Beautiful photograph. Dreamlike indeed. I’m happy you shared the story behind the photograph because it helped me understand the composition better.
At first, I was concerned that the selective focus was placed inaccurately on the foreground when the background seemed like the more interesting visual element to me. However, now that you explain the story, the horses in soft focus symbolize the possibilities of dreams coming true. As you’ve stated, the idea of this type of living was something abstract and only in dreams when you were younger. The horses in this photograph represent that dreamlike experience. Their shapes are visible and you feel they are close, yet just far away enough and just blurred enough to make them dreamlike.
Another design element I really like about this photograph is its simplified color palette. You’ve used gradients of brown, black and white and your main colors, but then you’ve incorporated a vibrant and dramatic red color in the foreground to help add a “pop” to your color palette.
I really like the photography. My only concern is that the foreground is a little bit busy. I like the positioning of the two larger tree trunks which bracket the two sides of your composition,, but the smaller branches in the middle make the composition a little messy. Changing your position or zooming in slightly may have helped you remove some of this clutter without getting rid of the berries as a primary focal point.
Great job overall. I truly enjoyed looking at this composition!