I didn't know much about True Grit before I watched it, other than that it starred John Wayne and Kim Darby. I had no preconceived ideas before I watched it. I remember after the movie was released, one of my classmates wrote, "John Wayne had true grit, but Kim Darby had more." Those words kept running through my mind while watching the movie. She was right.
Kim Darby's Mattie Ross was no damsel in distress, even though she needed Rooster Cogburn to help her find the man who murdered her father. When Rooster and a brash young Texas Ranger (played by Glen Campbell) scheme to leave her off the ferry that will take the two men and their horses to the other side of the body of water, Mattie rides her horse into the water and they swim to the other side. They beat the ferry by a few seconds.
The movie has a good balance of quiet moments and action. Nothing in the movie detracts from the main story: Mattie's desire to see the man who murdered her father brought to justice. Mattie asks the sheriff for help first; unfortunately, since the murderer - Tom Chaney - has escaped into Indian territory, he can't help her as he has no jurisdiction there. Only a U.S. Marshall can pursue a criminal into Indian territory. She decides Rooster Cogburn is the right man for the job.
The Texas Ranger, La Boeuf, has his own reasons for wanting to find Chaney. He's wanted for the murder of a Texas state senator and his dog. While La Boeuf means well, he's young, eager and doesn't always think before acting. His actions ruin Cogburn's plan for grabbing the gang Chaney is now running with.
Mattie stays tough and strong until near the end of the movie. She falls into a pit, breaking her arm in the process and then finds herself with a rattlesnake nearby and no way to defend herself. Cogburn and the mortally wounded La Boeuf are able to get her out of the pit, but not before the snake bites her. La Boeuf dies. Cogburn doesn't take time to bury the Texas Ranger; his first priority is to get Mattie to a doctor in time.
The movie has a bittersweet ending, but at least the bad guys were all defeated.
The bonus features were fun to watch and gave added background information on the making of the movie. I didn't know before watching the extras that True Grit was the movie that earned John Wayne his one and only Academy Award as Best Actor.
I'm not sure I'll borrow the movie from the library again or not, but I'm glad I saw it at least once.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Pure Country 2: The Gift
Pure Country 2: The Gift isn't a bad movie. But since it has nothing in common with Pure Country, it should have had a different name. Well, George Strait was in both movies, but in Pure Country, he was playing the character Dusty Chandler. In Pure Country 2: The Gift he's playing himself. Strangely enough, he doesn't sing even one song in Pure Country 2: The Gift. That, in my mind, is a bigger gaffe than the one made by the Lesley Ann Warren version of Cinderella. Ginger Rogers was in that version and she danced for less than a minute. Not to have George Strait sing even part of a song is just wrong.
The plot is fairly simple. Three angels, played by Michael McKean, Cheech Marin and Bronson Pinchot, are about to send the gift of an amazing voice to a baby on earth. The gift comes with three rules:
1) don't lie
2) always be fair
3) never break a promise
The recipient is a newborn baby girl named Bobbie Thomas, whose mother dies in childbirth. Bobbie's gift reveals itself in childhood. As an adult, Bobbie (played by Katrina Elam) decides she's had enough of small town Kentucky life and heads to Nashville to break into country music. Ella, the African-American woman who raised Bobbie, reminds her of the three rules before she leaves.
Nashville wasn't what she expected. Everybody who isn't in country music wants to get in. Since she's had experience as a waitress, she decides that's what she'll do until she can break in. She's finally hired at a sushi shop. The owner asks her if she's a singer. The other staff members frantically send signals to her to say "No." Immediately thunder roars and rain starts pelting down. When Bobbie calls Ella later, Ella only reminds her of the last two rules. It turns out the other employees are a country band - yes, an all-Japanese country band - and she starts singing with them. The sushi shop owner, Mr. Morita, has known about their musical ambitions all along and is now their manager.
One of his regular customers is involved in country music and sees they have a future in the industry. He tells Bobbie that he's going to replace Mr. Morita as manager. And the band has to go as well, as they're not professional enough. He only wants Bobbie. In spite of her insistence that it's not fair, she goes along with him. Yep, more peals of thunder. She's now broken two of the three rules.
She hits the big time and is ready to record a music video. She sees a photo of a cowboy she'd met before moving to Nashville and decides he's the one to star in the video. She invites him to a concert, but he doesn't think he can make it since he'll be at a rodeo and if he makes the finals in bull riding, he can't be there. She tells him, "I'm pulling for the bull."
He makes it to the concert. She's the opening act for George Strait. Later, when Bobbie is a guest on a country music TV show, her cowboy is brought out - unknown to either him or Bobbie in advance - and introduced as the cowboy she hand-picked to be in the music video. Another surprise awaits her after the commercial break. They tracked down her long-lost father and have a reunion on camera. It turns out he's become an alcoholic and tells Bobbie she's better off without him around. She promises him she'll always be there to help him through.
Her father turns out to be a nasty drunk. She tells him she hates him and never wants to see him again. With the help of George Strait, he's removed from her bus and sent away. More peals of thunder as she heads to the stage. In a scene that reminded me of Ursula taking Ariel's voice in Disney's Little Mermaid, the gift - her amazing voice - is taken back. A doctor tells her she should never have been able to sing in the first place. Broken, she goes back home. Ella tells her she has to learn to sing with her heart.
Bobbie does her best to make amends with everyone she's hurt. Ella passes away in the midst of this. Bobbie organizes a fund raiser to help her cowboy's ranch for autistic children. She starts to sing at the end, and, to the surprise of the angels, the voice is given back to her.
It's a fun movie, even though it should have had a different name.
The plot is fairly simple. Three angels, played by Michael McKean, Cheech Marin and Bronson Pinchot, are about to send the gift of an amazing voice to a baby on earth. The gift comes with three rules:
1) don't lie
2) always be fair
3) never break a promise
The recipient is a newborn baby girl named Bobbie Thomas, whose mother dies in childbirth. Bobbie's gift reveals itself in childhood. As an adult, Bobbie (played by Katrina Elam) decides she's had enough of small town Kentucky life and heads to Nashville to break into country music. Ella, the African-American woman who raised Bobbie, reminds her of the three rules before she leaves.
Nashville wasn't what she expected. Everybody who isn't in country music wants to get in. Since she's had experience as a waitress, she decides that's what she'll do until she can break in. She's finally hired at a sushi shop. The owner asks her if she's a singer. The other staff members frantically send signals to her to say "No." Immediately thunder roars and rain starts pelting down. When Bobbie calls Ella later, Ella only reminds her of the last two rules. It turns out the other employees are a country band - yes, an all-Japanese country band - and she starts singing with them. The sushi shop owner, Mr. Morita, has known about their musical ambitions all along and is now their manager.
One of his regular customers is involved in country music and sees they have a future in the industry. He tells Bobbie that he's going to replace Mr. Morita as manager. And the band has to go as well, as they're not professional enough. He only wants Bobbie. In spite of her insistence that it's not fair, she goes along with him. Yep, more peals of thunder. She's now broken two of the three rules.
She hits the big time and is ready to record a music video. She sees a photo of a cowboy she'd met before moving to Nashville and decides he's the one to star in the video. She invites him to a concert, but he doesn't think he can make it since he'll be at a rodeo and if he makes the finals in bull riding, he can't be there. She tells him, "I'm pulling for the bull."
He makes it to the concert. She's the opening act for George Strait. Later, when Bobbie is a guest on a country music TV show, her cowboy is brought out - unknown to either him or Bobbie in advance - and introduced as the cowboy she hand-picked to be in the music video. Another surprise awaits her after the commercial break. They tracked down her long-lost father and have a reunion on camera. It turns out he's become an alcoholic and tells Bobbie she's better off without him around. She promises him she'll always be there to help him through.
Her father turns out to be a nasty drunk. She tells him she hates him and never wants to see him again. With the help of George Strait, he's removed from her bus and sent away. More peals of thunder as she heads to the stage. In a scene that reminded me of Ursula taking Ariel's voice in Disney's Little Mermaid, the gift - her amazing voice - is taken back. A doctor tells her she should never have been able to sing in the first place. Broken, she goes back home. Ella tells her she has to learn to sing with her heart.
Bobbie does her best to make amends with everyone she's hurt. Ella passes away in the midst of this. Bobbie organizes a fund raiser to help her cowboy's ranch for autistic children. She starts to sing at the end, and, to the surprise of the angels, the voice is given back to her.
It's a fun movie, even though it should have had a different name.
Friday, June 28, 2013
After The Race
Thoroughbreds are bred to race. But what happens to a Thoroughbred once his or her racing career is over? Some go on to successful breeding careers, but the ones who are able to do that are few and far between. Most colts are gelded, so that career option is closed to them. For those chosen for a career in breeding, a stallion can be bred multiple times in a year. A mare can only produce one foal per year. There's no guarantee in either case that the foal will live up to the sire or dam's reputation.
But what fate awaits the geldings, as well as the stallions and mares not used for breeding? Do they live a life of ease on their owners' farms? The answer is almost always no. Most owners can't afford to keep a retired horse. Sadly, some of them end up on dinner tables in countries where there is no cultural bias against eating horses. Aside from the moral question of consumption of horsemeat, medications given to horses in the U.S. are dangerous - some are even carcinogenic - when it comes to the human food chain. Others become victims of abuse or neglect.
For some, there is a brighter future. They are taken in by Thoroughbred rescue organizations, trained for a new career and offered for adoption.
Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, inside the Lexington Horse Park in Lexington, KY, has as its mission to train retired Thoroughbreds for other disciplines. When a horse arrives, it's evaluated by a team that includes a dentist, farrier, vet and nutrition specialist. They start training the horse with ground work, then follow with introductions to events such as dressage, jumping and trail riding, to name only three. Their goal is to match the right horse with the right new discipline and the right new owner.
There are several other organizations that work to help retired Thoroughbreds find new jobs and new homes. Horse Illustrated Magazine did a five-part series on the adoption of retired Thoroughbreds and each issue included more information. Four had information about adoption resources and one had brief summaries on books about retired Thoroughbreds.
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-training/off-track-thoroughbred-resources.aspx
Yes, I know people are more important than horses. It's more important to use money to help people who are suffering. But for those who have the resources to do both, it's good to help horses as well. After all, you can't take your money - or anything else, for that matter - with you when you go. "I ain't ever seen a hearse with a luggage rack."
But what fate awaits the geldings, as well as the stallions and mares not used for breeding? Do they live a life of ease on their owners' farms? The answer is almost always no. Most owners can't afford to keep a retired horse. Sadly, some of them end up on dinner tables in countries where there is no cultural bias against eating horses. Aside from the moral question of consumption of horsemeat, medications given to horses in the U.S. are dangerous - some are even carcinogenic - when it comes to the human food chain. Others become victims of abuse or neglect.
For some, there is a brighter future. They are taken in by Thoroughbred rescue organizations, trained for a new career and offered for adoption.
Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, inside the Lexington Horse Park in Lexington, KY, has as its mission to train retired Thoroughbreds for other disciplines. When a horse arrives, it's evaluated by a team that includes a dentist, farrier, vet and nutrition specialist. They start training the horse with ground work, then follow with introductions to events such as dressage, jumping and trail riding, to name only three. Their goal is to match the right horse with the right new discipline and the right new owner.
There are several other organizations that work to help retired Thoroughbreds find new jobs and new homes. Horse Illustrated Magazine did a five-part series on the adoption of retired Thoroughbreds and each issue included more information. Four had information about adoption resources and one had brief summaries on books about retired Thoroughbreds.
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-training/off-track-thoroughbred-resources.aspx
Yes, I know people are more important than horses. It's more important to use money to help people who are suffering. But for those who have the resources to do both, it's good to help horses as well. After all, you can't take your money - or anything else, for that matter - with you when you go. "I ain't ever seen a hearse with a luggage rack."
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Horse Magazines
I don't own a horse and probably never will. I've been on trail rides, but have never taken riding lessons. So why do I have subscriptions to five horse magazines? For the record, the subscriptions I currently have are: Western Horseman, Cowboys and Indians, Horse & Rider, Equus and Horse Illustrated. I also had a subscription to American Cowboy, but I've had to let that one lapse.
There are several reasons those subscriptions are a good idea.
One is all the photos of horses. They're not just fun to look at, but they also make good reference photos for my future horse artist goal.
Second, the articles are good reference material for my writing. If a horse owner (yes, there are children who own horses) or a member of a horse-owning family would read one of my children's novels, I wouldn't want her or him (girls would be more likely to read the novels I'll be writing) to throw the book across the room and shout "She doesn't know anything about horses!" While I want my research to be invisible to my readers, I still need to have my facts straight. What better source of knowledge than magazines written by horse owners for horse owners?
Third, no knowledge is ever wasted. I belong to a number of horse groups on LinkedIn. The information I learn from my horse magazines will allow me to comment intelligently on discussions posted in those groups. I want to be able to contribute to the groups where I'm a member.
Fourth, just because I believe I probably never will own a horse, God could have other things in mind for me. These magazines are useful for future reference to prepare me for the day when God might decide that horse ownership is in His plan for me.
Fifth, some of the articles are useful for riders who aren't horse owners. Even if I don't own a horse, I do want to take riding lessons. The articles can help explain why my lesson horse acts the way he does and what I can do to correct it.
A personal reason for subscribing to Western Horseman is that my Dad had copies of that magazine, even though we didn't own horses. I'm just following in his footsteps!
Yes, horse magazines are useful for a non-horse owner. I may not be able to renew them when the subscriptions end, but I'll still have plenty of back issues that I can read over and over again.
There are several reasons those subscriptions are a good idea.
One is all the photos of horses. They're not just fun to look at, but they also make good reference photos for my future horse artist goal.
Second, the articles are good reference material for my writing. If a horse owner (yes, there are children who own horses) or a member of a horse-owning family would read one of my children's novels, I wouldn't want her or him (girls would be more likely to read the novels I'll be writing) to throw the book across the room and shout "She doesn't know anything about horses!" While I want my research to be invisible to my readers, I still need to have my facts straight. What better source of knowledge than magazines written by horse owners for horse owners?
Third, no knowledge is ever wasted. I belong to a number of horse groups on LinkedIn. The information I learn from my horse magazines will allow me to comment intelligently on discussions posted in those groups. I want to be able to contribute to the groups where I'm a member.
Fourth, just because I believe I probably never will own a horse, God could have other things in mind for me. These magazines are useful for future reference to prepare me for the day when God might decide that horse ownership is in His plan for me.
Fifth, some of the articles are useful for riders who aren't horse owners. Even if I don't own a horse, I do want to take riding lessons. The articles can help explain why my lesson horse acts the way he does and what I can do to correct it.
A personal reason for subscribing to Western Horseman is that my Dad had copies of that magazine, even though we didn't own horses. I'm just following in his footsteps!
Yes, horse magazines are useful for a non-horse owner. I may not be able to renew them when the subscriptions end, but I'll still have plenty of back issues that I can read over and over again.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Date A Cowboy? The Conclusion
I ended up deactivating my Date A Cowboy account. The disadvantages of being a free member were too great. I was okay with not being able to send messages. I learned when the man with whom I had exchanged flirts sent me a message, I was not able to receive messages either. I can only imagine what he must be thinking when I didn't respond to his message.
I suggested that they allow free members to send and receive one message. I told them if they did that, I'd think about reactivating my account. Their response: "Thanks for your suggestion we will look forward into it." I get the feeling that's a polite way of saying, "We're not going to do that" similar to how the Japanese generally don't come right out and say no.
