leaky scow, and encrusted with barnacles. Her masts were rotting and her sails were virtually nonexistent. Together with the shipyard, Horizon helped return the Sassy Mare to her former glory, and his proud mother lived only to the day to see him set sail for the first time. He earned his nickname 'Keiyo' from his crewmates as a way to get his attention with syllables that could be loudly heard from over the crash of the surf and the wind.