Rodney’s Saga Blog Illustrations - When I Was a Colt I Served a Term

“When I Was a Colt I Served a Term”

Tis the season for delight! Katherine Walcott just posted another of my cartoons in her blog, Rodney’s Saga,  in concert with a most delightful poem called, “When I Was a Colt I Served a Term.” This poem is a horsey-tribute to the "Sir Joseph Porter's Song" ("When I was a Lad I served a Term") from H. M. S. Pinafore written by Sir William Schwenck Gilbert.

The poem/song is so charming I’m going to re-post it here in its entirety but please do check out her blog, it’s a fabulous look at barn and horse-life from a real horse person.

I am the monarch of the field,

The ruler of the barn’s possee,

Whose praise all horsedom loudly chants.

When on sunny days I stroll,

My bosom swells with pride,

And I swish my tail hairs at the fillies’s taunts;

But when the breezes blow,

I generally go inside,

And seek the seclusion that the indoors grants;

When I was a colt I served a term

As pony boy to an racehorse barn.

I lead the stallions and I led the mares,

And I polished off the carrots that they handed me.

I polished off the carrots so carefullee

That now I am the ruler of the barn’s possee!

As pony horse I made such a mark

That they gave me the post of a lesson horse.

I walked the ring with a smile so bland,

And I vaulted all the poles with a big round trot —

I vaulted all the poles in a trot so free,

That now I am the ruler of the barn’s possee!

In carrying the kids I made such a name

That an Pony Club horse I soon became;

I wore clean sox and a brand-new saddle

For the pass examination at the academy,

And that pass examination did so well for me,

That now I am the ruler of the barn’s possee!

Of equine knowledge I acquired such a grip

That they took me into the show horse barn.

And those show horse classes, I ween,

Were the biggest jumps that I ever had seen.

But that kind of jump so suited me,

That now I am the ruler of the barn’s possee!

I won so much that I was sent

By a bunch of ribbons into championships.

I always jumped at my rider’s call,

And I never thought of stopping at the fence at all.

I jumped so high, they rewarded me

By making me the ruler of the barn’s possee!

Now horses all, whoever you may be,

If you want to rise to the top of the tree,

If your soul isn’t fettered to the pasture life,

Be careful to be guided by this golden rule —

Stick close to the rail and never run away,

And you all may be rulers of the of barn’s possee!

 
-Katherine Walcott, 12/16/12

Horse Life 17 and the Triple Crown

Crushing news came this morning that I’ll Have Another, the chestnut colt who ran to victory in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes was retired today after a tendon injury in his left front leg. I'll Have Another was truly a distance horse and the longer Belmont Stakes was made for him. Scuttlebutt on the track was that this colt had a really good shot at winning the Triple Crown. If he’d been able to do it he would have been the first horse in 34 years to win it! (The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978.) It’s a huge shame really. I think the American people could really use something like this right now. Something to get excited about.

For myself, I was so inspired by the thought of a new Triple Crown winner that this week’s “Horse Life” is dedicated to it.

I’d like to say, “I hope you enjoy the comic,” but just like my little heroine Cynthia, I can’t help but being pretty sad over the whole thing. :-(

Click here to read this week's Horse Life.