Another site that intrigues me is Equestrian Singles. Like most sites, most benefits are only available to paid members. Free members do have access to chat rooms, event calendar and an initial posting, so maybe there are more possibilities there. It seems like it could be a better choice than Date A Cowboy. The February, 2013 issue of Horse & Rider did a feature on the site, including five success stories. Equestrian Singles happens to be based in Texas, so that's a big plus in my mind.
A Google search gave links to other equestrian dating sites. I found one that looks like it might be worth checking out. Free members can't send messages, but they can read and reply to messages other members have sent.
I confess to being a little leery of online dating sites. How do I know what he writes in his profile is true? How do I even know that he's single? Sure, we could meet face-to-face and there may be no tan line on his left ring finger. But not every married man wears a wedding band. George Strait doesn't and he's been married to his high school sweetheart for more than forty years.
I may look into other equestrian dating sites. But I'm fairly certain I won't be reactivating my Date A Cowboy account any time in the forseeable future.
I do still want to find a cowboy of my own. After all, the t-shirt I'm wearing today says "Plays Well With Cowboys." (In spite of my post from June 20, 2013, he doesn't have to be a Japanese cowboy.)
I suggested that they allow free members to send and receive one message. I told them if they did that, I'd think about reactivating my account. Their response: "Thanks for your suggestion we will look forward into it." I get the feeling that's a polite way of saying, "We're not going to do that" similar to how the Japanese generally don't come right out and say no.
Another site that intrigues me is Equestrian Singles. Like most sites, most benefits are only available to paid members. Free members do have access to chat rooms, event calendar and an initial posting, so maybe there are more possibilities there. It seems like it could be a better choice than Date A Cowboy. The February, 2013 issue of Horse & Rider did a feature on the site, including five success stories. Equestrian Singles happens to be based in Texas, so that's a big plus in my mind.
A Google search gave links to other equestrian dating sites. I found one that looks like it might be worth checking out. Free members can't send messages, but they can read and reply to messages other members have sent.
I confess to being a little leery of online dating sites. How do I know what he writes in his profile is true? How do I even know that he's single? Sure, we could meet face-to-face and there may be no tan line on his left ring finger. But not every married man wears a wedding band. George Strait doesn't and he's been married to his high school sweetheart for more than forty years.
I may look into other equestrian dating sites. But I'm fairly certain I won't be reactivating my Date A Cowboy account any time in the forseeable future.
I do still want to find a cowboy of my own. After all, the t-shirt I'm wearing today says "Plays Well With Cowboys." (In spite of my post from June 20, 2013, he doesn't have to be a Japanese cowboy.)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Date A Cowboy?
I recently - just for fun - completed my profile on Date A Cowboy and uploaded a photo. The photo is the same one I use for this blog. I was curious to see what would happen.
I received a message that two men (both within the age range I mention in my profile) had recently uploaded photos. I decided to check them out. One is a little older than me, the other a little younger. The profile of the younger one didn't impress me. The other one sounded interesting and it looked like we had a few things in common, so I sent him a flirt. Since my account is free, I can't send messages. The flirt said something like "I like your profile." (I can't remember the exact wording.) There has been no response from him yet and I haven't received a message that he viewed my profile.
I have received a message that the other one had viewed my profile, but he hasn't tried to contact me.
Today, Date A Cowboy sent me a message that they found three potential matches for me. All three of them were younger than the age I said I was looking for. One of them was an eighteen-year-old living with his parents! That makes him younger than my younger sister's youngest child! I don't mind younger men, but I'm not a cradle robber.
The plot thickens - just a few minutes ago, a member viewed my profile and sent me a flirt "You are cute." So I flirted back "I'd love to see a photo."
I realize my involvement with this site is still new and I shouldn't expect to meet my cowboy of faith right away. I'll give it more time and see what happens. It has the potential to be an interesting ride!
I apologize for a much shorter than normal blog today. I will update what's happening with Date A Cowboy as time passes.
I received a message that two men (both within the age range I mention in my profile) had recently uploaded photos. I decided to check them out. One is a little older than me, the other a little younger. The profile of the younger one didn't impress me. The other one sounded interesting and it looked like we had a few things in common, so I sent him a flirt. Since my account is free, I can't send messages. The flirt said something like "I like your profile." (I can't remember the exact wording.) There has been no response from him yet and I haven't received a message that he viewed my profile.
I have received a message that the other one had viewed my profile, but he hasn't tried to contact me.
Today, Date A Cowboy sent me a message that they found three potential matches for me. All three of them were younger than the age I said I was looking for. One of them was an eighteen-year-old living with his parents! That makes him younger than my younger sister's youngest child! I don't mind younger men, but I'm not a cradle robber.
The plot thickens - just a few minutes ago, a member viewed my profile and sent me a flirt "You are cute." So I flirted back "I'd love to see a photo."
I realize my involvement with this site is still new and I shouldn't expect to meet my cowboy of faith right away. I'll give it more time and see what happens. It has the potential to be an interesting ride!
I apologize for a much shorter than normal blog today. I will update what's happening with Date A Cowboy as time passes.
Monday, June 24, 2013
A Horse's Memory
Note - I'll be using the male pronoun in this post. I don't like using "it" when referring to horses or any other animal. Hopping back and forth between male and female pronouns could get confusing.
Horses are like elephants - they never forget. This is especially true when it comes to people. Horses will never forget how people treated them. For example, an abused horse may take a long time to get used to people, particularly if he's only experienced abuse in his life. A horse will not only remember how people treated him, he will also remember how specific people treated him.
A horse will remember everything that's happened to him. For example, a horse reluctant to load in a trailer - or who absolutely refuses to load - likely had a bad experience in a trailer. He may have slipped and fallen while loading. He may not have been able to reach food and water. He may not have been secured properly and spent the entire trip getting bumped around in the trailer. The driver may have been reckless. The tow vehicle and trailer may have gotten into an accident. If a horse is loading for the first time, as a prey animal he might be worried about what monsters are hiding inside the trailer. That could cause reluctance to load on his part. Just give him time to check out the trailer and see that there are no monsters hiding there.
When training a horse, timing is crucial. When applying pressure to ask a horse to do something, the pressure must be released as soon as the horse makes the slightest attempt to try to do what he's being asked to do. As soon as the pressure is released, the horse thinks he found the correct answer for what you were asking him to do. Release it too soon or too late, the horse will be rewarded for the incorrect answer. If you release the pressure while the horse is misbehaving, you've just rewarded him for bad behavior. As Clinton Anderson is fond of noting, when training horses, consistency is your greatest ally.
Never react to a horse in anger. He'll remember your anger and will be less likely to trust you in the future. You want to set him up for success and lashing out at him won't do that. When he's misbehaving, make him move his feet. When it comes to horses, the one who gets the other horses to move their feet first is the leader. Making the horse move his feet proves to him that you're the leader.
Always end a training session on a high note. The horse will feel good having ended with something he does successfully. The next day, he'll remember the good feeling from the previous day's session and will be more willing to work.
Remember, a horse remembers everything that happens to him and how people treated him. Be sure to give your horse lots of happy memories of you and what you've done together.
Horses are like elephants - they never forget. This is especially true when it comes to people. Horses will never forget how people treated them. For example, an abused horse may take a long time to get used to people, particularly if he's only experienced abuse in his life. A horse will not only remember how people treated him, he will also remember how specific people treated him.
A horse will remember everything that's happened to him. For example, a horse reluctant to load in a trailer - or who absolutely refuses to load - likely had a bad experience in a trailer. He may have slipped and fallen while loading. He may not have been able to reach food and water. He may not have been secured properly and spent the entire trip getting bumped around in the trailer. The driver may have been reckless. The tow vehicle and trailer may have gotten into an accident. If a horse is loading for the first time, as a prey animal he might be worried about what monsters are hiding inside the trailer. That could cause reluctance to load on his part. Just give him time to check out the trailer and see that there are no monsters hiding there.
When training a horse, timing is crucial. When applying pressure to ask a horse to do something, the pressure must be released as soon as the horse makes the slightest attempt to try to do what he's being asked to do. As soon as the pressure is released, the horse thinks he found the correct answer for what you were asking him to do. Release it too soon or too late, the horse will be rewarded for the incorrect answer. If you release the pressure while the horse is misbehaving, you've just rewarded him for bad behavior. As Clinton Anderson is fond of noting, when training horses, consistency is your greatest ally.
Never react to a horse in anger. He'll remember your anger and will be less likely to trust you in the future. You want to set him up for success and lashing out at him won't do that. When he's misbehaving, make him move his feet. When it comes to horses, the one who gets the other horses to move their feet first is the leader. Making the horse move his feet proves to him that you're the leader.
Always end a training session on a high note. The horse will feel good having ended with something he does successfully. The next day, he'll remember the good feeling from the previous day's session and will be more willing to work.
Remember, a horse remembers everything that happens to him and how people treated him. Be sure to give your horse lots of happy memories of you and what you've done together.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Pure Country
In 1992, George Strait entered new territory for him. He starred in the movie Pure Country, playing country music superstar Dusty Chandler. The movie's soundtrack CD has been his most successful CD to date. It includes two number one hits: Heartland and I Cross My Heart.
The movie opens with the title version of Heartland, sung by then eleven-year-old George "Bubba" Strait, Jr. The title version then segues into George Strait singing. The action starts with a concert by Dusty - smoke, flashing lights, background music that's too loud. His manager, Lula (played by Lesley Ann Warren) sneaks off before the concert is over to enjoy some time with her boy toy, Buddy Jackson, a member of Dusty's road crew.
When Dusty gets back to his bus after the concert is over, Lula wants him to record a song written by Buddy. While Dusty and his band are rehearsing the song the next day, Buddy criticizes their performance of his song. Lula draws him aside and tells him never to do anything like that again. That doesn't stop her from having some "quality" time with him later, though.
At the next concert, Dusty finds himself frustrated by what has happened to the job he loves. After a talk with his best friend, Erv, he goes for a walk. A walk from which he doesn't return to the hotel. Nobody - not even Erv - knows where Dusty is, much to Lula's chagrin. Lula and the band head for the next venue, Shreveport, LA. Lula is sure Dusty will show up.
Meanwhile, Dusty heads to visit his Grandma Ivy, shaving off his beard and mustache and cutting his his hair before arriving. After talking with her, Dusty - now going by his real name of Wyatt Chandler - sets out to find what he's lost by becoming country music superstar Dusty.
He falls in love with a beautiful woman, Harley Tucker, who shares a ranch with her grandfather and two brothers. When Wyatt joins the family for breakfast, at first the grandfather and brothers are about as talkative as the Darling family from the old Andy Griffith Show.
Unfortunately, Dusty loses track of time and misses the concert in Shreveport. Lula, instead of doing the right thing and rescheduling the concert, has Buddy lip synch to Dusty's songs while made up to look like Dusty. Buddy gets full of himself as a result and decides he's all that. By now, it's obvious Lula is getting tired of him.
Erv walks away after that concert and decides to look for Dusty. Unknown to him, Lula has him followed. He finally finds Dusty at the Tucker ranch. At the local honky-tonk later, after dancing with Wyatt (Dusty), Harley heads to the ladies' room. There Lula asks her if she enjoyed dancing with her husband. A tearful, heart-broken Harley punches Wyatt and asks him how he could lie to her. She tells him she never wants to see him around her family again.
Lula is waiting outside the honky-tonk and tells Dusty it's time to come home. His next concert is in Las Vegas. He tells Lula he wants the concert done his way - no smoke, no fancy lights, just him, his guitar and the band. He also tells Lula he will perform in Shreveport - for free - as an apology to his fans there who paid to see him. Las Vegas is also where Harley and her brothers will be competing in a rodeo, hoping to win enough money to save their financially-strapped ranch.
In Vegas, Lula sends concert tickets to the Tuckers. Before the concert, she talks to Harley again, this time to tell her the truth. Dusty sits down on the stage right in front of Harley and sings a song he'd written just for her - I Cross My Heart. Lula watches from backstage, glad that there's a happy ending all around - except for Buddy Jackson, who, upon being threatened with legal action by Dusty, makes the prudent move of getting the heck out of Dodge.
The character I most wanted to slap was Lula. She struck me as an expert in using people for her own ends. She played Buddy until he was of no use to her. She nearly destroyed Wyatt's budding love with Harley. True, she did make amends for that later, but I thought Dusty forgave her too easily. Not that he should never have forgiven her, but I felt like he should have been angry with her longer than he was.
I enjoy watching this movie whenever I have the time to do so. I can overlook its flaws because of the great music performed by George Strait throughout the movie.
A side note - in 2010, a movie called Pure Country 2: The Gift was released. It's not a bad movie, but the title is deceptive. It has nothing to do with Pure Country. George Strait has a small part in the movie, but he's not reprising the role of Dusty, as the title would make it seem. He's playing himself.
The movie opens with the title version of Heartland, sung by then eleven-year-old George "Bubba" Strait, Jr. The title version then segues into George Strait singing. The action starts with a concert by Dusty - smoke, flashing lights, background music that's too loud. His manager, Lula (played by Lesley Ann Warren) sneaks off before the concert is over to enjoy some time with her boy toy, Buddy Jackson, a member of Dusty's road crew.
When Dusty gets back to his bus after the concert is over, Lula wants him to record a song written by Buddy. While Dusty and his band are rehearsing the song the next day, Buddy criticizes their performance of his song. Lula draws him aside and tells him never to do anything like that again. That doesn't stop her from having some "quality" time with him later, though.
At the next concert, Dusty finds himself frustrated by what has happened to the job he loves. After a talk with his best friend, Erv, he goes for a walk. A walk from which he doesn't return to the hotel. Nobody - not even Erv - knows where Dusty is, much to Lula's chagrin. Lula and the band head for the next venue, Shreveport, LA. Lula is sure Dusty will show up.
Meanwhile, Dusty heads to visit his Grandma Ivy, shaving off his beard and mustache and cutting his his hair before arriving. After talking with her, Dusty - now going by his real name of Wyatt Chandler - sets out to find what he's lost by becoming country music superstar Dusty.
He falls in love with a beautiful woman, Harley Tucker, who shares a ranch with her grandfather and two brothers. When Wyatt joins the family for breakfast, at first the grandfather and brothers are about as talkative as the Darling family from the old Andy Griffith Show.
Unfortunately, Dusty loses track of time and misses the concert in Shreveport. Lula, instead of doing the right thing and rescheduling the concert, has Buddy lip synch to Dusty's songs while made up to look like Dusty. Buddy gets full of himself as a result and decides he's all that. By now, it's obvious Lula is getting tired of him.
Erv walks away after that concert and decides to look for Dusty. Unknown to him, Lula has him followed. He finally finds Dusty at the Tucker ranch. At the local honky-tonk later, after dancing with Wyatt (Dusty), Harley heads to the ladies' room. There Lula asks her if she enjoyed dancing with her husband. A tearful, heart-broken Harley punches Wyatt and asks him how he could lie to her. She tells him she never wants to see him around her family again.
Lula is waiting outside the honky-tonk and tells Dusty it's time to come home. His next concert is in Las Vegas. He tells Lula he wants the concert done his way - no smoke, no fancy lights, just him, his guitar and the band. He also tells Lula he will perform in Shreveport - for free - as an apology to his fans there who paid to see him. Las Vegas is also where Harley and her brothers will be competing in a rodeo, hoping to win enough money to save their financially-strapped ranch.
In Vegas, Lula sends concert tickets to the Tuckers. Before the concert, she talks to Harley again, this time to tell her the truth. Dusty sits down on the stage right in front of Harley and sings a song he'd written just for her - I Cross My Heart. Lula watches from backstage, glad that there's a happy ending all around - except for Buddy Jackson, who, upon being threatened with legal action by Dusty, makes the prudent move of getting the heck out of Dodge.
