Add space to textarea

I know that textareas don't allow html or anything else, but You see this all the time and I don't see how web sites make this work.

When you go to reply to a message someone sends to you, the reply textarea shows the original message but it will leave a space from the top the of the textarea box so the user can add there response. How do you create this space?

example

<textarea rows="20" cols="20">

-----Original Message------
From: whoever
Date: whenever

the old message will follow here

</textarea>

Code (markup):

Thanks for the help

 

<textarea rows="20" cols="20" style="padding:5px 0px 5px 0px">

-----Original Message------
From: whoever
Date: whenever

the old message will follow here

</textarea>

That will add 5px top and bottom space.

 

Thank you for your response, Sometimes things are just to simple and you cant even think of them even when they are stairing you right in the face.


Happy Holidays!