Valentine Ramblings

My Valentines are my mother and the two males in my life, Phantom and Indy.

I presented my mother with her Valentine gift a little early, since it included a cyclamen plant that I wanted to give her before I killed it. We saw a cute little metal plant holder in the shape of a Jack Russell at the mall last week, so I bought it for her then. However, I had to find some pretty flowers to put in it, which I did earlier this week.

I came upon these bits of "heart warming" news in the February/March issue of Modern Arabian Horse that may be of interest to horse folks.

Patrick Swayze Scholarship

The Arabian Horse Association announced the scholarship at its annual convention in Reno, Nevada. To be awarded annually each spring, the scholarship will go to a youth involved with Arabian horses and who aspires to a career in the performing arts. The program honors the careers of Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi in dance, theater, and movies. An initial pledge by Iron Horse Farms and Trisha Phelan of Canton, Ohio, launched the program.

Donations to the Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi Scholarship can be made via the Arabian Horse Foundation.

Endurance Race Documentary

Arabian Silk: Horses of Endurance is a documentary that was a finalist in the Reno Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award.

Christine Lazzarini, the Producer/Editor of the documentary, wanted to create an interesting storyline rather than a training film. The documentary took over two years to film and edit and follows the life of one horse and his owner. The film provides a brief history of the Arabian horse and includes footage from several 100-mile races.

You can view a clip and trailer for the film at Gypsy Moth Productions.

Although I have no interest in pursuing the sport, I have a lot of respect for the competitors in sanctioned and monitored races. It's one event where the rider can't turn over the horse to a trainer and just show up for the competition. Horse and rider alike must condition for the distances traveled as well as develop into a trusting team. "To finish is to win," is the motto of endurance racing, where the Best Condition award is as valued as First Place.

Modern Arabian Horse is a publication of the Arabian Horse Association.