The character I most wanted to slap was Lula. She struck me as an expert in using people for her own ends. She played Buddy until he was of no use to her. She nearly destroyed Wyatt's budding love with Harley. True, she did make amends for that later, but I thought Dusty forgave her too easily. Not that he should never have forgiven her, but I felt like he should have been angry with her longer than he was.
I enjoy watching this movie whenever I have the time to do so. I can overlook its flaws because of the great music performed by George Strait throughout the movie.
A side note - in 2010, a movie called Pure Country 2: The Gift was released. It's not a bad movie, but the title is deceptive. It has nothing to do with Pure Country. George Strait has a small part in the movie, but he's not reprising the role of Dusty, as the title would make it seem. He's playing himself.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Whatever Happened To Randolph Scott?
On my birthday in 2011 (which would have been Roy Rogers' 100th birthday), I went to the Mall of America hoping to find a DVD of The Cowboy and the Senorita, the first movie he and Dale Evans made together. I thought it would be fun to watch it that night. I looked in every store that sold DVDs. No luck. The stores could order it for me, but I didn't want to wait.
While browsing at fye again (which is no longer at the Mall of America), I found a DVD collection called America's Greatest Westerns, Volume Four. Disc Nine of the ten-DVD collection included The Cowboy and the Senorita. The DVD collection went home with me that day. More than a year and half later, I still haven't watched all of it.
I think the DVD collection was mis-named, though. While the movies I've watched so far have been fun, calling the collection America's Greatest Westerns is a huge exaggeration. I love what I've seen so far. The stories are from an era where the good guys always won. It might not happen until the last few minutes of the movie, but good always triumphed over evil. Always.
The heroes were heroes. They were kind to children and animals and respectful of women. They stood for truth and justice. They were the kind of men a girl wouldn't need to clean up before taking them home to meet her folks. They were from an era when men wanted be to like them and women wanted to marry them.
The women generally weren't damsels in distress. They might need to rescued once in a while, but often they were fighting right alongside the men. Sometimes they remind me of a TV commercial I saw more years ago than I care to think about: "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you're a man, 'cause I'm a woman."
The title of this entry is the title of a song recorded by the Statler Brothers, lamenting the state of the movie industry after the decline of the westerns. (None of the movies on the DVD collection I have feature Randolph Scott, though.) One line from the song - "True Grit's the only movie I've really understood in years" - has inspired me to request a copy True Grit to be held for me at the Hennepin County Central Library. I've requested the John Wayne version.
Looking for men and women to admire and look up to? You don't need to look any further than these old black and white westerns.
While browsing at fye again (which is no longer at the Mall of America), I found a DVD collection called America's Greatest Westerns, Volume Four. Disc Nine of the ten-DVD collection included The Cowboy and the Senorita. The DVD collection went home with me that day. More than a year and half later, I still haven't watched all of it.
I think the DVD collection was mis-named, though. While the movies I've watched so far have been fun, calling the collection America's Greatest Westerns is a huge exaggeration. I love what I've seen so far. The stories are from an era where the good guys always won. It might not happen until the last few minutes of the movie, but good always triumphed over evil. Always.
The heroes were heroes. They were kind to children and animals and respectful of women. They stood for truth and justice. They were the kind of men a girl wouldn't need to clean up before taking them home to meet her folks. They were from an era when men wanted be to like them and women wanted to marry them.
The women generally weren't damsels in distress. They might need to rescued once in a while, but often they were fighting right alongside the men. Sometimes they remind me of a TV commercial I saw more years ago than I care to think about: "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you're a man, 'cause I'm a woman."
The title of this entry is the title of a song recorded by the Statler Brothers, lamenting the state of the movie industry after the decline of the westerns. (None of the movies on the DVD collection I have feature Randolph Scott, though.) One line from the song - "True Grit's the only movie I've really understood in years" - has inspired me to request a copy True Grit to be held for me at the Hennepin County Central Library. I've requested the John Wayne version.
Looking for men and women to admire and look up to? You don't need to look any further than these old black and white westerns.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Horses And Donkeys And Mules - Oh My!
I had originally planned to call this "Horses In The Bible," but then I remembered that donkeys and mules are also mentioned in the Bible. Somehow, "Equines In The Bible" didn't have quite the same ring to it.
The most notable donkey in the Bible is found in the New Testament. When Jesus entered Jerusalem at the start of what is now known as Holy Week, he rode a donkey. Not just a donkey - it was a young, unbroken colt that had never been ridden before. That colt probably had more sense than the people in Jerusalem. He'd never been ridden before, but he didn't buck, he didn't try to throw Jesus off his back, he didn't refuse to move. Perhaps he knew he was carrying the Lord of the universe that day.
Another famous donkey in the Bible is found in the Old Testament. This was the donkey who belonged to Balaam. (see Numbers 22:21-35) Balaam had ridden this donkey for years and she'd served him faithfully. The king of Moab had asked Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam saddled up his donkey and headed for Moab. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord with a sword in his hand. Wanting to protect her master, she moved off the road and turned into a field. Balaam beat the donkey to get her back on the road. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord a second time and pressed against a wall to protect her master. Balaam beat her again. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord a third time. There was no place to go, so she laid down under Balaam. He beat her again. The Lord allowed the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam why he had beaten her. Hadn't she always done what he'd asked her to do in the past? Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn. The donkey had seen the Angel of the Lord three times and three times she saved Balaam's life.
King Solomon owned twelve thousand horses imported from Egypt and Cilicia (located in what is now southeast Turkey). He also had fourteen hundred chariots. Some he kept in Jerusalem with him, others were kept in other cities. I imagine Solomon's horses were the most magnificent horses in the world at that time. I don't think the richest, wisest man in the world would settle for anything less than the very best.
In Job 39:5-8, the Lord questioned Job about the wild donkey; in 39:19-25, He questioned Job about the horse. As a side note, the Disney movie Secretariat opens with Job 39:19-25. Both Psalms and Proverbs make references to horses, donkeys and mules.
In Acts 23, Paul's nephew learns of a plot to murder Paul. The young man is taken to the commander of the barracks and tells him about the plot. Seventy horsemen accompany Paul during the night to take him to Governor Felix to thwart the plans of those who wanted to kill him.
The most impressive horsemanship in the Bible is yet to come. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV+)
That's the ride this cowgirl of faith is looking forward to most of all!
The most notable donkey in the Bible is found in the New Testament. When Jesus entered Jerusalem at the start of what is now known as Holy Week, he rode a donkey. Not just a donkey - it was a young, unbroken colt that had never been ridden before. That colt probably had more sense than the people in Jerusalem. He'd never been ridden before, but he didn't buck, he didn't try to throw Jesus off his back, he didn't refuse to move. Perhaps he knew he was carrying the Lord of the universe that day.
Another famous donkey in the Bible is found in the Old Testament. This was the donkey who belonged to Balaam. (see Numbers 22:21-35) Balaam had ridden this donkey for years and she'd served him faithfully. The king of Moab had asked Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam saddled up his donkey and headed for Moab. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord with a sword in his hand. Wanting to protect her master, she moved off the road and turned into a field. Balaam beat the donkey to get her back on the road. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord a second time and pressed against a wall to protect her master. Balaam beat her again. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord a third time. There was no place to go, so she laid down under Balaam. He beat her again. The Lord allowed the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam why he had beaten her. Hadn't she always done what he'd asked her to do in the past? Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn. The donkey had seen the Angel of the Lord three times and three times she saved Balaam's life.
King Solomon owned twelve thousand horses imported from Egypt and Cilicia (located in what is now southeast Turkey). He also had fourteen hundred chariots. Some he kept in Jerusalem with him, others were kept in other cities. I imagine Solomon's horses were the most magnificent horses in the world at that time. I don't think the richest, wisest man in the world would settle for anything less than the very best.
In Job 39:5-8, the Lord questioned Job about the wild donkey; in 39:19-25, He questioned Job about the horse. As a side note, the Disney movie Secretariat opens with Job 39:19-25. Both Psalms and Proverbs make references to horses, donkeys and mules.
In Acts 23, Paul's nephew learns of a plot to murder Paul. The young man is taken to the commander of the barracks and tells him about the plot. Seventy horsemen accompany Paul during the night to take him to Governor Felix to thwart the plans of those who wanted to kill him.
The most impressive horsemanship in the Bible is yet to come. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV+)
That's the ride this cowgirl of faith is looking forward to most of all!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
I Want A Japanese Cowboy
I’ve seen t-shirts that say (in Japanese) “Looking
for a Japanese girlfriend.” I’ve also seen t-shirts that say (in English) “I
love my Japanese boyfriend” or “I love my Japanese girlfriend” or another
similar sentiment. Me? I don’t want a Japanese boyfriend. I want a Japanese
cowboy!
A Japanese cowboy? Is there such a thing?
In the U.S., there are AJA (Americans of Japanese
Ancestry) cowboys. One is Matt Shiozawa, who competes in rodeo. On his website
(see links) he has Shiozawa written in kanji (å¡©æ²¢). On
the Big Island of Hawai’i, there are AJA paniolos (the Hawaiian word for
cowboy). AJA Thomas Sakaguchi is a mule packer in Sequoia National Park.
Makoto Sekido wants to become a professional bull rider in
the United States. His wife thinks he’s crazy. She said she hates dreams and she hates people
who want to make their dreams come true. But she puts up with it because she
loves him. His sister thinks getting hit in the head by an ironing board when
he was young caused him to choose an unorthodox road, especially for a Japanese
man. He watched spaghetti westerns when he was young and always wanted to be a
cowboy. I don’t know if he’s still pursuing that dream, but if he is, I hope it
comes true for him.
Jin’ichiro Shibahara is another Japanese bull rider. He seems
to be having more success than Makoto Sekido is. He was the first Japanese
cowboy to become a member of the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association),
in 2009. Here’s a link to photos from a rodeo in which he competed: http://assets.espn.go.com//rodeo/gallery/35113420.html
He may no longer be a member of the PRCA, as he’s not listed in the Pro Rodeo
website.
There are a number of riding stables in Japan that feature
Western-style riding. The one that most intrigues me is Western Riding Club
Rocky. (The second link goes to their website.) They have quite a bit of
information about Western horseback riding and apparel (I especially appreciate
that when talking about jeans, there’s a picture of the Wrangler logo. My
favorite brand of jeans and the only brand I wear now!), as well as links to
other sites, including the Japan Cowboy Shooting Network. I’ve never done
Cowboy Mounted Shooting, but the demonstrations I’ve seen have been
spellbinding.
Please be aware that the majority of the links in the links
section are in Japanese. If you can’t read Japanese, there are free translation
sites, although their accuracy can be questionable. If you use Google Chrome, there’s a free app
called rikaikun which will translate the individual kanji, but it doesn’t
translate the page. If you use Firefox, the same app is called rikaichan.
For most Japanese, I’m sure their fascination with this
aspect of life in the U.S. is strictly a hobby and something they may keep
secret from all but those to whom they are closest. In a culture where
conformity is valued above individuality, the cowboy culture may be something
that is admired, but not understood.
My two biggest weaknesses when it comes to men are cowboys
and Japanese men. So whether he’s a Japanese cowboy who lives in Japan or who
has moved to the U.S. (or travels here periodically) to compete in rodeos or an
AJA cowboy in the U.S., I want a Japanese cowboy!
Links
http://assets.espn.go.com//rodeo/gallery/35113420.html
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Mustangs
Wild horses - more accurately known as Mustangs - and burros are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
One of the biggest controversies over the BLM handling of Mustangs and wild burros is the practice of "gathers" which involves using helicopters to chase the animals into holding pens. To prey animals like horses and burros, helicopters will be seen as predators. Frightened horses trample each other in their haste to get away from the helicopters, believing the horses in the back of the herd will be the first victims of the predator. Mares and foals are separated from each other.
The horses and burros deemed to be adoptable are offered for a minimum $125 adoption fee. The others are sent to the Midwest to live out their lives in holding pens.
Culling the herd seems to be the answer according to the BLM. By removing some of the animals, that gives those left behind more land and more access to food. The problem is when horses are culled, the number of remaining horses doesn't decrease. It increases. With more access to food and virtually no natural predators left, the remaining horses multiply.
At one point, the BLM had a plan to castrate a group of Mustangs, then release them back into the wild. Wild horse advocates objected, calling the plan "scientifically unsound, controversial, untested and radical." Maybe I don't understand all the details, but if something similar works in cities to reduce the feral cat population, why wouldn't it work to reduce the Mustang population? Mustangs aren't technically wild horses - they're formerly domesticated horses who have gone feral.
There are programs to promote the adoption of Mustangs and burros, but since they're administered by the BLM - a federal government agency - those programs have been affected by the sequester. I've been trying to find statistics to support it, but I have a hunch that there are more Mustangs available for adoption than there are people willing and able to do so.
There are no easy answers to the issues of Mustangs and wild burros. But I do know until both sides are able to talk about it rationally, no answers will ever be found.
One of the biggest controversies over the BLM handling of Mustangs and wild burros is the practice of "gathers" which involves using helicopters to chase the animals into holding pens. To prey animals like horses and burros, helicopters will be seen as predators. Frightened horses trample each other in their haste to get away from the helicopters, believing the horses in the back of the herd will be the first victims of the predator. Mares and foals are separated from each other.
The horses and burros deemed to be adoptable are offered for a minimum $125 adoption fee. The others are sent to the Midwest to live out their lives in holding pens.
Culling the herd seems to be the answer according to the BLM. By removing some of the animals, that gives those left behind more land and more access to food. The problem is when horses are culled, the number of remaining horses doesn't decrease. It increases. With more access to food and virtually no natural predators left, the remaining horses multiply.
At one point, the BLM had a plan to castrate a group of Mustangs, then release them back into the wild. Wild horse advocates objected, calling the plan "scientifically unsound, controversial, untested and radical." Maybe I don't understand all the details, but if something similar works in cities to reduce the feral cat population, why wouldn't it work to reduce the Mustang population? Mustangs aren't technically wild horses - they're formerly domesticated horses who have gone feral.
There are programs to promote the adoption of Mustangs and burros, but since they're administered by the BLM - a federal government agency - those programs have been affected by the sequester. I've been trying to find statistics to support it, but I have a hunch that there are more Mustangs available for adoption than there are people willing and able to do so.
There are no easy answers to the issues of Mustangs and wild burros. But I do know until both sides are able to talk about it rationally, no answers will ever be found.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Six Flags Over Texas
Six flags have flown over Texas since 1519:
Spain: 1519-1685; 1690-1821
France: 1685-1690
Mexico: 1821-1836
The Republic of Texas: 1836-1845
The United States of America: 1845-1861; 1865-present
The Confederated Sates of America: 1861-1865
The flag of the Republic of Texas is now the state flag.
Texas joined the United States by treaty, not annexation. Among the things allowed by the treaty is that the Texas flag can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag and Texas has the right to divide into five states.
Texas will most likely never use the second right listed above, but I read once that if the U.S. was a high school, Texas would be voted "Most Likely to Secede."
The tourist slogan for Texas is "Texas - It's like a WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY." When I told one of my doctors that I was trying to learn to speak Texan, he told me he thought that would be harder than trying to learn Japanese. Of course, Texas is so big there isn't just one accent. There are two: the East Texas Drawl and the West Texas Twang. Interstate 35 is the rough dividing line between the two.
Here's a sample of a Texas conversation:
"You wanna Coke?
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"Dr Pepper."
Here's a postcard I bought when I was in Fort Worth in April, 2012.
