Howdy Y’All!
It seems that December is the month for celebrating, and at Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry, that’s what we’ll do. First and foremost it’s remembering the birth of Christ. For some of us, it’s a time for new beginnings. And for the horse people in our midst, it’s also having a designated day especially for our horses. When folks leave our midst, we have a service honoring their life. Indeed it’s being grateful for what was, and what is.
In our family, December might as well be called, “Merry Birthday!” because there are so many of them. My two sisters and I were born exactly a week before Christmas, the day before Christmas and the day after Christmas (although not all in the same year!) One of those birthdays is a big one this year (and just so you know, it isn’t mine.) My granddaughter was a “Sember” baby and my son-in-law was born on Christmas Day; his name even matches the day of his birth (Noel.) Gift shopping? We just get a year’s worth done in one month.
Congratulations!!
Grandson Tyler and his girlfriend Jessie went to Mexico, and that’s where Tyler got down on one knee and proposed. Yes, they are engaged and we’re excited to officially welcome Jessie into our family in 2025.
The Goat Family
Tyler and Jessie have been busy preparing for their ‘kids’ arrival: building fences, trenching water to the shelter and installing a drinking post, a goat waterer that doesn’t freeze in winter. Just before going on their engagement holiday, their four darlings arrived. They are yearlings, so we’re not sure if they’re still called kids or whether they are doelings, but one thing is certain; they’re cute.
The first thing they had to learn was how to push the lever to drink. Ginger, the one with the most red, was the first to learn how. It didn’t take long to recognize their distinct characters. Ginger, the friendliest one, is best friends with Marj, the one with less red and white. Dorris, with the black head, is the most timid, and blonde-faced Sunny is the most adventurous and tends to be a daredevil. Tyler and Jessie had a great holiday, but they also looked forward to coming home to get to know their ‘kids’ better.
Newsflash: OUR AGM MEETING
Its that time of year, time for our AGM:
Monday, January 27th, 2025
Bob and Betsy will be greeting folks and they have some exciting news to share!!!
Medicine Hat Public Library
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Western Entertainment
Everyone is welcome!
Snacks, even steerhead and oxtail spudnuts
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. AGM Meeting
Members are encourage to attend
Zoom attendance available, request an invite by calling 403-529-6384
December 13th, Day of the Horse
We don’t need a specific date on the calendar to celebrate the horse, however certain dates have been set aside to do so. December 13th is the official date in United States. Canada’s National Horse Day is the 1st Saturday of June, and then we also have “I Love Horses Day” on July 15th. Horses have been part of our human history for centuries, and are still an important part of many people’s lives today.
Here are some stats:
| Q: How many domestic horses in Canada? | A: 500,000 |
| Q: How many wild or feral horses? | A: 2000, mostly in Alberta and British Columbia |
| Q: Which province has the most registered horses? | A: Alberta, 37% of all the horses in Canada |
| Q: Where is the oldest herd of wild/feral horses? | A: Sable Island, an island in the Atlantic |
We celebrate the various breeds:
| Q: Which horse is the most Canadian? | A: The Canadian Horse. They are most commonly seen in images with the Mounties. |
| Q: Is there a Medicine Hat horse? | A: Yes, there is a Medicine Hat Horse. And it has an indigenous history just as Medicine Hat has. Read about the Medicine Hat horse in the September 2020 Newsletter. |
| Q: What is the most popular breed in North America? | A: The Quarter Horse. Rodeo sports like barrel racing, calf and team roping commonly use quarter horses or a Quarter horse/Thoroughbred cross also known as an “Appendix”. Our website banner picture features a 16.2 hands high Appendix gelding named, Cash (registered name, “LW Leo Three”). |
| Q: What is the second most popular breed? | A: The Thoroughbred. Thoroughbreds are commonly known as the race horse breed. Our December 2022 Newsletter featured Queen Elizabeth riding “Burmese”, a thoroughbred-Hanoverian cross and a gift from RCMP in Saskatchewan. |
| Q: What is the most common draft or heavy horse? Is it the Percheron or the Belgian? | A: Glen Bischoff would argue it’s the Clydesdale. Read about “Joe” and “Wally” in our Newsletter archive June 2021 Newsletter |
We’ve also celebrated these horses from our MHCP archives:
- Curlies in the March 2021 newsletter
- Hackneys in the September 2021 newsletter
- Shetlands in the December 2021 newsletter
- Pit Ponies in the September 2022 newsletter
- Mr. Key, the most intelligent horse in March 2022 newsletter
Haflingers:
Have you heard of this breed? An 82-year-old brought his team of Haflingers to the Canadian Western Agribition held in Regina, Saskatchewan, the last week of November. Gordon Frentz from Grande Prairie came 1,200km through a blinding blizzard to compete in the chore team competition, his first major one.
