(Photo by Robb Kendrick) Say, you can't tell remudas from round-ups, bandanas from wild rags,        or an ol' Texas taco from a classic flat brimmed? Well, gather 'round, buckaroo, for some schoolin' in Old West culture --        We're talkin' 'bout the art of cowboy poetry, friend. No one knows just how it got started, but many an old hand swears        it must have begun 'round a campfire, out on the trail. While one feller would tell a story, another would pass the jug:        They say there's nothin' like whisky to help spin a tale. The only "three Rs" those pokes knew were ridin', ropin', and rangin',         so all them campfire stories had to be learned by rote. And poetry began: Like ancient bards, cowboys used rhyme and verse,       and sometimes they'd even throw in a musical note. Y'all won't find high falutin words in their tales,        just simple love of the land, open spaces, and work. These poetic cow-punches tell tales of brave men and their horses,        of memories of happier days, of love and hurt. City slickers take note: cowboy poets are alive and kickin'.        You're pardoned, pardner, fer thinkin' they're things of the past. From Elko to Arvada they gather each year to spin their yarns.       But you, lucky reader, can listen via podcast. Suggested Sites... National Cowboy Poetry Gathering - contemporary and traditional arts from folks who spend a whole lot of time around cows. CowboyPoetry.com - more cowboy poetry and history than you can get your lasso around. Baxter Black - cowboy poet, and former large-animal veterinarian. Robb Kendrick Photography - tintype photographs of contemporary, working cowboys. Flickr: Cowboy Hats - the hat doesn't make the cowboy.

Directory categories: Cowboy Poetry, Cowboys, Guest Ranches, Rodeo, The Old West

Archived under: American History, Arts, Cowboys and Cowgirls, Festivals, Horses, In Character, Old West, Poetry, The West

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(Photo by Jeremy Lyverse) It's the first step toward capturing the Triple Crown, and a win can catapult a horse to superstar status. With a buildup that includes gambling, bourbon, and suspense, the 131st Run for the Roses is sure to be filled with pageantry and excitement. But let's not forget about the party, when nearly 80,000 fans cram the infield for what many consider to be the first rite of spring. So grab your Derby hat, brush up on your mint julep recipes, and head out to the track. Suggested Sites... Kentucky Derby - http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2005/ Kentucky Derby Festival - the race lasts only 2 minutes, but the party lasts 2 weeks! About.com: Mint Juleps - traces the history of the drink, including its role as the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky Derby Museum - bringing the Derby to life, from Smarty Jones' garland of roses to tours of Churchill Downs.

Directory categories: Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown, Famous Racehorses

Archived under: Horse Racing, Horses, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Mint Juleps, Sports

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Riders wanted poster Wanted: young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Perhaps not the most encouraging job posting, but apparently it worked. The Pony Express -- which started 146 years ago today -- had over 180 riders, though we're not sure how many were orphans. For around $100 a month, a rider would cover up to 100 miles a day, changing horses every 10 to 15 miles at 2-minute pit stops that would impress a NASCAR driver. It took about 10 days to get mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, on the overland mail route, which covered nearly 2,000 miles, 165 stations, and 8 states. Pony postmen rode alone -- year-round, day and night -- through desolate and dangerous wilderness, armed with just a pistol and the advantage of a fast horse. But don't get your hopes up -- there are no more positions to fill. The Pony Express was forced out of business by a speedier competitor in 1861. Suggested Sites... Pony Express Home Station - extensive historical information about "The Pony" and its riders and founders. Pony Express Museum - preserving the history and artifacts of the Pony Express in St. Joseph, Missouri. Pony Express National Historic Trail - National Park Service site for the series of parks along the former Pony Express trail.

Directory categories: Pony Express, American West, United States Postal Service

Archived under: American History, Animals, History, Horses, Old West

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(from Dubai Racing Club) While we were checking off another day before this summer's FIFA World Cup, it dawned on us that there are a lot of events with the World Cup moniker. Last year, Canada skated its way to victory as the host of the World Cup of Hockey. Next year the world's top bowlers and hookers will clash in the Cricket and Rugby World Cups. This weekend the global horse racing event is in the plush desert oasis of Dubai. Held amid a sea of fancy hats at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and boasting a six million dollar prize, the Dubai World Cup is the world's richest horserace. While most Americans only know of Dubai as the spurned owners of several U.S. ports, the race is attracting increased attention and will be broadcast in the U.S. for the first time this year. Perhaps with all this attention Dubai will become a center for big sporting events like the Alpine Skiing World Cup -- we hear the snow is great. Suggested Sites... Dubai World Cup - from fillies to fashion, get all the latest news on the eleventh running of one of the world's premier horseraces. Come Racing - horse race digest for the UAE, with coverage and highlights of the Dubai World Cup. Dubai Tourism - from shopping to skiing -- a look at what else is happening in Dubai. Daily Racing Forum - the bible for race lovers.

Directory categories: Horse Racing, Races, Dubai

Archived under: Dubai, Horse Racing, Horses, Races, Regional, Sports

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(photo by fubuki) Small in stature, but legendary for its endurance and speed, the Spanish Mustang is emblematic of America's rugged spirit. Horses native to the Americas roamed throughout the North and South until they disappeared some 8,000 years ago -- perhaps hunted to extinction. So what is the heritage and history of the hardy breed known as the Spanish Horse or Indian Horse? In the late 1400s, the horse was reintroduced to the Western Hemisphere by Spanish colonialists. The horses they brought with them were a mix of early Andalusia, Arabian, and Barb. From the Spanish settlements in Mexico and the Southwest, Native Americans took these horses and dispersed them throughout North America. By the 1950s their numbers dwindled, and small ranches and individuals set out to preserve the line of the Spanish Colonial Horse. Only a bit of these early equine settlers' blood remains in the feral horses that run wild on our public lands today. Suggested Sites... The Colonial Spanish Horse - preserving the "genetic treasure" no longer found in Spain. Pryor Mountain Mustang - wild herd of Spanish origin, running free in southern Montana. Just the Sulphurin' Facts, Partner - Spanish Sulphurs, Utah's Great Basin mustangs of Spanish ancestry. Red Road Farm - stewards of the rare Choctaw Indian Horse. Frank Hopkins.com - learn about the legendary endurance rider and early advocate for the Spanish Mustang.

Directory categories: Colonial Spanish Horse, Wild and Feral Horses, Horses in Human Civilization

Archived under: Animals, History, Horses

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