One phrase that some Texans tend to mis-use is "Don't mess with Texas." There are those who think it means "Texas is tough. Don't mess with us." Actually, it's an anti-littering slogan. "Don't mess with Texas" means don't litter.
Horses are highly valued in Texas. Two breed associations have their headquarters in Texas. The American Paint Horse headquarters are in Fort Worth and the American Quarter Horse headquarters are in Amarillo. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has more more horses per capita than any similarly sized region in the rest of the U.S. - possibly even the world.
I love Texas cooking (both the food and the song "Texas Cookin'" on George Strait's It Just Comes Natural CD). I had two of the must-eat foods while in Fort Worth - steak and barbecue -but missed out on eating the third - Mexican. Something to save for my next visit to Texas. I bought a Texas Cook Book while I was there and have made some of the recipes. One Texas "delicacy" I have no plans of ever trying is Calf Fries. They're made from what's left over after a bull becomes a steer. . .
The only state larger than Texas is Alaska. The King Ranch in South Texas is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The distance from Beaumont to El Paso is 742 miles. The distance from Beaumont to Tallahassee, FL is 642 miles. El Paso is closer to Las Vegas, NV than it is to Beaumont.
I saw evidence with my own eyes that things are bigger in Texas. The Barnes & Noble store in downtown Fort Worth has a two-story replica of a Frederic Remington sculpture.
According to one online Cowboy Church directory, out of 850 Cowboy Churches in the U.S., 341 are in Texas.
Texas - It's like a WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY. And it's one well worth visiting - or moving to.
Spain: 1519-1685; 1690-1821
France: 1685-1690
Mexico: 1821-1836
The Republic of Texas: 1836-1845
The United States of America: 1845-1861; 1865-present
The Confederated Sates of America: 1861-1865
The flag of the Republic of Texas is now the state flag.
Texas joined the United States by treaty, not annexation. Among the things allowed by the treaty is that the Texas flag can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag and Texas has the right to divide into five states.
Texas will most likely never use the second right listed above, but I read once that if the U.S. was a high school, Texas would be voted "Most Likely to Secede."
The tourist slogan for Texas is "Texas - It's like a WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY." When I told one of my doctors that I was trying to learn to speak Texan, he told me he thought that would be harder than trying to learn Japanese. Of course, Texas is so big there isn't just one accent. There are two: the East Texas Drawl and the West Texas Twang. Interstate 35 is the rough dividing line between the two.
Here's a sample of a Texas conversation:
"You wanna Coke?
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"Dr Pepper."
Here's a postcard I bought when I was in Fort Worth in April, 2012.
One phrase that some Texans tend to mis-use is "Don't mess with Texas." There are those who think it means "Texas is tough. Don't mess with us." Actually, it's an anti-littering slogan. "Don't mess with Texas" means don't litter.
Horses are highly valued in Texas. Two breed associations have their headquarters in Texas. The American Paint Horse headquarters are in Fort Worth and the American Quarter Horse headquarters are in Amarillo. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has more more horses per capita than any similarly sized region in the rest of the U.S. - possibly even the world.
I love Texas cooking (both the food and the song "Texas Cookin'" on George Strait's It Just Comes Natural CD). I had two of the must-eat foods while in Fort Worth - steak and barbecue -but missed out on eating the third - Mexican. Something to save for my next visit to Texas. I bought a Texas Cook Book while I was there and have made some of the recipes. One Texas "delicacy" I have no plans of ever trying is Calf Fries. They're made from what's left over after a bull becomes a steer. . .
The only state larger than Texas is Alaska. The King Ranch in South Texas is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The distance from Beaumont to El Paso is 742 miles. The distance from Beaumont to Tallahassee, FL is 642 miles. El Paso is closer to Las Vegas, NV than it is to Beaumont.
I saw evidence with my own eyes that things are bigger in Texas. The Barnes & Noble store in downtown Fort Worth has a two-story replica of a Frederic Remington sculpture.
According to one online Cowboy Church directory, out of 850 Cowboy Churches in the U.S., 341 are in Texas.
Texas - It's like a WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY. And it's one well worth visiting - or moving to.
Monday, June 17, 2013
The Master Of The Method
Clinton Anderson is an Australian horse clinician. He was a successful clinician in Australia, thanks to his mentors, Gordon McKinlay and Ian Francis. When he was twenty-one, he came to the U.S. and was mentored by Sam Smith and Al Dunning. He moved back to Australia, although his ultimate goal was to live and work in the U.S.
When he did move to the U.S., the reputation he had established in his home country didn't follow him. He had to start all over. Among his early accomplishments were getting his TV show, Downunder Horsemanship, on RFD-TV and winning the colt-starting championship now known as Road To The Horse in 2003 and in 2005. Another of his dreams came true on February 21, 2006 when he became a U.S. citizen. His Downunder Horsemanship Ranch is now located in Stephenville, TX.
He used to do horse shows, but now only makes appearances at his WalkAbout Tours. He visits cities throughout the United States and has a two-day show. He works with local problem horses to demonstrate how his Method can work for any horse. It's two days jam-packed with useful information that any horse owner - or even potential horse owner - will find useful.
The Method has three levels - Fundamental, Intermediate and Advanced. The kits come with DVDs showing how to do all the exercises and Arena Mates that can be taken to the barn and used there. Clinton urges horse owners - and he says this over and over again - to start with groundwork before you even think about saddling up and riding. If a horse doesn't respect you on the ground, he's not going to respect you under saddle. He also stresses safety over and over - don't take risks that could cause serious injury or, in the extreme, death. He emphasizes that the safety of the owner is more important than the horse. He has also has advanced kits for dealing with newborn foals and colt starting.
He writes columns for three magazines: Horse & Rider; Horse Illustrated and Young Rider. I haven't read Young Rider, but I have subscriptions to Horse & Rider and Horse Illustrated.
Clinton came to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for a WalkAbout Tour in June, 2011. The tickets were more than I could afford, but one day in the mail I received two free tickets for it. I can only guess that was because of my subscription to Horse & Rider. He was actually wandering around outside the Coliseum on Saturday morning before the event started and so I had the opportunity to have him autograph the WalkAbout Tour 2011 Program. I was amazed watching him, especially his demonstrations with his horse Diez.
After riding Diez, the horse laid down on the Coliseum floor and Clinton laid down on top of him. Clinton got up and told Diez to get up. Diez raised his head, but he didn't get up, no many how times Clinton asked him to. Finally Clinton asked Diez if he could at least sit up. Diez sat up the way a dog would. Amazing!
Clinton had a special deal on memberships in his No Worries Club that weekend - a $50 discount on annual memberships. Even though I wasn't a horse owner (and am not a horse owner), the benefits were too good to pass up. I was able to receive a retroactive member's discount on the merchandise I had bought earlier in the day and I was able to attend a members' only Q&A session with Clinton on Sunday morning. I still use my No Worries Club mousepad. I'm not a current member, but hope to be one again in the future.
Saturday evening, Clinton and Diez posed for photos - and they stayed for photos as long as there were people in line.
When he did move to the U.S., the reputation he had established in his home country didn't follow him. He had to start all over. Among his early accomplishments were getting his TV show, Downunder Horsemanship, on RFD-TV and winning the colt-starting championship now known as Road To The Horse in 2003 and in 2005. Another of his dreams came true on February 21, 2006 when he became a U.S. citizen. His Downunder Horsemanship Ranch is now located in Stephenville, TX.
He used to do horse shows, but now only makes appearances at his WalkAbout Tours. He visits cities throughout the United States and has a two-day show. He works with local problem horses to demonstrate how his Method can work for any horse. It's two days jam-packed with useful information that any horse owner - or even potential horse owner - will find useful.
The Method has three levels - Fundamental, Intermediate and Advanced. The kits come with DVDs showing how to do all the exercises and Arena Mates that can be taken to the barn and used there. Clinton urges horse owners - and he says this over and over again - to start with groundwork before you even think about saddling up and riding. If a horse doesn't respect you on the ground, he's not going to respect you under saddle. He also stresses safety over and over - don't take risks that could cause serious injury or, in the extreme, death. He emphasizes that the safety of the owner is more important than the horse. He has also has advanced kits for dealing with newborn foals and colt starting.
He writes columns for three magazines: Horse & Rider; Horse Illustrated and Young Rider. I haven't read Young Rider, but I have subscriptions to Horse & Rider and Horse Illustrated.
Clinton came to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for a WalkAbout Tour in June, 2011. The tickets were more than I could afford, but one day in the mail I received two free tickets for it. I can only guess that was because of my subscription to Horse & Rider. He was actually wandering around outside the Coliseum on Saturday morning before the event started and so I had the opportunity to have him autograph the WalkAbout Tour 2011 Program. I was amazed watching him, especially his demonstrations with his horse Diez.
After riding Diez, the horse laid down on the Coliseum floor and Clinton laid down on top of him. Clinton got up and told Diez to get up. Diez raised his head, but he didn't get up, no many how times Clinton asked him to. Finally Clinton asked Diez if he could at least sit up. Diez sat up the way a dog would. Amazing!
Clinton had a special deal on memberships in his No Worries Club that weekend - a $50 discount on annual memberships. Even though I wasn't a horse owner (and am not a horse owner), the benefits were too good to pass up. I was able to receive a retroactive member's discount on the merchandise I had bought earlier in the day and I was able to attend a members' only Q&A session with Clinton on Sunday morning. I still use my No Worries Club mousepad. I'm not a current member, but hope to be one again in the future.
Saturday evening, Clinton and Diez posed for photos - and they stayed for photos as long as there were people in line.
As with the photos, when it was time for autographs, he stayed until everyone who wanted an autograph had one. He didn't push people through the line; he took time to answer any questions and pose for photos. I had him autograph my copy of his book "Lessons Well Learned: Why My Method Work For Any Horse." I had him autograph a photo of him with one of his reining horses, Sparkles.
Sunday, Clinton did a demonstration with a horse who had problems being loaded in a trailer. It took a long time, but by the end of the demonstration, the horse didn't want to get out of the trailer!
He offers Method clinics at the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch in Stephenville, TX on a regular basis. The clinics offer the chance to learn directly from Clinton and his certified clinicians. If the day ever comes - even though it seems unlikely - that I own a horse, I'd definitely find a way to attend one of his clinics.
Because there are more people who want to learn his Method than he can handle alone, he's started training clinicians who are able to teach the Method the way he would - minus the Aussie accent! He's so confident in his Clinician Academy graduates that he offers a money-back guarantee on their services.
I have enormous respect for Clinton Anderson and am glad I had the chance to be part of his No Worries Club, even if it was only for a year.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day
If stallions were to receive Father's Day cards, it would cause an overload for the mail delivery system. Stallions can father many foals in a year's time and can have years of stud service. For example, during the years he stood at stud (1973-1989), Secretariat sired over six hundred foals. Since the Jockey Club (the Thoroughbred Horse registry) only allows live cover, no mare since his death will ever have a foal sired by Secretariat.
Every year at the Minnesota Horse Expo, there are stallion presentations. The owners show off their stallions and the spectators are informed as to what traits the studs are likely to pass on to their foals. Often reduced breeding fees are offered to those who buy breeding rights at the Expo. I remember one stallion about whom it was said that no matter what color the mare was, because of his genes, all his offspring would have his coloring.
When it comes the American Quarter Horse, Western Horseman has done an entire series about notable stallions and mares and their offspring. I still see the names of those famous horses listed in the lineage of horses today.
Usually a horse's parentage will be listed as "by (insert stallion's name here) out of (insert mare's name here)." While the stallion is given credit first, the mare does add to the mix. However, since I'm writing this on Father's Day 2013, I won't talk much about mares in this entry.
Two methods of breeding are:
1) Live cover, where the stallion and mare breed normally, whether in a breeding stall or out in the field on their own.
2) Artificial insemination, as known as A.I., where sperm from the stallion is inserted in the mare by a veterinarian or other specialist.
(There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods, which are beyond the scope of this entry.) Most breed registries will allow A.I., the notable exception being the Jockey Club.
Now that I think about it, since domesticated stallions aren't involved with the mares or foals after the mare is pregnant, stallions probably wouldn't receive Father's Day cards after all. . .
Every year at the Minnesota Horse Expo, there are stallion presentations. The owners show off their stallions and the spectators are informed as to what traits the studs are likely to pass on to their foals. Often reduced breeding fees are offered to those who buy breeding rights at the Expo. I remember one stallion about whom it was said that no matter what color the mare was, because of his genes, all his offspring would have his coloring.
When it comes the American Quarter Horse, Western Horseman has done an entire series about notable stallions and mares and their offspring. I still see the names of those famous horses listed in the lineage of horses today.
Usually a horse's parentage will be listed as "by (insert stallion's name here) out of (insert mare's name here)." While the stallion is given credit first, the mare does add to the mix. However, since I'm writing this on Father's Day 2013, I won't talk much about mares in this entry.
Two methods of breeding are:
1) Live cover, where the stallion and mare breed normally, whether in a breeding stall or out in the field on their own.
2) Artificial insemination, as known as A.I., where sperm from the stallion is inserted in the mare by a veterinarian or other specialist.
(There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods, which are beyond the scope of this entry.) Most breed registries will allow A.I., the notable exception being the Jockey Club.
Now that I think about it, since domesticated stallions aren't involved with the mares or foals after the mare is pregnant, stallions probably wouldn't receive Father's Day cards after all. . .
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Cowboy Poetry
The terms "cowboy poetry", "cowboy poems", and "cowboy poets" may sound strange to some people. For me, they were intriguing terms that I wanted to explore. I see frequent references to and articles about them and cowboy poetry gatherings in magazines like Western Horseman, American Cowboy and Cowboys And Indians.
According to the Western Folklife Center Archive, "It [is] a jazz of Irish storytelling, Scottish seafaring and cattle tending, Moorish and Spanish horsemanship, European cavalry traditions, African improvisation, and Native American experience, if also oppression. . . . the songs and poems of the American cowboy are part of that old tradition of balladry."
It's a way of telling stories about the west using poetic devices. Not just stories about the past; cowboy poetry also tells stories about the life of a cowboy in the present day. Here's a sample of cowboy poetry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCzeNlEfvVU Cowboy poetry is believed to have started in Civil War days. Cowboys created poems while on the lonely trail of herding cattle.
Cowboy poetry gatherings are held throughout the western states, including Arizona, Texas, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska and Colorado. The biggest is the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV. This is a week-long event held at the end of January every year. It started as a free gathering for cowboys and their families. It's now blossomed into a ticketed event. Working cowboys can receive free tickets.
I've never attended a cowboy poetry gathering, although they sound intriguing. I'd like to try one of the smaller ones before braving the crowds at the National Cowboy Gathering in Elko.
Not knowing much about the life of a working cowboy - other than that it's hard work - at this point I wouldn't even attempt to write cowboy poetry. I have written haiku about horses, though. Here are some I wrote a couple of years ago:
Horse and rider race
Quickly around three barrels
New rodeo queen
Wild mustangs run free
Untamed by any man's hand
Freedom's champions
Cowboy rides wild bronc
He's tough enough to wear pink
Riding for the cure
I would like to try writing about cowboys, cowgirls and horses using iambic pentameter. Maybe a sonnet about a cowboy, a cowgirl and their horses?
I'm looking forward someday to hearing cowboy poetry written and performed by working cowboys and cowgirls.
According to the Western Folklife Center Archive, "It [is] a jazz of Irish storytelling, Scottish seafaring and cattle tending, Moorish and Spanish horsemanship, European cavalry traditions, African improvisation, and Native American experience, if also oppression. . . . the songs and poems of the American cowboy are part of that old tradition of balladry."
