! ! Horses For Courses

See them at the starting-gate: impatient horses tossing their bridled heads, rearing, backing, snorting; silk-bright riders patient; how have they attained this race? they’ve shared a fortitude, horse and rider together: out at dawn in all weathers, focussed, thundering down and round the beaten, scuffed-soil track; never a slack training session; they share – without a common language save that of the heart – their discipline; share that rare sense of unity once forged in battle, now in peaceful excellence; ‘they’re off! ’ – the race begun; all around, the watchers shouting, jumping, waving race-cards; the rider, in the camera’s eye, so calm; invisibly controlling; amidst all this excited noise, they are the quietest; amidst all this galloping, they are the stillest in their mind; yet who knows a horse’s mind, to say what’s patiently endured, the daily training, bridle, bit and whip; or what’s sheer exultation for a horse? or where the discipline and freedom meet? who knows what may be horse’s sheer contentment? knows what contentment may exceed that of horse being horse? … as rider knows, that, win or lose, he’s done his best, for himself and for the horse.. what do horse and rider share between themselves, that’s never spoken? For, see: each, a clear and shining eye..