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