I’m not really a horse person. I feel badly that horses are forced to haul around heifers like me for the purpose of our recreation. They always seem so sad.

Anyway, in spite of my horse apathy I‘ve found myself attempting to “ride” a horse once or twice in my life. A few years ago I agreed to go on a 4-hour ride over the coastal mountains of Marin, and along the beach. Sounds like fun if you’re a “horse person” but for me it was absolute hell. I literally prayed (and I ain’t a church goer) for the entire 4 hours. After the ride my legs seized up so badly that I couldn’t get up from the dinner table. No shit. My mother had to come over, help me up and lean me against the wall so I wouldn’t fall over. Another time I hopped on the back of some poor weather-beaten horse while on vacation in Mexico. Some how I managed to spook the creature, who then knocked the 10-year-old Mexican attendant up against the fence like he was a rag doll.  I don’t plan to get on another horse. Been there done that, moving on now.

Sunday night on 60 Minutes there was a segment on a horse named Zenyatta. If you don’t follow horseracing you’ve probably never heard of her. Zenyatta is the greatest filly in horse racing history and is the most accomplished female athlete of our time. She is a queen in the sport of kings.

Zenyatta’s racing style was to start the race in the back of the pack and then as she came down the final stretch she’d fire off her rockets and pass all the other horses. They say, “She let the boys eat her dust.” Her style was graceful, kind and driven. It’s been said that she would only go fast enough to beat the boys not humiliate them. Zenyatta’s drink of choice, Guinness. No kidding, she’d have a drink with her trainer most evenings.

Zenyatta is the sort of creature I aspire to be. Watch the video even if you aren’t into horses. It’s kind of heart warming.