Tanya Writes About Horse Songs...if only they could sing

Well, what cowboy-loving person doesn’t love a horse? In homage to Cowboy Month at the Wild Rose Press, here’s a list of classic and modern songs about those magnificent mounts.

All the Pretty Little Ponies from Flicka

"Blacks and bays
Dapples and grays,
Running in the night.
When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little ponies."

This pretty song is actually a children’s lullaby.

Cowgirls Don't Cry by Brooks and Dunn (with Reba McEntire)

"Cowgirls don't cry.
Ride, baby, ride.
Lessons in life are going to show you in time;
Soon enough, you're gonna know why.
It's gonna hurt every now and then.
If you fall, get back on again.
Cowgirls don't cry."

Seeing these three performers (all favorites of mine) sing this song at a recent concert totally rocked. It’s a good reminder to me to "Cowgirl Up" when I get into one of my big-baby moods.

Get Off My Back from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, 2002

"Get off of my back and into my game.
Get out of my way, 'cause I'm wild and untamed.
Get out of my face, or give it your best shot.
I think it's time you better face the fact -
Get off of my back."

This animated motion picture exemplified a spirited stallions defiance against cowboys attempting to saddle him to carry a rider.


Happy Trails by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers

"Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again.
Happy trails to you,
Keep smilin' until then."

No more needs to be said about this one.


Wildfire by Michael Martin Murphey

"On Wildfire we're gonna ride -
Gonna leave sodbustin' behind.
Get these hard times right on out of our minds,
Riding Wildfire."

Michael Martin Murphey is known as the "cowboy minstrel."

Wild Horses by Natasha Beningfield

"All I want is the wind in my hair,
To face the fear but, not feel scared.
Wild horses, I wanna be like you,
Throwing caution to the wind.
I'll run free too.
Wish I could recklessly love, like I'm longing to.
I wanna run with the wild horses, run with the wild horses."

Some more to get off iTunes:

"Back in the Saddle Again," by Gene Autry

"Beer for My Horses," by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson

"Good Ride, Cowboy," by Garth Brooks

"Horse with No Name," by America

"How 'bout Them Cowgirls," by George Strait

"Let That Pony Run," by Pam Tillis

"My Rifle, My Pony and Me," by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson

"No Reins," by Rascal Flatts

"The Old Grey Mare (Just Ain't What She Used to Be)"

"Ride," by Martina McBride

"Rodeo," by Garth Brooks

"White Horse," by Taylor Swift

"Wild Horses," by Garth Brooks

Thanks for joining me today. Well, tonight. I’ve got Wild Horses galloping through my brain…although maybe I ought to try for that Flicka lullaby. It’s late.

Or early. Depends on how you define 1 a.m.

(Sincere thanks to Linda Ann Nickerson.)