Kentucky Derby

Today was an exciting day in the horse industry!

Mine that Bird won the Kentucky Derby, a win that qualifies as the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history.

You can watch the race on youtube, and I highly recommend it!

The horse had 50-1 odds. He cost just shy of $10,000, while some of his contenders cost more than a million.

You might remember his jockey Calvin Borel from the 2007 Kentucky Derby when he won it. He is known for his skills on the rail.

Today, he did it again. In a post race interview, Calvin could barely contain his excitement. He said that at the first turn he thought he had to have been dead last, 15 to 20 lengths behind. After that, Calvin worked his magic beside the rail, and he was able to slide out in the last stretch and win by 6 3/4 lengths.

It certainly was a shocking race day. Even early this morning, Derby fans were surprised to find out that the favored horse at 3-1 odds, I Want Revenge, was scratched after trainer Jeff Mullins found a hotspot on the horse’s left front ankle.

Who knows what would have happened had the track been dry or had I Want Revenge been healthy….

Upcoming Rodeo Events

If you want to check it out, I just wrote my first Bridle&Bit article as Miss Rodeo Arizona 2009.

Also, anyone who would like to see pictures from the competition can see them on Laurie Brown’s myspace page. She is a talented photographer who was taking pictures throughout the whole pageant.

Save the date and “Get Ready to Ride”: join the Miss Rodeo Arizona herd as we roundup more fun and tradition at the 2009 MRAz Coronation! The Coronation Banquet will be held May 9th in Gilbert at Agritopia. For more information, please visit the website.

Its almost time for Payson Spring Rodeo again! It is just a week after Coronation.  The Cowgirls Historical Foundation will be performing their drills. It will also be my first ride as Miss Rodeo Arizona. It’s coming up May 15- 16 at the Payson Event Center. This is one of my favorite Arizona Rodeos. It is a wonderful way to experience our western lifestyle firsthand.

I hope to see you down the rodeo trail!

Lessons Children Learn From Horses

I had the opportunity to visit Ireland a couple of years ago. While there I chatted with some very old and wise Ireland natives. One man owned a beautiful barn that was built in the 1700’s. It was full of gorgeous horses with perfect breeding and confirmation. This man certainly had a history dominated by the equestrian world.

He asked me what I thought about growing up with these fine animals. I explained the important life lessons horses have taught me, such as a strong work ethic. He then told me in his thick Irish accent “Horses are very good for young girls like you. They can teach you at a young age how to deal with your emotions.”

The veracity of that statement has been a constant theme throughout my life. Self-confidence issues are resolved once a self-conscience kid gets on a horse and soon finds himself on the ground again after the horse took advantage of him. Over confidence is met with stubborn behavior and sheer defiance on the horse’s end. Aggression results in panicky horse, while timidity results in unruliness.

Of course, inherent in these lessons are the calluses towards ‘manure’ and the resulting calluses on the hands when the child learns how to use a shovel to counter the excrement.

Most kids with horses also have to wake up early to feed. They also have time away from the TV and video games, both of which are growing distractions in the youth of today.

This video is an exploration of just what kids are learning when they are mastering the ability to control these 1,200-pound animals.

Horses through the ages

It has been said that history was written from the back of a horse.

Now the age of the horse is past. Yet even though their practical application has been superseded, there are still many valuable lessons that we can learn from these 1,200 pound animals.

Almost three thousand years ago human civilization domesticated the horse. Since then, the horse has been man’s most constant and valuable companion.

They expanded the horizons of ancient people, making further exploration possible.

They accelerated the speeds of hunters, bringing a new assortment of game for subsistence.

They eased the loads of farmers as they toiled next to them in fields, pulling three times their weight.

They carried some of civilization’s most prominent war heros on their back, as they fearlessly marched into battle.

They competed on racetracks, running at peak speeds to entertain the masses.

They worked under the American cowboy as he ushered in an era of ranching that fed the nation.

Today, the legacy of the horse has evolved. We no longer need them to survive; their place has been reduced to a unique niche in the worlds of equestrian recreation and competition. However, if we remember their former roles, we will be more likely to pay homage to our history and the people that toiled within it. These creatures serve as a conduit to our own heritage that we must honor.