I don’t mind so much that there is a horse crossing; it is actually a refreshing break during the day to see such powerful and beautiful creatures walking around our city.

My problem is two-fold.

First, it seems to me as though the riders direct the horses to go as slow as they possibly can as they lumber across the road. Aren’t these professional thoroughbreds? How about you pick up the pace a little? Let us see what those beauties are capable of doing! It will save us all time during the day; the horses will get back to the shade of their stables quicker, the riders can get a nice chilled drink sooner, and the rest of us can get to our appointments and meetings on time. And, I won’t feel like I am missing out on anything at the track if I could see them in action every single day.

My second issue is the distance between the crossing horses. Just when I think the the traffic guard is going to let me through, he indicates there’s a horse coming. Turns out that horse is nearly a quarter-mile away and will arrive in approximately five minutes, meanwhile, cars just keep backing up behind me.

Often, it seems as though the standing rule is the horses must cross single file with at least 500 feet before the next horse enters the road. My recommendation is that the riders wait in a group, and all cross at the same time. This seems like a reasonable request and it seems very economical for everyone involved. At the very least, the horses will get to hang out with their peers for a few minutes and chomp at their bits; horses need some social time, too.

But if suggestion No. 2 isn’t possible, at least enforce suggestion No. 1, especially for the stragglers in the back of the pack. Or, if that’s not possible, let a car or two go in between the stragglers... at least there’s some movement that way.

Aside from that, I am thrilled we’re in the midst of the racing season. There is no better sound than Sam the Bugler blowing “Call to the Post.”

One last thought... How about building an overpass? I imagine the horses would enjoy the view and they wouldn’t get spooked by any cars. If an overpass would be too steep of an incline, add an escalator. Now that would be a sight!