"Riley" Riley by Maria250

Dan Casement, a farmer, stockman and poet. He's the fiery and uncompromising American, formidable adversary, ardent lover of horses, tolerant friend, and compassionate companion. Dan Casement favored the stocky, well-muscled, short-eared horse. His vision of the ideal horse was unaltered. Fifty years later, time has proved that the only thing wrong with his horse Hill Billy is that he was years ahead of his time. In his early twenties he had a rather rare opportunity to observe U.S. Cavalry horses at Ft. Riley, Kansas. He had tried to join the U.S. Cavalry. But they wanted him in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He never missed an opportunity to study horses. He sat on the curb every morning and watched the mounted columns of four marching down the street for two hours. In the afternoons and evenings he toured every barn and judged every horse in the stalls. At that time there were 5.000 horses and mules at the Fort. They were his favorites. Because the Cavalry selected for the athletic, easy-riding horse with good temperaments.

On August 4th of 1941 of that year Dan Casement joined the Army Air Corps and stayed with that outfit until October 15, 1945, a few months following the end of World War II. During that span of over four years, he lost touch with the civilian world. Also, he lost touch with the world of horses.

He then proceeded to learn about the sport and to see how his horse could perform by entering Hill Billy in the first cutting horse contest held at The American Royal in Kansas. He never, ever, saw one of these contests before in his life. That meant he was on his own. A slim Texas cowboy on a short heavily-muscled brown horse was assigned to haze for him. Hill Billy and him were going great guns.

Kansas

The flight I've been on, was a precious getaway to Riley, wasn't a hop but an extra ordinary hour of being in the sky. And it was like running down memory lane while over flying the Kansas side of the Missouri River. Kansas is blessed with miles and miles of fall-brownish, plain pastures, probably lawns in summer time. It doesn't look all that flat. It also doesn't look much of the Wild West roots. Riley is base to the 1st Inf Div.

I took a walk around the world to ease my mind. I left my body laying somewhere on the sands of time. After all I knew it had to be something to do with you. I really don't mind what happens now and then as long as you'll be my friend at the end
-Three Doors Down

Kansas

As the plane was touching down
all I could think about was Monday
And maybe I'll be back around
You've got to understand it's hard life
that I'm going through
When the night falls in around me
I'll use your light to guide the way
Cause all I think about is you
-Three Doors Down

• Pros:Country and plain prairies.
• Cons:Can't think of any.
• In a nutshell:One might take a truck, one might take a plane, no matter how one gets to Riley, one will enjoy it just the same.