Horses

I was listening to a radio talk show when the host went on about the new movie Secretariat that would be coming out soon. The host mentioned the number of books and movies that have featured horses. Then he asked, "Why are there so many books and movies about horses?" Without answering that question, he continued on about the fantastic Miracle on Ice, where the American men won the gold medal for hockey at the 1960 Olympics. He added that this was a great game and a great win and only one book and one movie had been written about it. Actually, he was wrong about there being only one movie, there were two movies made about the Miracle on Ice.

As the host paused for breath, I said out loud, "Hey buddy, I love horses!" I always wanted a horse but we rented houses for years and were not zoned to have a horse in our little backyard. But, that fact didn't deter me because I still wanted a horse, and always begged my parents for one. For years, that wish was number one on my Christmas lists.

I have read a lot of books about horses - Man-O-War, Seabiscuit, Spectacular Bid, the Horse Whisperer, and others. The last book that I read was "The Untold Story of Secretariat, The World's Greatest Racehorse." So, when the movie comes out, I will be the first in line to buy a ticket for it.

Personally, I think horses are beautiful creatures. They are big and sleek and graceful. They amaze me. I love watching them race, although I don't enjoy seeing them get injured and having to be put down. Besides, wanting a horse, I also wanted to be a jockey. But that never happened.

My youngest daughter took riding lessons for a while at Bargee Farms in Hampton. The riding stable was out of this world. The horses lived in their own beautiful stable with warm wooden walls and shiny brick floors. The newly built stable was spotless and elegant. As I walked through the stable, I wished for one fleeting moment that I was a horse and lived at Bargee Farms.

I loved those early Saturday mornings when I took my daughter to her riding lesson. The work out area where she rode was in an enormous white building with an indoor riding arena. There was another area with comfortable chairs and tables with magazines, where anyone could relax and have access to hot coffee. Large windows surrounded the building, I was able to look out at the trees and sloping hills, or just watch my daughter going through her riding routine. Usually, I brought along a book to read but I always ended up going into the arena and standing by the railings and watching my daughter on her horse going through her jumps. For one hour, I was taken out of my old routine and enjoyed the smell of the hay, watching my daughter in her riding gear, and the gracefulness of her horse. Only on Saturdays at Bargee, I entered a totally different world from my usual one, and I enjoyed it.

What is it about horses? Like people, some are underdogs, and others are champions. I can only imagine taking a chance on a horse, and watching him or her become a winner.

As for Secretariat, he was the only two-year-old to win Horse of the Year in 1972, and in 1973, was a Triple Crown Winner. Secretariat was listed #35 on the ESPN's top 100 athletes of the 20th Century. He is the only horse listed among men and women and actually ranked ahead of the great Yankees baseball player, Mickey Mantle.

I can't answer - why so many books or movies about horses. But, I can ask, "Why not?"