Meet Arizona.
Draped in blue and yellow blankets, the 22-year-old Arabian horse was a walking billboard for the TAIL — Total Arabian Interactive Learning — program Saturday at the Silver Buckle Duel horse show.
The program held its first event in Southern Arizona at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road. During an hour-long tour of the horse show, kids and parents spoke with veterinarians, riders and others about horses and how to care for them. The free program was funded by the Southern Arizona Arabian Horse Association.
"The kids actually get to go up and touch the horses and feed them," Ken Shaver said as he led Arizona around the fairgrounds.
Shaver has been a member of the Arabian horse association for 10 years. He and his wife volunteered to help with the TAIL program and brought along their horses to participate.
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Each hour throughout the day, a new group started a tour with a volunteer for TAIL.
"The best part is getting people involved. Riding horses is so great, they learn that they don't have to be afraid of horses," said Sydney Dorman, 12, a volunteer at the event.
About 100 people came out throughout the day to participate in the program. Newcomers to horses were common and when one tour group was asked if they owned horses, no one raised a hand.
Scarlett Unruh, 12, said she has ridden horses before but does not own one. Scarlett said she enjoyed the program because it was the first time she had seen an Arabian horse.
"Being up close, that's the whole point," said Herb Unruh, Scarlett's father.
For one of the coordinators, Kathleen Landeen, the day was a success. Landeen said it was a good introduction to Arabian horses.
"These horses love kids. They are family horses," Landeen said.
The kids seemed to love the horses, too. Wearing Western hats and boots, many kids were hoisted by parents to eye level with the animals.
"Their pink cowboy hats and six-shooters and their faces are just adorable," said Carol Bratt, volunteer and an Arabian horse association board member.
