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This file includes Racing and Rodeos.
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Horse Page Toppers

Horse Quotes

The Runaway

(Robert Frost)

Once, when the snow of the year was beginning to fall,
We stopped by a mountain pasture to say "Whose colt?"
A little Morgan had one forefoot on the wall,
The other curled at his breast. He dipped his head
And snorted to us. And then he had to bolt.
We heard the miniature thunder where he fled
And we saw him or thought we saw him dim and gray,
Like a shadow against the curtain of falling flakes.
"I think the little fellow's afraid of the snow.
He isn't winter-broken. It isn't play
With the little fellow at all. He's running away.
I doubt if even his mother could tell him, 'Sakes,
It's only weather.' He'd think she didn't know.
Where is his mother? He can't be out alone."
And now he comes again with a clatter of stone
And mounts the wall again with whited eyes
And all his tail that isn't hair up straight.
He shudders his coat as if to throw off flies.
"Whoever it is that leaves him out so late,
When other creatures have gone to stall and bin,
Ought to be told to come and take him in."

When I am an Old Horsewoman

(Patty Barnhart)

I shall wear turquoise
And a straw cowboy hat that
doesn't match and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my social security
on white wine and carrots
And sit in the alley way of my barn
And listen to my horses breathe.

I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night
And ride the dappled mare
Across the moonstruck meadow,
If my old bones will allow.

And when people come to call, I will smile and nod,
As I walk them past the gardens to the barn
And show, instead, the flowers growing there.
In stalls fresh-lined with straw
I will learn to shovel and sweat and
wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel.

And I will be an embarrassment to my only child
Who will have not yet found the peace in being free
To love a horse as a friend,
A friend who waits at midnight hour
With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes
For the kind of person I will be
When I am old.

Somewhere...

(Stanley Harrison)

Somewhere in time's Own Space
There must be some sweet pastured place
Where creeks sing on and tall trees grow
Some Paradise where horses go,
For by the love that guides my pen
I know great horses live again.

Page Ideas--Horseback Riding

Horse Lover ABC's

(compiled by Donna in MB and Denny Davis)

A - athletic, Appaloosa, Arabian, albino, Augean Stables, Andalusian, action, arena, Assateague, arch, alfalfa, apple, American Cream, Ascot (England)
B - bay, black, Black Stallion, Belgian, barrel racing, blacksmith, buckskin, breeds, Belmont, breeze, blaze, baldface, brand, blanket, brumby, balk, burro, bridle, bit, barbed wire, buck, braid, bolt, blood lines, blinkers, barley, bet, Black Beauty, braid, boots, barn, break, blue roan, bandana, bronc, bronco, bronc buster, buckboard, bareback, bale, Breyer, bar, box stall, breeches, broken
C - canter, cannon, crop, colt, chestnut, cinch, cantle, Clydesdale, cutting horse, colic, Connemara, curb bit, carriage, chariot, cavalry, charge, capriole, courbet, carousel, cross-country, curry comb, claiming race, charger, chariot, covered wagon, chaps, coat, coronet, cremello, conformation, chuck wagon, cowboy, cowgirl, course, corral, chute, curb bit, croup, coffin bone, competition, competitor, centaur (Cheiron), crossbars, Churchill Downs
D - dam, Dressage, dapple grey, draft horse, donkey, dock, dandy brush, dun, dorsal strip, denim, Danish Warmblood, Downs, dish face
E - equestrian, equine, equitation, Exmoor Pony, endurance, Eohippus, extended trot, exhibition, English, eel stripe, egg bar, exhibitor, extension, event, eventing, Equus
F - filly, foal, forelock, feathers, fetlock, fall, fences, frog, fox hunt, feed, founder, fore, fair, flanks, fertilizer, farrier, fork, fly sheet, flat races, futurity, farm, feeling his oats
G - girth, gelding, grey, gallop, gymkhana, gait, groom, gypsy, green, gentle, grass, grain, graze, gee (turn right), gaucho, Grand National, gaskin, Grand Prix, gate
H - hack, hoof, hoof pick, hobble, halter, harness, horseshoe, hitch, hunter, heels down, Hackney, hands, heart, Hanoverian, Hambletonian, hoofprint, hock, hay, hay bale, hay loft, horse, hard hat, helmet, hitching post, hindquarters, herd, hackamore, horse laugh, haw (turn left), haute ecole (dressage), heavy cavalry, Hrimfaxi, horse fly, Hippocamus (mythical sea horse)
I - Icelandic Horse, Irish Hunter, ink spots, indoor ring, Irish Sweepstakes, impulsion, Iron Horse (aka railroad)
J - jump, jenny, jack, jockey, judge, jodhpurs, jeans, jingle (spurs), jackpot, junior exhibitor, Jutland, jog, joust, jughead
K - kelpie, Kentucky Derby, kick, knock down, King of the Wind, knight's horse
L - Lippizan, levade, lead, lunge, leathers, lame, lope, leopard, lariat, Liberty horses (circus), lathered, loose box, light hands, light cavalry, lancer, light and tie
M - mare, mount, Misty of Chincoteague, Morgan, mounted police, mounting block, mustang, mule, markings, merry-go-round, mane, miniature, martingale, My Friend Flicka, muck, manure, maiden race, Melbourne Cup (Australia), Musical Ride (RCMP), matched team
N - nostrils, nail, New Forest Pony, neck, neck reining, National Velvet, Nez Perce, neigh, nag, navicular
O - offspring, outlaw, oats, orphan, Overo patterns, Olympics, oxer, obstacle, Old Grey Mare, out to pasture
P - Pinto, Palomino, Paint, Paso Fino, pommel, poles, peck, post, pony, pony club, pace, pacer, parade, Percheron, paddock, pasture, puissance, pastern, Preakness, Pony Express, piaffe, pirouette, passage, Przewalski's Horse, pony, pinks, piebald, pack horse, 'people mover', pitchfork, pole bending, pleasure horse, pleasure driving, point to point, pelham, pickup man, plug, palfrey
Q - Quarter Horse, quiet, quirt, Queen's Plate (Canada), Quadrilles, Queen's Horse Guards
R - race, rein, ride, round up, remuda, rodeo, rope, Rack On, ribbons, rustler, roan, red roan, rider, rhythm, rogue, remount, registered, reata/riata, rowel, rear, ring, round pen, race track, road apples (LOL!), Run for the Roses, Rodeo Queen, roman nose, ranch, range, riding lessons, refuse, rocking horse
S - saddle, saddlebags, stirrup, stockings, Shetland, Shire, sire, stallion, show, shoes, steed, splint, stifle, Standardbred, schooling, Suffolk Punch, stage coach, sulky, side saddle, seat, silks, sleigh, stable, swayback, stud, stall, straw, sorrel, stockings, strip, snip, star, strawberry roan, skewbald, Spanish Riding School of Vienna, spook, stampede, stake race, spurs, slicker, string, snaffle bit, spade bit starting gate, station (Australia), seahorse, saddle tramp
T - tail, trot, trotter, Thoroughbred, Tennessee Walking Horse, team, trail ride, tack, trek, troika, track, Three Day Event, thrush, Tobiano patterns, tattoo, Tally Ho, Trojan Horse, tournament, triple jump, touch, Triple Crown
U - unicorn, untamed, unbreakable, under wraps, unsaddle, unshod, unmanageable, unsound, uprights
V - veterinarian, valued, velvet, vacquero, vault mount
W - walk, Welsh Cob, wagon, wild horses, withers, water jump, Westphalian, whisperer, whip, wire, wheeler, water, weanling, whinny, wind, Western riding, wrangler, Warmblood, whoa, wind, whiskers
X - x-country, x-tie, Xenophon
Y - yoke, yearling, yodel
Z - zebra, zebra dun, Zemaituka, Zylzine (Russian breed)

