A Horse is a Horse, Of Course

Photos by Pat Thoms

Though most of the large ranches that helped make Scottsdale "The West's Most Western Town" are now gone, never fear, anxious horse owners and horseback riding students have many smaller ranches to choose from in my neighborhood alone.  In addition to Arabian Horse facilities near Cactus and 96th Street, horse enthusiasts have Camelot Farm, Smoke Tree Ranch, Herrick Stables, Bridleway Stables, Jeffrey Wilm's Training, Guzzo/Rivera Arabians and Cactus Rose Ranch.  Strolling along one "country" block, you can see young girls dressed up in their English riding gear with hunt cap and jodhpurs, watch someone ride a horse through a steeplechase, or see more traditional Western horseback riding.  Never leave the house without a bag or two of carrots.  The middle picture is of an Arabian colt that we had the chance to see right after it was born, with this picture taken on day three.  We called him "Little Boy" until he was named.   Every day, we would check in on him as his first month was not an easy one.  Now that Barrett-Jackson and the Phoenix Open are over, it's time to start planning for the 58th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show Feb. 14-24, 2013 at WestWorld.  I love Scottsdale's horse culture.  (Other horsey blogs: Feb. 19, July 16, Oct. 11 and 19, and Jan. 26.)