| Can you answer the question in the title? | | | | Horses also taught me responsibility because they |
| Some fashion magazines, writers and movies will tell | | | | needed to be fed and cared for everyday morning |
| you that diamonds are a girl's best friend - but not in | | | | and night. Equipment and stables had to be taken care |
| my case and here is why… | | | | of and cleaned daily. Horses eat hay and we had farm |
| Hi, my name is Linda Shute from New Jersey, and | | | | land to raise hay. This meant harvesting. When I was in |
| here is why riding horses is one of my greatest | | | | my teens sometimes I could be found driving the |
| passions in life… | | | | tractor raking the hay fields or using the baler, other |
| As a child I think I was born with horses on my brain, | | | | times I may be on the wagon behind the baler stacking |
| they've always been in my life and very close to me in | | | | the hay for my horses. Then it would have to be |
| many ways. | | | | transferred from the hay wagon into the barn. |
| Before I was old enough to drive I was very mobile | | | | Since then I have bought, sold and raised about fifteen |
| because of my horses. | | | | horses. One of my favorites was Friday's Anthem. As |
| My uncle gave me my first pony Trotter, his color was | | | | a girl of sixteen I won the "Rookie of the Year" award |
| chocolate palomino, he had no pedigree to speak of | | | | for the "Girls Rodeo Association" Eastern Chapter. |
| just your above average pony. | | | | One of my prizes was a free stud fee to a quarter |
| Trotter was very dear to me until I out grew him. He | | | | horse stallion. I bred my mare and the colt was born on |
| would perform under saddle or in harness. I started out | | | | Good Friday. I named him Fridays' Anthem. I trained him |
| riding western because it was the most popular where | | | | for English and Western riding and showed him at local |
| I live. | | | | quarter horse shows I eventually sold him for $2500. |
| Sometimes I would ride bareback and jump over small | | | | The horse shows taught me to strive to achieve more. |
| obstacles in the yard. | | | | Observe the competition and see what they are doing, |
| Self made fences like two columns of a few baskets | | | | what does the judge like, who is being pinned higher |
| or boxes piled up with a broom across the top. Not | | | | than we are. Train your horse different get him to |
| much to look at, but creative enough for an eight year | | | | perform different or better. |
| old kid and it served my purpose besides Trotter didn't | | | | A diamond can't teach you that. |
| care what it looked like. | | | | I lived in the country and our nearest neighbor was |
| Mom wasn't to happy a few times when we | | | | about 3/4 of a mile away. |
| miscalculated and broke the broom handle then she | | | | My relationship to my Horses was the same like that |
| had to go buy new broom to sweep the floor. | | | | of a close friend. |
| Trotter took me all over, sometimes I would ride him | | | | They each have their own personalities and |
| and we would go out roaming around for four or five | | | | temperaments just like people. |
| hours we would travel ten or fifteen miles from home. | | | | They show their feelings in their eyes and ears. If |
| I would cut through farmers' fields always careful to | | | | they're having a bad day when you go to the stable |
| stay on the edge as not to harm their crops that were | | | | you may find a tail in the doorway instead of a face. |
| growing. My favorite ride in the summer was towards | | | | When you enter the stall you may find ears laid back |
| the small town of Swedesboro through the peach and | | | | on the neck instead of pricked forward you learn to |
| apple orchards. | | | | read their body language. |
| A diamond can't take me to the orchards or share a | | | | They have dreams just like we do. I remember this |
| piece of fruit with me. | | | | Standard bred race horse I was taking care of, a |
| As a small girl of eight or ten nothing was sweeter | | | | trotter named Noble Tryst. He was good enough to |
| than a fresh apple or peach eaten on top of my pony. | | | | race in The Hamiltonian. He would take a nap every |
| I would take a bite and give the rest to him, then pick | | | | afternoon he would stretch out in his stall and |
| another. I felt like the world was at my finger tips. | | | | sometimes have dreams. He looked like a big dog he |
| Trotter gave me freedom to explore the world he fed | | | | would kick his feet and make noises. You don't see |
| my sense of adventure. | | | | this very often in horses. I never saw a diamond with a |
| Sometimes I didn't feel like riding or a friend would go | | | | personality. |
| with me, since I didn't want him carrying two us for that | | | | One day when I was working on the race track I was |
| long I would hook him up to the cart and harness and | | | | standing in front of this filly and yawned. Then the filly |
| drive him. | | | | yawned, the one in the next stall yawned, and so it |
| The only way a diamond can provide freedom is if | | | | went down the length of the barn - just like people do. |
| you sell it for a high price and use the money to | | | | When you're riding or working a horse and ask for |
| escape from something. | | | | more they will give you their best and then some. How |
| How can a diamond feed your sense of adventure? | | | | do you ask a diamond for more and receive it? |
| Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like | | | | If you're having a bad day you can wrap your arms |
| diamonds. They do have a big sparkle and look nice. | | | | around your horse's neck and hang on to something |
| They can also be very expensive | | | | and they can turn their head toward you and wrap |
| As I got older I out grew Trotter and sadly had to sell | | | | you into their neck like a hug. I'd like to see a diamond |
| him for a bigger horse. | | | | do that! |
| I still remember the person that bought Trotter coming | | | | They'll listen until you're tired of talking or crying which |
| to the house to pick him up. We loaded him into the | | | | ever the case may be. |
| back of his pick-up truck and Trotter was screaming | | | | Horses can be expensive, the initial cash outlay for the |
| (whinnying) and kicking he didn't want to leave, my | | | | purchase and the ongoing upkeep. Now you can go |
| heart was being ripped out, yet I couldn't keep two | | | | out and buy a grade horse, buy that I mean your |
| animals and I needed a bigger mount. | | | | average run of the mill un-registered horse for around |
| It was a hard lesson learned. | | | | $500- $1000. |