Famous Horses

(compiled by Donna in MB and Denny Davis)

A - Alydar, Artax (Neverending Story), Affirmed, Assault, Aristides
B - Best Pal, Bold Ruler, Byerly Turk, the Black, Black Minx, Black Beauty, Black Hawk, Bucephalus, Buttermilk (Dale Evans), Black Velvet, Brighty, Big Ben, Beauregrad, Baldy, Billy, Buck (Matt Dillon), Brown Beauty (Paul Revere), Buckshot (Wild Bill Hickock)
C - Champion (Gene Autry), Comanche (Little Big Horn), Citation, Count Fleet, Cigar, Cincinnati (U. S. Grant), Candy (Wyatt Earp)
D - Dan Patch, Dancer's Image, Darley Arabian, Doc Bar, Depth Charge, Denim and Diamonds, Dixie, Diablo (Cisco Kid)
E - Eclipse, Easy Goer, Exterminator
F - Forego, Flicka, Fadjur, Ferzon, Flame, Fury, Fire-eater
G - Godolphin Arabian, Go Man Go, Gallant Fox, Ginger, Genuine Risk
H - Hyperion, Hollywood Dun It, Hansel, Haleb, Hanover
I - Impressive, Incitatus (Emperor Caligula), Isham (Buffalo Bill Cody)
J - John Henry, January Queen, Justin Morgan, Joe Smith
K - Kelso, King, Khemosabi, Kidron, Kentuck
L - Leo, Lexington, Lookout
M - Misty, Man O' War, Midnight, Marengo, Mr. Ed, Methuselah, Musket
N - Northern Dancer, Native Dancer, Nellie Gray, Nelson (George Washington)
O - Omaha, Old Henry Clay, Old Sorrel
P - Pegasus, Plaudit, Poco Bueno, Pocorochie Bo, Phar Lap, Pilgrim, Pal, Personal Ensign, Phantom (Zorro), Pie (National Velvet)
Q - Queenie
R - Ruffian, Rosinante (Don Quixote), Rex (Sgt Preston of the Yukon), Rienzi, Rifle
S - Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Sir Barton, Silver (Lone Ranger), Scout (Tonto), Spirit, Shadowfax (LOTR), Stormy, Smokey (Kid Sheleen), Sham, Satan, Sunday Silence, Slasher, Spectacular Bid
T - Trigger (Roy Rogers), Tornado (Zorro), Tony (Tom Mix), Tom Fool, Thunderhead, Traveller (Robert E. Lee), Target (Annie Oakley), Trojan Horse
U - Ulaios (a centaur), Unbridled's Song
V - Vic (Custer), Virginia
W - Wimpy P-1, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Winchester
X - Xenophonn
Y - Your Host
Z - Zorro's Horse (That's reaching but I couldn't find anything else for Z!)

I Ride

I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery, change a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out before getting down to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride.

The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication. At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it 'the sickness'. It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of 'the sickness'. It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings.

I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some trailhead somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my sunscreen smeared face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.

I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend through the manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so.

The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to find lakes that remain for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.

I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch. We haul forty-foot rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel without makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one. Now you're there . . . ride.

Songs about Horses

Songs about Ponies

Songs about Tack

Songs about Pegasus

Songs about Unicorns

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Rodeos

Rodeo Page Toppers

Quotes

Songs about Rodeos

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Horse Racing

Racing Page Toppers

Horse Racing Quotes

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