Haflingers are chestnut colored with a white or flaxen mane, much smaller in size than the Clydesdale (14hh). It was amazing to have them pull a weight in the competition that is 1200 pounds, heavier than one of them! Dunmore Equestrian has hosted heavy horse competitions since 2020. Glenn Bischoff will be there with his team.
Holiday Eating Advice
- Never eat more than your horse can carry
- Always wear a tie the color of the main course
- Keep your words gentle, you may have to eat them
- Don’t worry about biting off more than you can chew, your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger than you think
- Don’t let your dog eat garlic or his bark will really be worse than his bite
- Never cuss the cook; it’s as risky as branding a mule’s tail
A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer
As the Christmas season approaches, our joys are somewhat dampened by what we see and hear on the news. We cannot help but feel sad about the raging wars that pollute the air we all breathe and we grieve for the women, children and men that lose their lives or live in fear, without enough food and water or a house to come back to. In the news we see folks rallying for freedom in their land. This poem puts some of those thoughts to rhyme.
It was written by S. Omar Baker. We can assume he was quite a character being he used his brand as his signature: Lazy SOB. This poem brings out his serious side. It has been reprinted more than a hundred times in magazines and Christmas cards. Thanks to his estate for placing it in the public domain in December, 2013. (Go ahead, read it aloud. After all, cowboy poetry is an oral tradition.)
A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer
I ain't much good at prayin' and you may not know me, Lord,
For I ain't much seen in churches where they preach Thy Holy Word,
But you may have observed me out here on the lonely plains,
A lookin' after cattle, feelin' thankful when it rains.
Admirin' Thy great handiwork, the miracle of grass,
Aware of Thy kind Spirit in the way it comes to pass__
That hired men on horseback and the livestock that we tend
Can look up at the stars at night, and know we've got a Friend.
So here's ol' Christmas comin' on, remindin' us again
Of Him whose coming brought good will into the hearts of men.
A cowboy ain't a preacher, Lord, but if You'll hear my prayer,
I'll ask as good as we have got for all men everywhere.
Don't let no hearts be bitter, Lord. Don't let no child be cold.
Make easy the beds for them that's sick and them that's weak and old.
Let kindness bless the trail we ride, no matter what we're after,
And sorter keep us on Your side in tears as well as laughter.
I've seen ol' cows a-starvin' -and it ain't no happy sight,
Please don't leave no one hungry Lord, on Thy good Christmas Night.
No man, no child, no woman, and no critter on four feet,
I'll do my doggone best to help you find 'em chuck to eat.
I'm just a sinful cowpoke, Lord -ain't got no business prayin',
But still I hope you'll ketch a word or two of what I'm sayin',
We speak of Merry Christmas, Lord -I reckon You'll agree-
There ain't no Merry Christmas for nobody that ain't free!
So one thing more I ask You, Lord, just help us what You can,
To save some seeds of freedom for the future Sons of Man!
Remembering Helen Hoszouski, nee Forbes
We grieve the loss of Helen, who died just short of her 101st birthday, her brother Harry lived to age 104. MHCP is honoured to have shared some of her stories on our website “Harry Forbes Remembers”.
She lived in Red Deer, as does her daughter, Joy, who phoned to let us know, and who noted she’d like to continue receiving our newsletter.
Helen was not only an author, but a seamstress and a poet. Check out one of her poems as well as another of her contributions to Harry’s books, “Clothing in the 1920’s and
1930’s, Part One”.
(By the way, in April 2024, the world’s oldest man died at age of 112.)
Western Wisdom
- Freedom is riding a horse, so ride you must.
- A horseback ride is a simple solution to some of the world’s most complicated problems.
- Every ride is a little holiday.
Holiday greetings from all of us at MHCP,
Take care,
Jen
