So, I've been thinking about zebra lately. I don't remember what started it a week or so ago, but I had gotten out my zoology dictionary and looked up the scientific names (for the previous entry). And being ever more curious, I looked it up on the 'Net, yesterday.

And discovered my dictionary sucks. Big time. "E. zebra is the common African zebra" my book says. From the 'Net, Equus zebra is actually the Mountain zebra, wide stripes but with a dewlap on the throat. Equus burchelli is the common or Plains zebra, also wide stripes. And E. grevy is the zebra with the thin stripes.

So anyway, I'm thinking about how much my dictionary sucks, and then I start wondering about E. caballus.

I wish I had a horse. But horses are expensive. Even renting a horse for a trail ride is expensive... and even tho that would be fun, that's not the kind of riding I want to do.

I would buy a horse, a gelding probably about seven or eight years old, already trained but maybe with an "edge" or two for me to smooth out. Buy an English saddle & bridle, one of those synthetic ones: no leather, no poor dead cow. I would drive to the barn every day after work (and in my dream world here, I'm earning about five times what I do now, and only working about five hours :). We would go slow the first month or two, getting used to each other and letting my muscles grow again.

Sometimes I miss my muscles. I know I am not able to ride a horse bucking and rearing all the way across the arena. That was fun. But I know what kind of work it was to get that strong. sighs.

My next horse would be a Friesian. Because that's the horse on LadyHawke. And then I would get some dogs. And some of those big fancy birds. And some fish.

Instead I must content myself with staring at the horse calendar next to me. June shows a cantering Hanoverian.