It's a way of telling stories about the west using poetic devices. Not just stories about the past; cowboy poetry also tells stories about the life of a cowboy in the present day. Here's a sample of cowboy poetry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCzeNlEfvVU Cowboy poetry is believed to have started in Civil War days. Cowboys created poems while on the lonely trail of herding cattle.
Cowboy poetry gatherings are held throughout the western states, including Arizona, Texas, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska and Colorado. The biggest is the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV. This is a week-long event held at the end of January every year. It started as a free gathering for cowboys and their families. It's now blossomed into a ticketed event. Working cowboys can receive free tickets.
I've never attended a cowboy poetry gathering, although they sound intriguing. I'd like to try one of the smaller ones before braving the crowds at the National Cowboy Gathering in Elko.
Not knowing much about the life of a working cowboy - other than that it's hard work - at this point I wouldn't even attempt to write cowboy poetry. I have written haiku about horses, though. Here are some I wrote a couple of years ago:
Horse and rider race
Quickly around three barrels
New rodeo queen
Wild mustangs run free
Untamed by any man's hand
Freedom's champions
Cowboy rides wild bronc
He's tough enough to wear pink
Riding for the cure
I would like to try writing about cowboys, cowgirls and horses using iambic pentameter. Maybe a sonnet about a cowboy, a cowgirl and their horses?
I'm looking forward someday to hearing cowboy poetry written and performed by working cowboys and cowgirls.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Girl Meets Cowboy
Two country songs, Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy, a duet recorded by Chris LeDoux and Garth Brooks, and I Want A Cowboy, recorded by Reba McEntyre, present two different versions of what happens when girl meets cowboy.
I Want A Cowboy comes from the viewpoint of a woman who's sick of sweet-talking city boys too handsome for their own good. What she wants is a hard-working, down home cowboy. The picture painted is of a man who gets up with the sun, works hard all day and wears Wranglers and a Stetson. In short, the stereotypical classic cowboy.
Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy comes from the viewpoint of a cowboy who's been picked up by a city woman who's never dealt with a real cowboy before. It paints a much grittier picture. He wants to hang around instead of being a one-night stand. His buddies will come to drink beer and mess up her couch. She can't hide him from her friends or put him away in shoebox like can be done with Mattel's Ken doll.
Even though I've never dated a cowboy, I think the truth lies somewhere between these two extremes. Whether he's a working cowboy (e.g., a ranch owner or manager or a cowboy who works either on one ranch or moves from ranch to ranch) or a rodeo cowboy, I do think he works hard. No matter where he lives, things out of his control affect his livelihood. A drought makes it difficult to find water and feed for his livestock. Too much rain can result in flooding which can also make it difficult to care for his livestock.
Not all cowboys are heavy drinkers or partiers. There are some cowboys who are cowboys of faith and not ashamed to say so. Some of the biggest names in Pro Rodeo proudly proclaim their dependence on Christ. (There are groups that have the mission of sharing Jesus Christ with cowboys and cowgirls, but that's a topic for another entry.)
I'm not sure if I want a cowboy or not. There's a site called Date A Cowboy. I actually did start creating a profile, but haven't finished it yet. If I do, I'll keep in mind the images from both I Want A Cowboy and Whatcha Gonna Do A With Cowboy. Maybe the day will come when this cowgirl at heart meets her own cowboy of faith, whether it's through an online dating service or meeting one on my own.
I Want A Cowboy comes from the viewpoint of a woman who's sick of sweet-talking city boys too handsome for their own good. What she wants is a hard-working, down home cowboy. The picture painted is of a man who gets up with the sun, works hard all day and wears Wranglers and a Stetson. In short, the stereotypical classic cowboy.
Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy comes from the viewpoint of a cowboy who's been picked up by a city woman who's never dealt with a real cowboy before. It paints a much grittier picture. He wants to hang around instead of being a one-night stand. His buddies will come to drink beer and mess up her couch. She can't hide him from her friends or put him away in shoebox like can be done with Mattel's Ken doll.
Even though I've never dated a cowboy, I think the truth lies somewhere between these two extremes. Whether he's a working cowboy (e.g., a ranch owner or manager or a cowboy who works either on one ranch or moves from ranch to ranch) or a rodeo cowboy, I do think he works hard. No matter where he lives, things out of his control affect his livelihood. A drought makes it difficult to find water and feed for his livestock. Too much rain can result in flooding which can also make it difficult to care for his livestock.
Not all cowboys are heavy drinkers or partiers. There are some cowboys who are cowboys of faith and not ashamed to say so. Some of the biggest names in Pro Rodeo proudly proclaim their dependence on Christ. (There are groups that have the mission of sharing Jesus Christ with cowboys and cowgirls, but that's a topic for another entry.)
I'm not sure if I want a cowboy or not. There's a site called Date A Cowboy. I actually did start creating a profile, but haven't finished it yet. If I do, I'll keep in mind the images from both I Want A Cowboy and Whatcha Gonna Do A With Cowboy. Maybe the day will come when this cowgirl at heart meets her own cowboy of faith, whether it's through an online dating service or meeting one on my own.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Too Old?
I sometimes wonder if I'm too old to learn how to ride a horse. A lot of women my age who are riding horses either have been riding for years or had ridden when they were younger and have started riding again. But are there women my age who are only just now learning how to ride?
I started with an Internet search. From that I discovered that there are women my age and even older who just started learning to ride. One article noted the health benefits that come from learning to ride at an older age. Among the things that can improve by learning to ride: weight loss (it's not just the horse who works physically during a ride!); emotional health (the old "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man" as well as the fact that horses are often used in therapy); and improved balance (you need to have a good sense of balance to stay on a horse!).
On the other hand, there are disadvantages as well. The ground can seem harder and farther away for older riders. Stiff joints can be more noticeable for older riders. Normal aches and pains can feel more intense if too much time has been spent in the saddle too soon.
Safety precautions are needed for everyone who rides, no matter how old they are. First is an ASTM/SEI approved helmet. It needs to fit properly or it's useless. Both Tipperary Equestrian (phoenixperformance.com) and Troxel Helmets (troxelhelmets.com) provide sizing charts. Second is appropriate footwear. Leave the tennis shoes at home. They can slip through the stirrups, which can lead to injury. Boots are needed to ride safely. A third item - which I only learned about recently - is a safety vest. Safety vests are rated by ASTM (the same one that approves helmets). Vests imported from Europe are rated by BETA and/or CEN. As with the helmet, if you go with a safety vest, be sure it's approved by one of those organizations. The helmet and boots are must-haves; the safety vest is a good idea, but might be harder to find - and definitely more expensive.
After the helmet, boots and vest, the next thing to find is the right instructor. I'd want someone who is experienced with working with adult beginners. I want an instructor who assumes I know nothing. Better to know more than the instructor thinks I know than to know less than the instructor thinks I know!
I'm not ready to take lessons yet, but it's comforting to know that women much older than me are learning to ride horses for the first time. Once most of my ducks (at least the most important ones) are in a row, I'll start looking seriously into taking riding lessons.
I started with an Internet search. From that I discovered that there are women my age and even older who just started learning to ride. One article noted the health benefits that come from learning to ride at an older age. Among the things that can improve by learning to ride: weight loss (it's not just the horse who works physically during a ride!); emotional health (the old "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man" as well as the fact that horses are often used in therapy); and improved balance (you need to have a good sense of balance to stay on a horse!).
On the other hand, there are disadvantages as well. The ground can seem harder and farther away for older riders. Stiff joints can be more noticeable for older riders. Normal aches and pains can feel more intense if too much time has been spent in the saddle too soon.
Safety precautions are needed for everyone who rides, no matter how old they are. First is an ASTM/SEI approved helmet. It needs to fit properly or it's useless. Both Tipperary Equestrian (phoenixperformance.com) and Troxel Helmets (troxelhelmets.com) provide sizing charts. Second is appropriate footwear. Leave the tennis shoes at home. They can slip through the stirrups, which can lead to injury. Boots are needed to ride safely. A third item - which I only learned about recently - is a safety vest. Safety vests are rated by ASTM (the same one that approves helmets). Vests imported from Europe are rated by BETA and/or CEN. As with the helmet, if you go with a safety vest, be sure it's approved by one of those organizations. The helmet and boots are must-haves; the safety vest is a good idea, but might be harder to find - and definitely more expensive.
After the helmet, boots and vest, the next thing to find is the right instructor. I'd want someone who is experienced with working with adult beginners. I want an instructor who assumes I know nothing. Better to know more than the instructor thinks I know than to know less than the instructor thinks I know!
I'm not ready to take lessons yet, but it's comforting to know that women much older than me are learning to ride horses for the first time. Once most of my ducks (at least the most important ones) are in a row, I'll start looking seriously into taking riding lessons.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Triple Crown
I think most people, when they hear the words "The Triple Crown" think of three horse races: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Those races comprise the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Other countries have their own Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing. Those countries include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Canada, Turkey and Japan.
When it comes to the U.S. Triple Crown, it has been thirty-five years (1978, Affirmed) since there was been a Triple Crown winner. The longest gap prior to that was twenty-five years. Citation won in 1948 and it wasn't until 1973 that Secretariat won. A total of eleven horses so far have won the elusive Triple Crown. There have been twenty-two horses who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but not the Belmont Stakes. The most recent was I'll Have Another in 2012. Due to an injury, he did not run in the Belmont Stakes. There were twenty-four other near misses, who won either the Kentucky Derby/Belmont Stakes or the Preakness Stakes/Belmont Stakes but did not win the third. One of the horses in this group is Man O'War in 1920. He won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes but did not run in the Kentucky Derby. He and Secretariat both had the nickname "Big Red." The debate about which of these two horses was the greatest racehorse of all time will likely never end.
The following countries have Triple Crown races just for fillies: the U.S., Japan, Ecuador and Venezuela. In the U.S., fillies have run in the regular Triple Crown races. While a filly has yet to win the U.S. Triple Crown, as of 2009, the following fillies have won one Triple Crown race: 1867, Ruthess - the Belmont Stakes; 1903, Flocarline - the Preakness Stakes; 1905, Tanya - the Belmont Stakes; 1906, Whimsical - the Preakness Stakes; 1915, Regret - the Kentucky Derby; 1915, Rhine Maiden, the Preakness Stakes; 1924, Nellie Morse - the Preakness Stakes; 1980, Genuine Risk - the Kentucky Derby; 1988, Winning Colors - the Kentucky Derby and 2007, Rags to Riches - the Belmont Stakes.
Even though a filly has never won the U.S. Triple Crown - and no horse has won the U.S. Triple Crown since 1978 - I would love to see another U.S. Triple Crown winner and I would love even more to see that horse be a filly.
I have a sudden urge to watch Secretariat this weekend. . .
When it comes to the U.S. Triple Crown, it has been thirty-five years (1978, Affirmed) since there was been a Triple Crown winner. The longest gap prior to that was twenty-five years. Citation won in 1948 and it wasn't until 1973 that Secretariat won. A total of eleven horses so far have won the elusive Triple Crown. There have been twenty-two horses who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but not the Belmont Stakes. The most recent was I'll Have Another in 2012. Due to an injury, he did not run in the Belmont Stakes. There were twenty-four other near misses, who won either the Kentucky Derby/Belmont Stakes or the Preakness Stakes/Belmont Stakes but did not win the third. One of the horses in this group is Man O'War in 1920. He won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes but did not run in the Kentucky Derby. He and Secretariat both had the nickname "Big Red." The debate about which of these two horses was the greatest racehorse of all time will likely never end.
The following countries have Triple Crown races just for fillies: the U.S., Japan, Ecuador and Venezuela. In the U.S., fillies have run in the regular Triple Crown races. While a filly has yet to win the U.S. Triple Crown, as of 2009, the following fillies have won one Triple Crown race: 1867, Ruthess - the Belmont Stakes; 1903, Flocarline - the Preakness Stakes; 1905, Tanya - the Belmont Stakes; 1906, Whimsical - the Preakness Stakes; 1915, Regret - the Kentucky Derby; 1915, Rhine Maiden, the Preakness Stakes; 1924, Nellie Morse - the Preakness Stakes; 1980, Genuine Risk - the Kentucky Derby; 1988, Winning Colors - the Kentucky Derby and 2007, Rags to Riches - the Belmont Stakes.
Even though a filly has never won the U.S. Triple Crown - and no horse has won the U.S. Triple Crown since 1978 - I would love to see another U.S. Triple Crown winner and I would love even more to see that horse be a filly.
I have a sudden urge to watch Secretariat this weekend. . .
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Then And Now
When I was a little girl, there was a wonderful store in Minneapolis called Berman Buckskin. I don't remember that much about it now, but I loved going there with my family. That was where we bought Breyer model horses.
Here are some highlights (from a January 19, 2008 story found at www.startribune.com):
1899: Berman Brothers Fur, Wool and Hides is founded by brothers David, Ephraim and Alexander Berman.
1946: Wearing fur is unpopular after World War II, and the store is reinvented as Berman Buckskin, with fringed deerskin jackets and Indian motifs marketed to tourists.
1979: W.R. Grace & Co. acquires Berman Brothers. Lyle Berman (grandson of David) becomes president.
1988: The 163-store chain is sold to CVS New York Inc., (previously Melville Corp.) for $220 million. Melville merges Berman with its Wilsons House of Suede, forming Wilsons the Leather Experts Inc., the name that exists today.
The building was built in 1895 and demolished in 1994. The Federal Reserve Bank now sits on the location of the Berman Buckskin store. It's sad that neither the company nor the building exist today.
The main thing I remember buying there - Breyer model horses - has changed since then. Breyer horses are still being made and produced. Every July, there's a BreyerFest held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Many famous horses and riders show up to meet fans and the riders will autograph models of their horses.
But when I compare the horses I had as a little girl (or others from the same time period) to the ones being made now, there seems to be something lacking. The older ones seem to have been made with more attention and care. The newer ones don't seem to have the same quality. They feel more like they were made on an assembly line. It could just be that the older ones are a connection to my childhood. I will admit, though, that there are two newer horses I would love to own someday: 1) Adam Cartwright's horse from Bonanza and 2) the newest Gypsy Vanner Horse model.
On the other hand, since I have old and new Breyer model horses side by side on some shelves, it's not necessarily a case of my memory cheating. I'm not saying the new models are bad or that people shouldn't buy them; it's just my opinion that the older models are better.Other fans of Breyer model horses are free to disagree with me. I won't hold it against anyone who thinks the newer models are better and I hope none of those people will hold it against me for thinking the older models are better.
If I had a time machine, I'd go back one more time to visit Berman Buckskin in downtown Minneapolis and experience once more a store I loved as a little girl. . .
Monday, June 10, 2013
And They Call The Thing A Rodeo
Rodeo is a sport that is unique. Several of the events - the bronc riding and roping events - come from skills needed by working cowboys.
Before the advent of natural horsemanship, saddle bronc riding was how cowboys broke wild horses. They'd get on a wild horse and ride it until it stopped bucking. In modern rodeo, the cowboy only needs to stay on the horse for eight seconds. Points are earned by "marking out" - touching both heels above the horse's shoulders. There are rules cowboys need to follow, in both bareback and saddle bronc riding: the horse needs to be held on to with only one hand. Illegal contact results in no score. Half the points come from the animal. It's not just a matter of staying for eight seconds; the style shown by both cowboy and horse is where the points come from. As the song Amarillo By Morning (recorded by both Chris LeDoux and George Strait) puts it, "I'll be lookin' for eight when they pull that gate, and I hope that judge ain't blind."
