Author: Tim Farley

Nice story.

If you’ve already heard this story re-read it again and share it with your friends;

Two Horses

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing….

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse’s halter is a small bell.
It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends,
You’ll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns
To the shelter of the barn each evening,
It stops occasionally and looks back,
Making sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses,
God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect
Or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
To help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse
Being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way….

Good friends are like that… You may not always see them, but you know they are always there..

Shackleford!!!


Shackleford wins 136th Preakness Stakes!!!
Wire to Wire!!
Flying dirt was a problem for Animal Kingdom and especially jockey John Velazquez, who told media members after the race he went through five pairs of goggles during the race. Still, he said, he through his mount had a shot at the quarter pole.
“We worked our way through, but it was a little too much to make up,” he said.

Belmont?

Any comments?

Will Animal Kingdom do it again?

He’s the favorite but can he do it?

Saturday May 21, 2011 Post time 6:18

As poet Ogden Nash wrote:

“The Derby is a race of aristocratic sleekness, for horses of birth to prove their worth to run in the Preakness.”

2011 Preakness post positions and odds:

Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Astrology Mike Smith Steve Asmussen 15-1
2 Norman Asbjornson Julian Pimentel Christopher Grove 30-1
3 King Congie Robby Albarado Tom Albertrani 20-1
4 Flashpoint Cornelio Velasquez Wesley A. Ward 20-1
5 Shackelford Jesus Castanon Dale Romans 12-1
6 Sway Away Garrett Gomez Jeff Bonde 15-1
7 Midnight Interlude Martin Garcia Bob Baffertt 15-1
8 Dance City Ramon Dominguez Todd Pletcher 12-1
9 Mucho Macho Man Rajiv Maragh Kathy Ritvo 6-1
10 Dialed In Julien Leparoux Nick Zito 9-2
11 Animal Kingdom John Velazquez Graham Motion 2-1
12 Isn’t He Perfect Edgar Prado Doodnauth Shivmangal 30-1
13 Concealed Identity Sheldon Russell Eddie Gaudet 30-1
14 Mr. Commons Victor Espinoza John Shirreffs 20-1

ATTENTION!! Rhino virus spreading

http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2011/05/20/news/doc4dd5b36b69354903034346.txt

New Mexico

Horse disease halts events
By Kelly Donahue
Beacon Staff Writer
Published Thursday, May 19, 2011 7:09 PM MDT

CIBOLA COUNTY – An outbreak of the equine disease Rhino EHV-1 has led to the cancellation of all rodeo events at the Grants Rodeo Arena.

Jamie Holton of the Grants Rodeo Association said the group took voluntary action to halt events to check the spread of the disease
According to the website: bridleandbit.com, Equine Herpesvirus is a mutant strain of the neurological variation of Rhino. There is no vaccine for it, and it is lethal.

There are multiple confirmed deaths due to EHV in Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado, Canada, Idaho and is spreading. It is believed that a horse with the virus attended the National Cutting Horse Association Western National Championship in Ogden, Utah, and has caused a massive cross contamination.

This virus is much like Herpes Simplex Type 1 in humans. In fact, often after the horse has been exposed the virus, the virus remains latent much like Herpes Simplex Type 1 in humans. The horse may not show any clinical signs at all. A major concern of researchers and vets is, that because of this latency and lack of clinical signs, an affected horse could be transmitting the disease unknowingly. Researchers believe that there is evidence that supports the observation that a more virulent strain has emerged of the neurological form of EVH-1. They believe that the strain may have mutated. Its ability to reproduce more rapidly and to create very high levels of EHV leads to death.

EHV-1 virus is spread by direct contact of one horse to another, by contaminated hands, equipment, tack, and for a brief time through the air. It is very important to make sure that the horse’s environment is kept as clean as possible. It is also imperative that horses affected by the virus be isolated from the rest of their stable mates. Quarantine is best.