New York, NY (Top40 Charts) People who are into their horses tend to take their passion to whole other levels, as the animals become as much a part of their family as a dog or an elderly relative does.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that plenty of songs have been recorded in honor of man's favorite long noses.
Here are some of the greatest tracks ever recorded about these majestic beasts that through the ages have beguiled everyone from Mongol warriors to Roman emperors.
Run for the Roses - Dan Fogelberg
There are plenty of classic tunes that harness the beauty of horses, but there are few songs which embody what it means to be an equestrian.
Anyone who has ever visited the famous Kentucky Derby will have heard the dulcet tones of country warbler Dan Fogelberg as he belts out Run for the Roses, with people taking a moment, from choosing how to place their bets and sip their mint juleps, to listen in.
The song is now played on a regular basis at the Derby, where one of the race's traditions is to award the winning horse and jockey with 554 red roses. Another such tradition is to place a parley bet before all the day's prelim race action gets underway, which means that a few lucky punters come up smelling of roses almost as much as the Derby winner, especially if they took advantage of the free bets available online via their mobile phones.
Despite all the technological advances and enhancements that racetracks have seen over the years it is good to see that some traditions have stood the course of time.
Tennessee Stud&Ghost Riders in the Sky- Johnny CashÂ
No other singer-songwriter has managed to capture the American zeitgeist like Johnny Cash, with him being just as a beloved figure in US coastal hubs as he is inland in the prairies and backwater communities.
Over Cash's illustrious career he penned a number of songs that were either directly about particular horses or which at least featured the animals in some way.
Tennessee Stud was one of the former, with Cash waxing lyrical about a jet black Tennessee stud that got him through some hard times.
Then, of course, there is Ghost Riders in the Sky, a song which is a more metaphor-ridden ditty, but which captures the spirit of horses none the less.
Chestnut Mare - The Byrds
There are many ways this song can be construed, with one being that The Byrds are indeed tracking a Chestnut Mare through the wild west, and another being that the mare in question is in fact a human filly that caught the band's eye.
Either way, this is a truly beautiful song and it certainly captures many of the emotions that stir in people when they spot a wild horse in full flight.
Horses in My Dreams - PJ Harvey
For this one it certainly helps to have the music video to hand, as it is a dreamscape for equestrians everywhere.
Close your eyes and let the uber talented PJ Harvey's poetic lyrics wash over you, as your imagination conjures mirages of horses galloping through sand dunes and crashing waves.
Chasin' Wild Horses - Bruce Springsteen
Last but by no means least comes The Boss, with one of his more modern hits called Chasin' Wild Horses. Backed by a soaring orchestra and given meat on the bone by Springsteen's unique voice, this is one stallion of a song that shows no sign of slowing down.
