Horse Poems & Quotes

The gate sprung open at the start
All they want is an honest race
Now the truth is, what I must face

I’ll ride the rail, pour out my heart
True ’till finish line is crossed
Honestly, I have never lost

The greatest care you must impart
Be true to me and let me run
Give me free rein, until I’m done

So honesty comes from the heart
Just let me free, so I can race
Honest and true, I keep my pace

Arrow straight; feather of the dart
Your honesty, is all I knew
Be true to me, I’ll run for you

by: Amera

Author notes
A tribute to this year’s winner of the Kentucky Derby

Constanza style

The Constanza, created by Connie Marcum Wong, consists of five or more 3-line stanzas. Each line has a set meter of eight syllables. The first lines of all the stanzas can be read successively as an independent poem, with the rest of the poem weaved in to express a deeper meaning. The first lines convey a theme written in monorhyme, while the second and third lines of each stanza rhyme together.

Rhyme scheme: a/b/b, a/c/c, a/d/d, a/e/e, a/f/f………etc

by horse trainer Doris Eraldi

It’s the night before Christmas, we’re out in the barn
Blanketing horses to keep them all warm
They’re eating their dinners, tucked in cozy stalls
Not aware that it’s Christmas or any special day at all

They can dream of spring pastures from their pine-scented beds
No visions of sugarplums dance in their heads
But we people are thinking of merry parties and such
Maybe feeling a little sad at missing so much

This season is special but the horses don’t know
We’ve got work to do before we can go
We finish the chores and head on inside
To get ready for dinner and our own yuletide

It’s nearly midnight, the carols are sung
I remember a story I was told when I was young
How at midnight on Christmas Eve
The creatures of the barnyard can speak to us with ease

I am called to the barn, I wade through the rain
I know I must go, I can’t really explain
I slide open the door, pause for a while
Then slowly walk down that dully lit aisle

A nicker from Casey, a wink from JD
Sleepy old Alibi waking to see
Tucker rustling his bedding, a snort soft and light
Each horse gave a greeting as I walked through the night

I thought about parties bright lit and warm
The ones we don’t go to ’cause we have the barn
And vacations and holidays that we don’t get
When we’re working long hours for bills to be met

Walking all the way to the end of the aisle
I stop to stroke Bonnie, it brings me a smile
She snuffles my face, hot breath on my skin
It starts me to thinking about my horses, my kin

I could be at parties with laughter and mirth
But where I am right now is the best place on Earth.

Sent via email by
Joanna K
THANKS!

From time to time, people tell me,
“lighten up, it’s just a horse,”
or,”that’s a lot of money for just a horse”.
They don’t understand the distance travelled,
the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a horse.”
Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a horse.”
Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a horse,”
but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a horse,” and in those days of darkness,
the gentle touch of “just a horse” gave me comfort
and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it’s “just a horse,”
then you will probably understand phrases like “just a friend,”
“just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”

“Just a horse” brings into my life the very essence of friendship,
trust, and pure unbridled joy.
“Just a horse” brings out the compassion and patience
that make me a better person.
Because of “just a horse” I will rise early,
take long walks and look longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a horse”
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.
“Just a horse” brings out what’s good in me
and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a horse”
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
“just a woman.” So the next time you hear the phrase
“just a horse” just smile, because they “just” don’t understand.

Sent to me via email from Claire H.
Thanks so much!

Rio’s a horse, ornery as can be
Once he ran me into a tree
He’s gentle, obedient, and kind
No wait, I’m out of my mind
Because nice, polite, and sweet
Is a part of him that I’ll never meet.

He doesn’t amount to much
But he come through in the clutch
I bought him for not much money, of course
Although for a couple hundred dollars, he’s not a bad roping horse
Along with my dog named Black Bart
We have a team no cow could outsmart

Morning comes, the day is gonna be hot
This will be a good day, or so I thought
I climb on Rio and he bolts like a shot
He goes one way and I hit the dirt
Dang it! I got manure on my favorite shirt
Nothing will get through his hard head
But I was furious and so I said,
Pull one more stunt like that you retched toad
And you will be down the road.

There’s a few cows we gotta find
Alright, let’s try this one more time
That’s over a hundred cattle that we have to brand
Both of you do your jobs and you won’t get canned
Bart get that calf over there
Or over here I don’t care
Yes, as mule stubborn as my team my be
Together we make one heck of a trio,
And I just love ropin’ off Rio.

It’s a perfect day the race
I’m first in line, so I’ll have to set the pace
We know we only have one chance
My horse tells me he’s ready
As we walk down the alleyway and he starts to prance
He may be little but his heart is bold
I know will him our time will hold
And we’ll take home the gold

My anticipation is growing, as my partner fights the bit
I drop my hands and it seems by horse’s hoooves,
the ground is never hit
He loves to run and sometimes I think he swears if
You’re not making dust you’re eating it
Around the first barrel we fly
As if my companion doesn’t even have to try

Now to the second with my trusted steed
we soar down and around at full speed
Only one more left and his motivation more stern
He knows there’s only one more job to do;
Turn and Burn