The roping events are the skills a working cowboy uses to round up cattle when they need to be vaccinated or when they're ill and need to be doctored or when a mama cow and her calf are lost and need to be brought back to the ranch. Those skills are also needed when calves need to be branded or need to be changed from bulls to steers. Team roping involves a header and a heeler taking off after a steer. The header ropes the horns (or the entire head), then turns it so the heeler can rope both hind legs. Mess up either catch and it's no score. Tie down roping involves roping a calf, tying any three legs together - and being sure it holds still for six seconds. If the calf breaks away before then, it's no score.
Barrel racing was originally used to give girls and women something to do at a rodeo besides cheer the cowboys on. It started with using either a figure-eight pattern or a cloverleaf pattern around the barrels. Eventually the figure-eight pattern was dropped in favor of the more difficult cloverleaf pattern. This event is a timed event, with the winner often determined by tenths of a second. Knocking down a barrel adds a five-second penalty to the time.
Steer wrestling (also known as bulldogging) wasn't part of a working cowboy's life. The first man to wrestle a steer was Bill Picket, a black cowboy from Texas. He was a Wild West Show performer who wrestled a runaway steer. In modern rodeo, the cowboy leaps from his horse and wrestles the steer to the ground. A dangerous event, but not as dangerous as bronc riding or bull riding.
Bull riding is one rodeo event that, like steer wrestling, wasn't part of a working cowboy's life. There are any number of theories as to how it started. Maybe one cowboy bet another cowboy that he couldn't ride a bull. Or maybe one cowboy dared a friend to try riding a bull. Or maybe some drunken cowboys decided to see what would happen if they tried riding bulls. Bullfighters are the men who distract the bull after a cowboy either makes his eight-second ride and gets off the bull on his own or is bucked off by the bull. They have been called angels for cowboys.
There are some things that set rodeo apart from other sports. One is the way competitors are willing to help each other. The airline lost your luggage with your gear in it? No problem, you can borrow mine. Your gear broke? No problem, you can borrow mine. They'll tell their competitors what to expect from a certain horse or bull. Rodeo often seems like a big extended family.
Another difference is that there are no million sports team owners. The rodeo committees are staffed either entirely or mostly by volunteers. Men and women who love the sport enough to put in time with no pay.
A third difference is that the cowboys and cowgirls pay to compete in rodeo. They only get paid if they finish high enough in the ranks. The money pro rodeo cowboys make can look impressive, but keep in mind that they have expensive horses to keep in top condition and they need to pay for travel expenses to go from rodeo to rodeo. Granted, the best will have sponsors, but that doesn't offset the cost they had to pay on the way to becoming top competitors.
I tip my cowgirl hat to all the men and women who compete in rodeo.
Before the advent of natural horsemanship, saddle bronc riding was how cowboys broke wild horses. They'd get on a wild horse and ride it until it stopped bucking. In modern rodeo, the cowboy only needs to stay on the horse for eight seconds. Points are earned by "marking out" - touching both heels above the horse's shoulders. There are rules cowboys need to follow, in both bareback and saddle bronc riding: the horse needs to be held on to with only one hand. Illegal contact results in no score. Half the points come from the animal. It's not just a matter of staying for eight seconds; the style shown by both cowboy and horse is where the points come from. As the song Amarillo By Morning (recorded by both Chris LeDoux and George Strait) puts it, "I'll be lookin' for eight when they pull that gate, and I hope that judge ain't blind."
The roping events are the skills a working cowboy uses to round up cattle when they need to be vaccinated or when they're ill and need to be doctored or when a mama cow and her calf are lost and need to be brought back to the ranch. Those skills are also needed when calves need to be branded or need to be changed from bulls to steers. Team roping involves a header and a heeler taking off after a steer. The header ropes the horns (or the entire head), then turns it so the heeler can rope both hind legs. Mess up either catch and it's no score. Tie down roping involves roping a calf, tying any three legs together - and being sure it holds still for six seconds. If the calf breaks away before then, it's no score.
Barrel racing was originally used to give girls and women something to do at a rodeo besides cheer the cowboys on. It started with using either a figure-eight pattern or a cloverleaf pattern around the barrels. Eventually the figure-eight pattern was dropped in favor of the more difficult cloverleaf pattern. This event is a timed event, with the winner often determined by tenths of a second. Knocking down a barrel adds a five-second penalty to the time.
Steer wrestling (also known as bulldogging) wasn't part of a working cowboy's life. The first man to wrestle a steer was Bill Picket, a black cowboy from Texas. He was a Wild West Show performer who wrestled a runaway steer. In modern rodeo, the cowboy leaps from his horse and wrestles the steer to the ground. A dangerous event, but not as dangerous as bronc riding or bull riding.
Bull riding is one rodeo event that, like steer wrestling, wasn't part of a working cowboy's life. There are any number of theories as to how it started. Maybe one cowboy bet another cowboy that he couldn't ride a bull. Or maybe one cowboy dared a friend to try riding a bull. Or maybe some drunken cowboys decided to see what would happen if they tried riding bulls. Bullfighters are the men who distract the bull after a cowboy either makes his eight-second ride and gets off the bull on his own or is bucked off by the bull. They have been called angels for cowboys.
There are some things that set rodeo apart from other sports. One is the way competitors are willing to help each other. The airline lost your luggage with your gear in it? No problem, you can borrow mine. Your gear broke? No problem, you can borrow mine. They'll tell their competitors what to expect from a certain horse or bull. Rodeo often seems like a big extended family.
Another difference is that there are no million sports team owners. The rodeo committees are staffed either entirely or mostly by volunteers. Men and women who love the sport enough to put in time with no pay.
A third difference is that the cowboys and cowgirls pay to compete in rodeo. They only get paid if they finish high enough in the ranks. The money pro rodeo cowboys make can look impressive, but keep in mind that they have expensive horses to keep in top condition and they need to pay for travel expenses to go from rodeo to rodeo. Granted, the best will have sponsors, but that doesn't offset the cost they had to pay on the way to becoming top competitors.
I tip my cowgirl hat to all the men and women who compete in rodeo.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
The Cowboy And His Horse - A Dying Tradition?
There are those who believe the day of cowboys and horses is over. Some say trucks are more efficient than horses. Have the cowboy and his horse ridden off into the sunset? Are horses now just for rodeos, shows and trail rides?
I won't talk about the Amish in this post, even though they use horses for everything, other than to say that before Clinton Anderson moved to Texas, he lived in Ohio. When his horse acted up, he'd threaten to give him to the Amish - then the horse would learn what work really meant!
For the modern cowboy, is his trusty steed no longer needed? Can't he just hop in his truck and get to his cattle that way? Isn't a truck faster and more efficient than a horse? A truck won't spook or balk at going down the round. A truck doesn't know how to say no. Doesn't it make more sense to use something that seems to be more reliable?
The key word in the above paragraph is "seems." A truck doesn't have cow sense. If you've got narrow or rocky terrain, a horse can get into places a truck can't. A horse won't have engine trouble. A horse won't get a flat tire. A horse with cow sense can out-think a cow and maneuver reluctant cattle to where they need to be - whether it's branding, vaccination, turning a bull into a steer or whatever else needs to be done.
For some jobs, a truck is good enough. But when it comes to places it's impossible for a truck to go, only a horse will do.
As long as there are cattle to be worked and cowboys who know the value of a living, thinking partner, the working cowboy and his horse won't be riding off into the sunset just yet.
I won't talk about the Amish in this post, even though they use horses for everything, other than to say that before Clinton Anderson moved to Texas, he lived in Ohio. When his horse acted up, he'd threaten to give him to the Amish - then the horse would learn what work really meant!
For the modern cowboy, is his trusty steed no longer needed? Can't he just hop in his truck and get to his cattle that way? Isn't a truck faster and more efficient than a horse? A truck won't spook or balk at going down the round. A truck doesn't know how to say no. Doesn't it make more sense to use something that seems to be more reliable?
The key word in the above paragraph is "seems." A truck doesn't have cow sense. If you've got narrow or rocky terrain, a horse can get into places a truck can't. A horse won't have engine trouble. A horse won't get a flat tire. A horse with cow sense can out-think a cow and maneuver reluctant cattle to where they need to be - whether it's branding, vaccination, turning a bull into a steer or whatever else needs to be done.
For some jobs, a truck is good enough. But when it comes to places it's impossible for a truck to go, only a horse will do.
As long as there are cattle to be worked and cowboys who know the value of a living, thinking partner, the working cowboy and his horse won't be riding off into the sunset just yet.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
If I Could Change One Thing
This past Thursday and Friday (June 6 and 7, 2013), I walked through Theodore Wirth Park in North Minneapolis twice each day. It's a beautiful location and I had no idea it was so close to where I live. Flowers and trees are everywhere.
Theodore Wirth Parkway has a bike and pedestrian path along one side. At the time of day I was there, there was very little traffic and it was a peaceful walk. The bike riders were polite and many of them smiled as they rode by.
If I had the power to do so (I don't, so this is a "If Wishes Were Horses" post), there is one thing I would change about Theodore Wirth Park. I would take out part of the golf course - the part on the opposite side of Theodore Wirth Parkway from the bike and pedestrian path - and add a riding stable and a horse trail. I'd be sure they were a good distance from the bus stop, though, as the bus headed away from Theodore Wirth Park stops close to that part of the golf course.
I'll admit upfront this is a somewhat selfish wish. It would mean I could get to a riding stable without needing a driver's license, which is something I don't have - yet. It was so easy during my walks to picture horses there for trail rides. To be able to get to a riding stable by bus would be a dream come true for me.
The location would also make it possible for city kids to experience horses up close and personal. Unless they go to the Minnesota State Fair and hang around the horse barn (or go to the various horse shows at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds), city kids don't have a lot of opportunities to be around horses. I agree with whoever said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man."
With easy access to horses, city kids would benefit by learning how to take care of horses, how to earn their respect and how to ride. Imagine a child who's had nothing but trouble in his or her life. A broken family, being picked on at school, an uncertain and insecure future. Now introduce that child to horses. Teach him or her how to earn the horse's respect. Horses are happy to have a leader they can trust. Teach him or her how to groom the horse. Then teach him or her to ride. There's something fulfilling in knowing you can control a 1,000+ pound animal. It felt good when I could get the horses on my trail rides to speed up, slow down, stop or turn when I asked them to. Success in one area of life can translate into success in other areas. Confidence builds confidence. A child who's learned to control a horse - through earning the horse's respect, not through intimidation - may be more able to stand up to that bully at school.
If I had the power to do it, I would definitely add a riding stable and horse trail to Theodore Wirth Park.
Theodore Wirth Parkway has a bike and pedestrian path along one side. At the time of day I was there, there was very little traffic and it was a peaceful walk. The bike riders were polite and many of them smiled as they rode by.
If I had the power to do so (I don't, so this is a "If Wishes Were Horses" post), there is one thing I would change about Theodore Wirth Park. I would take out part of the golf course - the part on the opposite side of Theodore Wirth Parkway from the bike and pedestrian path - and add a riding stable and a horse trail. I'd be sure they were a good distance from the bus stop, though, as the bus headed away from Theodore Wirth Park stops close to that part of the golf course.
I'll admit upfront this is a somewhat selfish wish. It would mean I could get to a riding stable without needing a driver's license, which is something I don't have - yet. It was so easy during my walks to picture horses there for trail rides. To be able to get to a riding stable by bus would be a dream come true for me.
The location would also make it possible for city kids to experience horses up close and personal. Unless they go to the Minnesota State Fair and hang around the horse barn (or go to the various horse shows at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds), city kids don't have a lot of opportunities to be around horses. I agree with whoever said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man."
With easy access to horses, city kids would benefit by learning how to take care of horses, how to earn their respect and how to ride. Imagine a child who's had nothing but trouble in his or her life. A broken family, being picked on at school, an uncertain and insecure future. Now introduce that child to horses. Teach him or her how to earn the horse's respect. Horses are happy to have a leader they can trust. Teach him or her how to groom the horse. Then teach him or her to ride. There's something fulfilling in knowing you can control a 1,000+ pound animal. It felt good when I could get the horses on my trail rides to speed up, slow down, stop or turn when I asked them to. Success in one area of life can translate into success in other areas. Confidence builds confidence. A child who's learned to control a horse - through earning the horse's respect, not through intimidation - may be more able to stand up to that bully at school.
If I had the power to do it, I would definitely add a riding stable and horse trail to Theodore Wirth Park.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Keeping Me Warm At Night
It's true. I have horses keeping me warm at night.
Stuffed horses - ranging from Wells Fargo ponies to Belle's Princess Pony from the Disney Store - take up a good portion of my bed. One of them (marked as surface washable only) survived getting tangled up in my sheets when I washed them. This one has a sound effect when the horse is squeezed of running hooves, whinnying and then snorting. The sound effect mechanism survived the washer and dryer trauma and still works. My stuffed horse collection is complete now. It was fun assembling it, though. I do have two Build-A-Bear Workshop horses, although those two don't reside on my bed.
I have one horse blanket that I rotate in and out of my blanket line up. It's turn is coming up on Sunday. (June 9, 2013) It's actually just a piece of fleece with horses on it. When it was on sale, I bought enough yardage for the right size for a blanket and it has served me well since. I also have a horse throw to keep me warm when watching videos and DVDs. It's not quite big enough to use as a blanket for my bed, but it is the perfect size to keep my lap warm during the Minnesota cold. I bought it at the 4-H tack sale at the Minnesota Horse Expo in 2011.
I'm working on a more ambitious project right now. A couple of years ago, I bought several pre-printed mare and foal quilt blocks. The packages feature two different designs. The directions that came with the packages show what colors of embroidery floss to use for what sections of the images. I decided that wouldn't be any fun. It would be boring to have all the blocks look exactly the same. Squares I have made so far include palomino, paint and unicorn. I'm currently working on a square that will be another palomino, but this time I'm adding the feathers that are characteristic of Gypsy Vanner Horses.
I'm sure I have more squares than I need for the quilt, but I figured it was better to have too many than not enough. The extra squares will become wall-hangings. I have quilt batting I had purchased many years ago, so all I need is the fabric for the backing. Once I'm to that point, I'm planning to buy John Deere fabric. John Deere has a special place in my heart since that was the brand of tractor my Dad drove in his North Dakota farming days. Of course, I've only finished four squares so far, so planning the final assembly is a bit premature at this point.
When the weather gets warm enough, I even have two sets of light weight horse print PJs. So, winter, spring, summer or fall, I have horses to keep to keep me warm at night!
Stuffed horses - ranging from Wells Fargo ponies to Belle's Princess Pony from the Disney Store - take up a good portion of my bed. One of them (marked as surface washable only) survived getting tangled up in my sheets when I washed them. This one has a sound effect when the horse is squeezed of running hooves, whinnying and then snorting. The sound effect mechanism survived the washer and dryer trauma and still works. My stuffed horse collection is complete now. It was fun assembling it, though. I do have two Build-A-Bear Workshop horses, although those two don't reside on my bed.
I have one horse blanket that I rotate in and out of my blanket line up. It's turn is coming up on Sunday. (June 9, 2013) It's actually just a piece of fleece with horses on it. When it was on sale, I bought enough yardage for the right size for a blanket and it has served me well since. I also have a horse throw to keep me warm when watching videos and DVDs. It's not quite big enough to use as a blanket for my bed, but it is the perfect size to keep my lap warm during the Minnesota cold. I bought it at the 4-H tack sale at the Minnesota Horse Expo in 2011.
