By Kailey Wessel
March 2016
Arabian horses have been getting plenty of attention in the news and social media lately! The first was Lady Gaga, if you can believe it! Like all of us, even this extravagant celebrity was wishing for a “pony” for Christmas, and her wish finally came true when she received a beautiful Arabian mare from her record label! She has since posted a multitude of pictures on her social media pages, adoring her Arabian!
Shortly after Lady Gaga’s passion for Arabians was revealed, another Arabian horse took the spotlight on national news and television. The most respected horse in all of America is a part of our wonderful breed, you know who I’m talking about; Thunder, from the Denver Broncos! Thunder made his appearances to steal the hearts of people all over the country on Good Morning America as well as leading the Denver Bronco’s out onto the field at the Superbowl! He made an appearance at my barn, Reno-Tahoe Equestrian Centre on the way to Levi Stadium, and was greeted by over 40 people, bouncing in their boots at the chance to meet our Arabian celebrity!
Another well-known celebrity involved in the Arabian horse community is… I’ll give you a hint: tall, brown hair, and famous for the movie Dirty Dancing… That’s right, Patrick Swayze! Surprisingly, Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi, were both horse enthusiasts growing up; and, shortly after they married, they bought their first Arabian horse. And get this, in his first year of showing the western pleasure horse, he received a Regional Top 5 and a National Top 10! Not only did Swayze own multiple Arabian show horses but he also owned a few non-Arabian trail horses to enjoy when he was not acting or showing. Sadly this Arabian enthusiast’s life was cut short when he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in 2009, but his last days were spent surrounded by his loving, beautiful horses. You may not be a renowned singer or actor, and you may never get to ride at the Superbowl, but always remember this: to your horse, you will always be the most exciting, caring, and famous person they’ll ever meet. Now, do me a favor, and go give your Arabian horse a hug! Until next time, About the Author Kailey Wessel is the current Region 3 Youth Director
