"THE
MUSICAL RIDE"
Thirty-two horses and thirty-two
men
carry the Maple Leaf;
Red coats and stetsons for riders alike;
shining-black horses beneath.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
have horses surpassing all others;
In perfect precision, the well-groomed steeds
perform for crowds of horse-lovers.
Heads held high - they know they
are special
and obey their rider's commands;
Feet lifted high, filing this way and that,
as the crowd is clapping their hands.
Each horse is in step, all figures
perfected -
intricate mazes they do;
The Mounties sit high, proud of their mounts -
they know their friends through and through.
"The Musical Ride" is
a cavalry drill
performed by our R.C.M.P.
The horses they ride are "Mounties", too,
and belong there like 'he' or 'she'.
Timing, control, and co-ordination
-
We are awed by their canter or trot;
This masterful drama has captured our hearts
and the music is really hot.
Canada is proud of her Mounties
in red -
their eyes never blink or waver;
But when they sit on 'one of their own'
it is obvious a privilege they savour.
From May through October, they
travel our land,
performing "The Musical Ride";
Canada's Maple Leaf leads the way
and the crowds wave their flags with pride.
"Oh, Canada!"
Joan Adams Burchell
(copyright)
(written July 11, 2003)