I'm working on a more ambitious project right now. A couple of years ago, I bought several pre-printed mare and foal quilt blocks. The packages feature two different designs. The directions that came with the packages show what colors of embroidery floss to use for what sections of the images. I decided that wouldn't be any fun. It would be boring to have all the blocks look exactly the same. Squares I have made so far include palomino, paint and unicorn. I'm currently working on a square that will be another palomino, but this time I'm adding the feathers that are characteristic of Gypsy Vanner Horses.
I'm sure I have more squares than I need for the quilt, but I figured it was better to have too many than not enough. The extra squares will become wall-hangings. I have quilt batting I had purchased many years ago, so all I need is the fabric for the backing. Once I'm to that point, I'm planning to buy John Deere fabric. John Deere has a special place in my heart since that was the brand of tractor my Dad drove in his North Dakota farming days. Of course, I've only finished four squares so far, so planning the final assembly is a bit premature at this point.
When the weather gets warm enough, I even have two sets of light weight horse print PJs. So, winter, spring, summer or fall, I have horses to keep to keep me warm at night!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
My Future With Horses
Even though I may never learn to ride a horse and may own one only in my dreams, I do see myself with a future that includes horses.
So if I never learn to ride a horse and don't own one except in my dreams, how can horses be part of my future?
First, there is the wonderful world of horse shows. Other than the Minnesota Horse Expo in late April/early May and the Minnesota Equifest in mid-October, all the horse shows at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds are free to spectators. There are some breed specific shows (American Quarter Horses and Arabian Horses are the most frequent), but most are open to any breed. The only event I haven't seen at any of the horse shows I've attended is dressage. During the stallion demonstrations at the 2012 Minnesota Horse Expo, some of the stallions did perform some dressage moves. (The purpose of the stallion demonstrations is to show what traits the stallions are likely to pass on and to encourage mare owners to sign up for breedings.)
Some shows include both Western and English events. Some are for specific events, such as reining or mounted shooting. (See my June 1, 2013 entry for more about my impressions on being a spectator at a mounted shooting competition.) At a reining event I attended in 2011, it featured some of the best reiners in the world. Three of the four members of the USA Gold Medal-Winning reining team from the 2010 World Equestrian Games competed in the event I attended. The individual Gold Medalist and the man who tied for the individual Silver Medal were competing. The mounted shooting competition included several world champions.
Second, there is the world of horse art, both 2D and 3D. In the world of 2D art, besides learning to draw horses, I have bought horse art prints in the past. I also have a number of posters from Horse Illustrated magazine on my bedroom walls. When it comes to 3D art, most of the horses I have are Breyer model horses. I do have a few horses by other manufacturers. My collection includes an origami horse and a bobbing head horse. My first attempt at horse sculpting turned out badly. It looks vaguely horse-like, but it has no muscle tone. I do plan to try again, though. I have a couple more model horse sculpting kits to practice on. I had stocked up on Super Sculpey clay and wire, so I have plenty of materials for practicing!
Third, there is the world of writing about horses. (See my June 4, 2013 entry for details about that.) Besides my children's books, Horse Illustrated magazine is sponsoring a short story contest for horse-inspired fiction. If I can create a good story before the June 30, 2013 deadline, I'll enter.
Even if I never learn to ride horses, I can still have a future that includes horses.
So if I never learn to ride a horse and don't own one except in my dreams, how can horses be part of my future?
First, there is the wonderful world of horse shows. Other than the Minnesota Horse Expo in late April/early May and the Minnesota Equifest in mid-October, all the horse shows at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds are free to spectators. There are some breed specific shows (American Quarter Horses and Arabian Horses are the most frequent), but most are open to any breed. The only event I haven't seen at any of the horse shows I've attended is dressage. During the stallion demonstrations at the 2012 Minnesota Horse Expo, some of the stallions did perform some dressage moves. (The purpose of the stallion demonstrations is to show what traits the stallions are likely to pass on and to encourage mare owners to sign up for breedings.)
Some shows include both Western and English events. Some are for specific events, such as reining or mounted shooting. (See my June 1, 2013 entry for more about my impressions on being a spectator at a mounted shooting competition.) At a reining event I attended in 2011, it featured some of the best reiners in the world. Three of the four members of the USA Gold Medal-Winning reining team from the 2010 World Equestrian Games competed in the event I attended. The individual Gold Medalist and the man who tied for the individual Silver Medal were competing. The mounted shooting competition included several world champions.
Second, there is the world of horse art, both 2D and 3D. In the world of 2D art, besides learning to draw horses, I have bought horse art prints in the past. I also have a number of posters from Horse Illustrated magazine on my bedroom walls. When it comes to 3D art, most of the horses I have are Breyer model horses. I do have a few horses by other manufacturers. My collection includes an origami horse and a bobbing head horse. My first attempt at horse sculpting turned out badly. It looks vaguely horse-like, but it has no muscle tone. I do plan to try again, though. I have a couple more model horse sculpting kits to practice on. I had stocked up on Super Sculpey clay and wire, so I have plenty of materials for practicing!
Third, there is the world of writing about horses. (See my June 4, 2013 entry for details about that.) Besides my children's books, Horse Illustrated magazine is sponsoring a short story contest for horse-inspired fiction. If I can create a good story before the June 30, 2013 deadline, I'll enter.
Even if I never learn to ride horses, I can still have a future that includes horses.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Second Chances
I bought the movie Second Chances a couple of years ago at LifeWay Books. While there is no overt Christian content in the movie, the themes of forgiveness and second chances are prominent throughout the movie. It's based on a true story, but I haven't been able to track down any details about the true story.
A number of characters are given second chances in the movie, including a horse, two little girls, a former rodeo cowboy and the mother of the main character.
The movie starts with a car accident. The father dies, but the mother survives with minor injuries. Their daughter is thrown from the car and injuries to her leg leave her needing crutches to walk. As we see a young policeman searching the area around the car, his flashlight lands on a large Pokey, Gumby's horse friend. He then finds seriously injured ten-year-old Sunny Matthews.
Sunny is depressed about the loss of her father and can't understand her mother's acceptance of her father's passing. Sunny's mother, Kathleen, doesn't know how to tell her daughter that they have to move. They end up moving into a trailer park behind a horse ranch.
One day Sunny hears the sounds of horses and goes to investigate. She sees a beautiful horse in a paddock. With no one around, she goes into the paddock, not knowing the horse has a reputation for being mean-spirited and violent. Ben Taylor, a former rodeo cowboy and owner of the horse ranch, gets Sunny out of the paddock and lectures her on the danger of entering a paddock containing a horse she doesn't know. He tells her the horse's name is Ginger. Ginger is an American Quarter Horse who had a great career as a barrel racing horse until a leg injury ended her career.
The next day, Sunny returns and once again enters Ginger's paddock. Ben reprimands her again. Sunny replies that she knows Ginger now, so she wasn't disobeying Ben's instructions. Ginger is calm and gentle with Sunny. She notes that Ginger is like her - they both have bad legs.
Sunny's own disposition improves as she draws closer to Ginger and Ben. Meanwhile, her mother is drawing closer to Sunny's doctor, Hugh. She's doesn't mind Sunny's attachment to Ginger, but she's not so sure about Sunny's attachment to Ben.
Another little girl makes fun of Ginger and says she's only good for dog food. Sunny does her best to ignore the other girl's taunts. To complicate matters, the little girl happens to be the granddaughter of Ben's ex-wife.
A kill buyer offers Ben four hundred dollars for Ginger. Sunny counters with an offer of four dollars. Ben tells the kill buyer if he can get Ginger out of her stall, he can buy her. The horse rears and the man can't get near her. Ben makes the same offer to Sunny. She enters Ginger's stall and the horse follows her calmly. When Sunny tells her mother, Kathleen immediately gives Ben a piece of her mind. Ben assures her Sunny can work off the cost of boarding the horse by helping him at the ranch.
Determined to be able to ride Ginger, Sunny puts extra effort into her physical therapy so she will be able to walk again and eventually ride. Ben is determined to help Ginger when he sees Sunny trying to use physical therapy on the horse. Unknown to Sunny, he pays for Ginger's surgery himself. Sunny finds out about it, and is then determined to win the state barrel racing championship so she can give the prize money to Ben to pay for Ginger's surgery.
By the end of the movie, Sunny and Ginger have become a top-notch barrel racing team. Sunny's former antagonist has become her friend. Ben and his ex-wife realize they were always better as friends than as husband and wife. Kathleen has turned down a proposal from Hugh because she realizes she's fallen in love with Ben.
Second Chances is an appropriately titled movie and well worth watching. Even though there is no overt Christian message, it does show the value of forgiveness and giving people second chances.
A number of characters are given second chances in the movie, including a horse, two little girls, a former rodeo cowboy and the mother of the main character.
The movie starts with a car accident. The father dies, but the mother survives with minor injuries. Their daughter is thrown from the car and injuries to her leg leave her needing crutches to walk. As we see a young policeman searching the area around the car, his flashlight lands on a large Pokey, Gumby's horse friend. He then finds seriously injured ten-year-old Sunny Matthews.
Sunny is depressed about the loss of her father and can't understand her mother's acceptance of her father's passing. Sunny's mother, Kathleen, doesn't know how to tell her daughter that they have to move. They end up moving into a trailer park behind a horse ranch.
One day Sunny hears the sounds of horses and goes to investigate. She sees a beautiful horse in a paddock. With no one around, she goes into the paddock, not knowing the horse has a reputation for being mean-spirited and violent. Ben Taylor, a former rodeo cowboy and owner of the horse ranch, gets Sunny out of the paddock and lectures her on the danger of entering a paddock containing a horse she doesn't know. He tells her the horse's name is Ginger. Ginger is an American Quarter Horse who had a great career as a barrel racing horse until a leg injury ended her career.
The next day, Sunny returns and once again enters Ginger's paddock. Ben reprimands her again. Sunny replies that she knows Ginger now, so she wasn't disobeying Ben's instructions. Ginger is calm and gentle with Sunny. She notes that Ginger is like her - they both have bad legs.
Sunny's own disposition improves as she draws closer to Ginger and Ben. Meanwhile, her mother is drawing closer to Sunny's doctor, Hugh. She's doesn't mind Sunny's attachment to Ginger, but she's not so sure about Sunny's attachment to Ben.
Another little girl makes fun of Ginger and says she's only good for dog food. Sunny does her best to ignore the other girl's taunts. To complicate matters, the little girl happens to be the granddaughter of Ben's ex-wife.
A kill buyer offers Ben four hundred dollars for Ginger. Sunny counters with an offer of four dollars. Ben tells the kill buyer if he can get Ginger out of her stall, he can buy her. The horse rears and the man can't get near her. Ben makes the same offer to Sunny. She enters Ginger's stall and the horse follows her calmly. When Sunny tells her mother, Kathleen immediately gives Ben a piece of her mind. Ben assures her Sunny can work off the cost of boarding the horse by helping him at the ranch.
Determined to be able to ride Ginger, Sunny puts extra effort into her physical therapy so she will be able to walk again and eventually ride. Ben is determined to help Ginger when he sees Sunny trying to use physical therapy on the horse. Unknown to Sunny, he pays for Ginger's surgery himself. Sunny finds out about it, and is then determined to win the state barrel racing championship so she can give the prize money to Ben to pay for Ginger's surgery.
By the end of the movie, Sunny and Ginger have become a top-notch barrel racing team. Sunny's former antagonist has become her friend. Ben and his ex-wife realize they were always better as friends than as husband and wife. Kathleen has turned down a proposal from Hugh because she realizes she's fallen in love with Ben.
Second Chances is an appropriately titled movie and well worth watching. Even though there is no overt Christian message, it does show the value of forgiveness and giving people second chances.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Writing
I write more than just a blog. I'm an aspiring novelist.
In the not-so-distant past, I considered writing Christian romance novels set in a fictional town close to St. Cloud, MN. The novels would be a connected series about people who loved horses and who were involved with two stables in town. One would be devoted to Western riding, one to English riding. I started writing them and the realized there were two major problems.
1) I've never been in love myself. Like, yes. Crushes, yes. But love? No.
2) I don't have a 50,000 word story in me.
I still wanted to become a novelist. I went back to an older idea about writing - writing for children. Writing for children is harder than writing for adults. The word choice needs to be based on the age of the target audience. I do have two books on writing for children. The Children's Writer's Word Book lists by grades K-6 what words children should know by each grade. The 2008 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market includes tips, interviews with published authors, alphabetical lists of book publishers, magazine publishers, agents and how to submit work to publishers and agents. Granted, the information is a few years old. Some publishers and agents may have closed shop; others may have changed their submission policies. Up-to-date information can be found easily enough via Google's search engine.
Since I believe children and horses have a special connection (see my blog entry from May 28, 2013), what better subject for my children's novels than children and horses? I'm planing a series set in the same fictional town that would have been the setting for my Christian romance novels. This time, the children will all be students at the Western riding stable. That will make research a little easier for me, since I know more about Western riding than English riding. All but two of the horse magazines I subscribe to focus on Western riding. The other two have features related to both styles of riding.
For the first book in the series, I started writing on May 4th and have been writing every day since then. Recently I've gotten in the habit of stopping writing when I still know what will come next in the story. That way when I come back later in the day or the next day, I won't have to wonder where to start. I'm not worrying about where chapter breaks will come at this point. Once the first draft is done, I'll go back and see where natural breaks should be.
I've decided to try something different with this book. I'm currently writing it in the first person to be sure the book has a single point of view. If the first person doesn't work, it won't be hard to change it to the third person. The first book will start to introduce the children who will be the subjects of the next few books.
The children's books will share more than the fictional setting of the now-scrapped Christian romance novels. The children's faith in Jesus will be woven into the stories, as had been my plan for the characters in the romance novels.
Once the first novel is done - by that I mean all the re-writing and editing has been completed and I've taken into account the comments from my first reader - I'll join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Then I'll start looking for an agent. The 15% commission will be more than worth the hassle of trying to sell my book myself.
I've got a plan and I'm going to stick to it, whatever it takes.
In the not-so-distant past, I considered writing Christian romance novels set in a fictional town close to St. Cloud, MN. The novels would be a connected series about people who loved horses and who were involved with two stables in town. One would be devoted to Western riding, one to English riding. I started writing them and the realized there were two major problems.
1) I've never been in love myself. Like, yes. Crushes, yes. But love? No.
2) I don't have a 50,000 word story in me.
I still wanted to become a novelist. I went back to an older idea about writing - writing for children. Writing for children is harder than writing for adults. The word choice needs to be based on the age of the target audience. I do have two books on writing for children. The Children's Writer's Word Book lists by grades K-6 what words children should know by each grade. The 2008 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market includes tips, interviews with published authors, alphabetical lists of book publishers, magazine publishers, agents and how to submit work to publishers and agents. Granted, the information is a few years old. Some publishers and agents may have closed shop; others may have changed their submission policies. Up-to-date information can be found easily enough via Google's search engine.
Since I believe children and horses have a special connection (see my blog entry from May 28, 2013), what better subject for my children's novels than children and horses? I'm planing a series set in the same fictional town that would have been the setting for my Christian romance novels. This time, the children will all be students at the Western riding stable. That will make research a little easier for me, since I know more about Western riding than English riding. All but two of the horse magazines I subscribe to focus on Western riding. The other two have features related to both styles of riding.
For the first book in the series, I started writing on May 4th and have been writing every day since then. Recently I've gotten in the habit of stopping writing when I still know what will come next in the story. That way when I come back later in the day or the next day, I won't have to wonder where to start. I'm not worrying about where chapter breaks will come at this point. Once the first draft is done, I'll go back and see where natural breaks should be.
I've decided to try something different with this book. I'm currently writing it in the first person to be sure the book has a single point of view. If the first person doesn't work, it won't be hard to change it to the third person. The first book will start to introduce the children who will be the subjects of the next few books.
