Saturday, February 4, 2012

Horse Sense

It's become our yearly tradition to take a winter holiday to somewhere warm. This year, we went to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico. We left Grande Prairie -30C, after being de-iced three times, and landed in sunny Los Cabos with +30C breezes.

It was a wonderful eight days. We were "stuffed and baked" every day, meaning the food was great and we took advantage of every opportunity to bask in the sunshine, reading, sleeping, or visiting with some of the wonderful people we met.

Charros at the lienzo charro
We found the local "lienzo charro" (rodeo grounds) on one of our walks into San Jose and enjoyed watching the "charros" practicing their "charreada" skills. The "charreada" (rodeo) is the national sport of Mexico.




In spite of the language barrier, The Cowboy talked at length with the charros, asking about the ages and breeds of their horses, the price of feed, and if there would be a rodeo anytime soon.

Though the setting is vastly different--there's not a blade of grass to be found in Los Cabos--and facilities were horribly lacking by our standards, it was evident that these charros loved their animals and did their best to care for them.
Small pen for storing feed
       It excites me that no matter how much machinery replaces the horse, the work it can do is still measured in horsepower . . . even in this space age.  And although a riding horse often weighs half a ton, and a big drafter a full ton, either can be led about by a piece of string if he has been wisely trained. This to me is a constant source of wonder and challenge.
                        
 - Marguerite Henry ~ author of Misty of Chincoteague

Tourists horseback riding on the beach
The love of horses is universal. No matter where we go, if there is man, there are horses. Horses as servants, horses as friends. It has been so through the ages, ever since one of our ancestors decided to throw himself on the back of a horse and felt the wind rushing in his face. Horses have shaped our history.


And for many, horses have given meaning to their lives.

 There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse. - Ronald Reagan

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing this glimpse of your lovely vacation!

    ReplyDelete

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