Patrick Swayze – The Horseman

Many of us remember Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing and with Demi Moore in Ghost. But the image that came to my mind, on hearing of his unfortunate death due to pancreatic cancer, was Swayze astride his beloved Arabian stallion Tammen. I remember his cover on one of the Arabian horse magazines (maybe someone can remind me which one) several years ago.  Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi raised Egyptian Arabians on their ranch in California. He and his horses were often seen in show rings across the states. I came across this YouTube.com video taken at the Kentucky Horse Park, with Swayze deftly handling a youngster in a  line class. An article by Von Robert Woodward describes Swayze's passion for his horses and why he was smitten particularly with Egyptian Arabians. I also found an interesting blog post where an Arabian breeder shares her impressions of Swayze, his battle with cancer, and his horses, and his interview last winter with Barbara Walters. Tributes are being aired over the next few days and you can find a few listed on his fan club page. Whether we remember him on the silver screen, on the dance floor, or with his beloved horses, Patrick Swayze will be missed.