The children's books will share more than the fictional setting of the now-scrapped Christian romance novels. The children's faith in Jesus will be woven into the stories, as had been my plan for the characters in the romance novels.
Once the first novel is done - by that I mean all the re-writing and editing has been completed and I've taken into account the comments from my first reader - I'll join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Then I'll start looking for an agent. The 15% commission will be more than worth the hassle of trying to sell my book myself.
I've got a plan and I'm going to stick to it, whatever it takes.
Monday, June 3, 2013
The Cowboy And The Senorita, Part Three
Roy Rogers started a club for his young fans, called the Roy Rogers Riders Club. Any child who sent in his or her name and address could become a member. They would be sent a "Rogersgram" delivered by "Trigger Express." The rules of the club were simple:
Be neat and clean.
Be courteous and polite.
Always obey your parents.
Protect the weak and help them.
Be brave but never take chances.
Study hard and learn all you can.
Be kind to animals and care for them.
Eat all your food and never waste any.
Love God and go to Sunday School regularly.
Always respect our flag and our country.
I believe those rules are just as good now as they were back then.
The values Roy and Dale promoted in their movies and TV shows - the good guy always wins and he has a strong moral code - were values they held in real life. There was no pretense about them. They were a prime example of WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get. They were transparent before that word became a political buzz word.
Parents could drop their children off at the movie theater when a Roy Rogers movie was playing and know they wouldn't see anything objectionable. Roy was a straight-shooter with no shades of gray. Not only children looked up to him - men wanted to be like him and women wanted to marry someone like him. If ever a movie star could be called a hero, it was Roy Rogers. He and Dale stood for everything that was good, both in the movies and on TV and in real life.
In 1982, the Victor Valley Child Abuse Task Force was formed to help stem the tide of child abuse, neglect, abandonment and death in the High Desert of San Bernardino County in Southern California. To honor the participation and support given by Roy and Dale, in 1992 the name was changed to Happy Trails Children's Foundation. The Foundation is still going strong, still providing help to children. Roy and Dale's legacy lives on. The current executive director, Joel Dortch, still remembers the day in December, 1950 that Roy came to his hometown of Birmingham, AL.
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans deserve to be remembered with respect and gratitude. I'm sure that when they passed on (Roy in 1998 and Dale in 2001) God greeted both of them with, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Be neat and clean.
Be courteous and polite.
Always obey your parents.
Protect the weak and help them.
Be brave but never take chances.
Study hard and learn all you can.
Be kind to animals and care for them.
Eat all your food and never waste any.
Love God and go to Sunday School regularly.
Always respect our flag and our country.
I believe those rules are just as good now as they were back then.
The values Roy and Dale promoted in their movies and TV shows - the good guy always wins and he has a strong moral code - were values they held in real life. There was no pretense about them. They were a prime example of WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get. They were transparent before that word became a political buzz word.
Parents could drop their children off at the movie theater when a Roy Rogers movie was playing and know they wouldn't see anything objectionable. Roy was a straight-shooter with no shades of gray. Not only children looked up to him - men wanted to be like him and women wanted to marry someone like him. If ever a movie star could be called a hero, it was Roy Rogers. He and Dale stood for everything that was good, both in the movies and on TV and in real life.
In 1982, the Victor Valley Child Abuse Task Force was formed to help stem the tide of child abuse, neglect, abandonment and death in the High Desert of San Bernardino County in Southern California. To honor the participation and support given by Roy and Dale, in 1992 the name was changed to Happy Trails Children's Foundation. The Foundation is still going strong, still providing help to children. Roy and Dale's legacy lives on. The current executive director, Joel Dortch, still remembers the day in December, 1950 that Roy came to his hometown of Birmingham, AL.
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans deserve to be remembered with respect and gratitude. I'm sure that when they passed on (Roy in 1998 and Dale in 2001) God greeted both of them with, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Cowboy Church
Counting today (June 2, 2013), I have attended Cowboy Church seven times in the last two and a half years.
The first time was in January, 2011. The Sunday after the Cowgirl Get Together was over, I went with my new friend Michelle to her church, Living for the Brand Cowboy Church in Athens, TX. I loved it! Actually, other than that the congregation was cowboys and cowgirls (including a cowgirl at heart from Minnesota), in some respects it wasn't that different from the services at my home church in Minneapolis. One difference was that there was no offering taken. There was a place at the back of the sanctuary where donations could be made. The restrooms were labelled "Cowboys" and "Cowgirls" instead of "Men" and "Women." The music was mostly contemporary worship songs, most of which I knew from my home church.
The next time I attended Cowboy Church was at the Minnesota Horse Expo in May 2011. It was good, but the music was mostly hymns rather than contemporary worship songs. Nothing against hymns; I've just gotten used to services that are heavier on contemporary worship songs. The band and preacher were from a Lutheran church that has Cowboy Church one Sunday evening per month. This Cowboy Church is held every year in the Coliseum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds during the Minnesota Horse Expo.
The third Cowboy Church I attended was at the Minnesota EquiFest at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in October 2011. This Cowboy Church was held in one of the meeting rooms, not in the Coliseum. The preacher was originally from Fort Worth, TX. The group was smaller and the service featured more contemporary worship songs as opposed to standard hymns. It was more like what I expected from a Cowboy Church than the one at the Minnesota Horse Expo.
The next two Cowboy Church services I attended were at the Cowboy Church in the Fort Worth Stockyards. I visited that church both Sundays I was in Fort Worth in April 2012. The services there weren't anything like any other Cowboy Church I attended. The focus was on the special musical guests and there wasn't much of a sermon. There wasn't anything for me to take home and apply to my daily life. For the only time at Cowboy Church, I felt like an outsider. I was there on Resurrection Sunday and kept waiting for the "He is risen!" with the "He is risen indeed!" response. I didn't happen even once.
Cowboy Church visit number six was back at the Minnesota Horse Expo in May 2012. It was similar to the 2011 visit. The only difference was the content of the sermon. Again it was good. Even if that Cowboy Church wasn't as good as the one in Athens, TX or the one at the EquiFest, it was still better than the services I attended at the Forth Worth Stockyards.
This now brings me to Cowboy Church visit number seven, which happened today. The music was contemporary worship music, although it was recorded music and we didn't sing any songs. The sermon was provided by one of the MSA Northern Colt Championship cowboys. (He competes in the men's pro category.) He had one of his horses with him in the Coliseum. At one point in his sermon, he got on his horse (bareback) and continued preaching while horseback. Now that was something I'd never seen at any Cowboy Church! His sermon was appropriate for a situation I'm currently facing. It gave me a lot to think about and to try to put into practice.
The Cowboy Church service in Athens, TX was my favorite, but the one today was a close second.
Whether it's Cowboy Church or a regular church, if the name of Jesus is honored and glorified, that's all that really matters.
The first time was in January, 2011. The Sunday after the Cowgirl Get Together was over, I went with my new friend Michelle to her church, Living for the Brand Cowboy Church in Athens, TX. I loved it! Actually, other than that the congregation was cowboys and cowgirls (including a cowgirl at heart from Minnesota), in some respects it wasn't that different from the services at my home church in Minneapolis. One difference was that there was no offering taken. There was a place at the back of the sanctuary where donations could be made. The restrooms were labelled "Cowboys" and "Cowgirls" instead of "Men" and "Women." The music was mostly contemporary worship songs, most of which I knew from my home church.
The next time I attended Cowboy Church was at the Minnesota Horse Expo in May 2011. It was good, but the music was mostly hymns rather than contemporary worship songs. Nothing against hymns; I've just gotten used to services that are heavier on contemporary worship songs. The band and preacher were from a Lutheran church that has Cowboy Church one Sunday evening per month. This Cowboy Church is held every year in the Coliseum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds during the Minnesota Horse Expo.
The third Cowboy Church I attended was at the Minnesota EquiFest at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in October 2011. This Cowboy Church was held in one of the meeting rooms, not in the Coliseum. The preacher was originally from Fort Worth, TX. The group was smaller and the service featured more contemporary worship songs as opposed to standard hymns. It was more like what I expected from a Cowboy Church than the one at the Minnesota Horse Expo.
The next two Cowboy Church services I attended were at the Cowboy Church in the Fort Worth Stockyards. I visited that church both Sundays I was in Fort Worth in April 2012. The services there weren't anything like any other Cowboy Church I attended. The focus was on the special musical guests and there wasn't much of a sermon. There wasn't anything for me to take home and apply to my daily life. For the only time at Cowboy Church, I felt like an outsider. I was there on Resurrection Sunday and kept waiting for the "He is risen!" with the "He is risen indeed!" response. I didn't happen even once.
Cowboy Church visit number six was back at the Minnesota Horse Expo in May 2012. It was similar to the 2011 visit. The only difference was the content of the sermon. Again it was good. Even if that Cowboy Church wasn't as good as the one in Athens, TX or the one at the EquiFest, it was still better than the services I attended at the Forth Worth Stockyards.
This now brings me to Cowboy Church visit number seven, which happened today. The music was contemporary worship music, although it was recorded music and we didn't sing any songs. The sermon was provided by one of the MSA Northern Colt Championship cowboys. (He competes in the men's pro category.) He had one of his horses with him in the Coliseum. At one point in his sermon, he got on his horse (bareback) and continued preaching while horseback. Now that was something I'd never seen at any Cowboy Church! His sermon was appropriate for a situation I'm currently facing. It gave me a lot to think about and to try to put into practice.
The Cowboy Church service in Athens, TX was my favorite, but the one today was a close second.
Whether it's Cowboy Church or a regular church, if the name of Jesus is honored and glorified, that's all that really matters.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Mounted Shooting
Mounted shooting is the fastest growing equestrian sport. It requires horsemanship, speed and accurate shooting. Prior to this weekend, I had seen demonstrations of mounted shooting, but had never seen a competition. The runs are completed in a matter of seconds, so if you look down or blink, you'll miss a lot of the action.
There are four national mounted shooting organizations: The Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association (CMSA); Mounted Shooters of America (MSA); Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and Cowboy Sports Association. CMSA has recently become affiliated with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Mounted shooting has spread beyond the United States. There are clubs in Germany, Sweden and Japan. There may be clubs in other countries as well, but those are the ones I know of. I've become a fan of the Japan Cowboy Shooting Network on Facebook.
I'm most familiar with the CMSA and the MSA. The MSA Northern Colt Championship is going on right now at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and will conclude tomorrow (June 2, 2013). A number of MSA World Champions are competing, so this has been a chance to see some of the best mounted shooters in the world. Contestants have come from all over the United States and some have come from Canada to compete. Two of the best are brothers from St. Michael, MN, Chad and Charlie Little. In Stage Two yesterday (May 31, 2013), they posted the exact same score. The videographer for the competition had the two performances playing side-by-side today on a split screen at their table.
The adult shooters use real guns, loaded with blanks, to shoot at balloons while their horses gallop through the pattern for that stage. The rider needs to change guns for the second half of the pattern. Every missed balloon (there are a total of ten) adds five seconds to the time. Knocking over a barrel (the riders have to go around a barrel before the second half of the pattern) also adds five seconds to the time. In rifle competition, shooting the rifle with only one hand is a violation of the rules. For the rifle competition, the first five balloons are shot with a .45. The rider needs to return the .45 to his or her holster, pull out the rifle from its scabbard and shoot the remaining five balloons with two hands on the rifle.
Besides missing balloons or knocking over a barrel, a rider can be hampered in the scoring if his or her horse doesn't want to perform. I saw more than one horse who balked at running the second half of the pattern. Not only does the rider lose precious time, he or she will generally miss the first balloon in the second half, sometimes more, sometimes even all five depending upon how unwilling the horse is. Any horse, no matter well he or she normally performs, can have an off day.
Children compete as well, but they use cap guns instead of real guns. Mounted shooting is a family-friendly event and both CMSA and MSA offer family memberships.
Competitors need to follow a dress code. They can opt for either modern rodeo clothing or old west style clothing. The old west style clothing needs to be as authentic as possible. For example, a rider opting for that style needs to wear jeans with buttons instead of a zipper.
For Xbox owners, there is a game called Top Hand Rodeo that includes mounted shooting as one of the events. I watched two people playing it yesterday and it looked like an extremely addictive game. The shooting is controlled by the player actually mimicking the action of shooting a gun at the on-screen balloon. At the end of a run, the on-screen cowboy or cowgirl reacts appropriately to the results. If it was a great run, the on-screen character will rise his or her arms in triumph. If it was a not-so-good run, the cowboy or cowgirl will look down and shake his or her head in disappointment.
I'm looking forward to the last day of the MSA Northern Colt Championship tomorrow. Every once in a while - especially when watching the women competitors - I wonder if there's an Annie Oakley inside me waiting to be set free. . .
There are four national mounted shooting organizations: The Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association (CMSA); Mounted Shooters of America (MSA); Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and Cowboy Sports Association. CMSA has recently become affiliated with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Mounted shooting has spread beyond the United States. There are clubs in Germany, Sweden and Japan. There may be clubs in other countries as well, but those are the ones I know of. I've become a fan of the Japan Cowboy Shooting Network on Facebook.
I'm most familiar with the CMSA and the MSA. The MSA Northern Colt Championship is going on right now at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and will conclude tomorrow (June 2, 2013). A number of MSA World Champions are competing, so this has been a chance to see some of the best mounted shooters in the world. Contestants have come from all over the United States and some have come from Canada to compete. Two of the best are brothers from St. Michael, MN, Chad and Charlie Little. In Stage Two yesterday (May 31, 2013), they posted the exact same score. The videographer for the competition had the two performances playing side-by-side today on a split screen at their table.
The adult shooters use real guns, loaded with blanks, to shoot at balloons while their horses gallop through the pattern for that stage. The rider needs to change guns for the second half of the pattern. Every missed balloon (there are a total of ten) adds five seconds to the time. Knocking over a barrel (the riders have to go around a barrel before the second half of the pattern) also adds five seconds to the time. In rifle competition, shooting the rifle with only one hand is a violation of the rules. For the rifle competition, the first five balloons are shot with a .45. The rider needs to return the .45 to his or her holster, pull out the rifle from its scabbard and shoot the remaining five balloons with two hands on the rifle.
Besides missing balloons or knocking over a barrel, a rider can be hampered in the scoring if his or her horse doesn't want to perform. I saw more than one horse who balked at running the second half of the pattern. Not only does the rider lose precious time, he or she will generally miss the first balloon in the second half, sometimes more, sometimes even all five depending upon how unwilling the horse is. Any horse, no matter well he or she normally performs, can have an off day.
Children compete as well, but they use cap guns instead of real guns. Mounted shooting is a family-friendly event and both CMSA and MSA offer family memberships.
Competitors need to follow a dress code. They can opt for either modern rodeo clothing or old west style clothing. The old west style clothing needs to be as authentic as possible. For example, a rider opting for that style needs to wear jeans with buttons instead of a zipper.
For Xbox owners, there is a game called Top Hand Rodeo that includes mounted shooting as one of the events. I watched two people playing it yesterday and it looked like an extremely addictive game. The shooting is controlled by the player actually mimicking the action of shooting a gun at the on-screen balloon. At the end of a run, the on-screen cowboy or cowgirl reacts appropriately to the results. If it was a great run, the on-screen character will rise his or her arms in triumph. If it was a not-so-good run, the cowboy or cowgirl will look down and shake his or her head in disappointment.
I'm looking forward to the last day of the MSA Northern Colt Championship tomorrow. Every once in a while - especially when watching the women competitors - I wonder if there's an Annie Oakley inside me waiting to be set free. . .
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