I bet you can recite at least a few phrases from the work of Robert Burns, the Scottish poet after whom the town of Burns, Oregon was named, An early settler, George McGowan proposed the name of his favorite poet in opposition to a rival merchant, who wanted to name it after himself. The town has in turn leant its name to the Burns Corrals where the BLM holds gathered mustangs, including the ones offered in this month's Online Auction.

In Scotland and other areas the Scottish have infested, January 25th is celebrated as Burns Night, and the consumption of a Haggis pudding is required. If you aren't familiar with this dish, let's just say it doesn't always translate well to cultures not accustomed to consuming all parts of the sheep.

The other key tradition is to recite some of his poetry while appropriately lubricating the vocal cords. Robert Burns was proud of his Scottish heritage and wrote voluminously about his native land, both in dialect and in plain English – often a mixture of both, as in Auld Lang Syne – see, you do know his work…

I did a little digging to see what Robert Burns had written on the subject of horses.

I found the following extract from a letter to James Smith on June 30, 1787:

"By came a Highlandman at the gallop on a tolerably good horse, but which had never known the ornaments of iron or leather. We scorned to be out-galloped by a Highlandman, so off we started, whip and spur. My companions, though seemingly gaily mounted, fell sadly astern; but my oold mare, Jenny Geddes, one of the Rosinate family, strained past the Highland man in spite of all his efforts with the hair halter; just as I was passing him, Donal wheeled his horse, as if to cross before me to mar my progress, when down came his horse, and threw his rider's breekless a-e in a clipt hedge; and down came Jenny Geddes over all, and my Bardship between her and the Highlandman's horse. Jenny Geddes trode over me with such cautious reverence that matters were not so bad as might well have been expected; so I came off with a few cuts and bruises, and a thorough resolution to be a pattern of sobriety of the future."

Incidentally, the mare's name, Jenny Geddes, was the name of the woman who allegedly threw a stool at the Bishop of Edinburgh in St Giles Cathedral when he tried to force the congregation to use the English Book of Common Prayer in 1687.

Interesting that Burns mentions a "hair halter" and says the horse had "never known the ornaments of iron or leather." Sounds like the Highlandman would have been right at home gentling a mustang. As for "breekless a-e," well, I think since Braveheart that aspect of Highland garb is familiar to most people! A good incentive not to fall off.

If it is actual poetry you require, a race against supernatural forces can be found in the poem Tam O'Shanter. This is a favorite on Burns Night – you can listen to a recorded version.

Don't forget the whiskey!