Allied Equine

I’m still buzzing today at the end of yet another fantastic Melbourne Cup week. In fact, everyone you meet and talk to at the moment has an air of excitment, positivity, inspiration and jubilation. It’s actually quite surreal.  Of course, the combination of Obama winning the US elections (which I have to admit is very relevant to the rest of the world), and the Melbourne Cup carnival has set of a wave of excitment across the country.

This is what I love about horses, and Melbourne Cup week proves it even for the most hardened anti-equines. Everybody in the country gets involved, has a punt or two, and roars the house down as they charge down the home staight in the cup. And it wasn’t all about the races either. Australia’s silver medal winning eventing team from the Beijing Olympics were there, on their horses, parading the cup before the race and signing autographs.

This week changes peoples lives. I’m not a gambler, but I read today that a battling farmers wife in the drought stricken Riverland won over $500,000 in the cup after selecting the first four place getters, with a $10 bet. One of my students won $600 in her workplace sweep. 

Of course, I just love it for the horses, and I’m in awe.

This is what a life with horses is all about, it makes you feel great. Some say it’s an obsession, some say it’s a disease. When my body finally tells me I can’t ride anymore, who knows, I just might get my trainers license and dream of getting myself one of those cups.

Obama may have changed the world for the better, but horses do it for me, and millions of others around the world every day.