Cool. I ride Western, too.   Like you, I can ride English, but don't like it.  

Ride your horse to class?  Every day?  Where was that?

We'd occasionally ride out to a small country "cafe" or restaurant.  It was cool to tie up our horses while we ate or snacked at an outdoor table, then ride off into the sunset.  

Sometimes, though, the embassies would get together and we'd ride out to a picnic.   It was a sight to see 50 or 60 horses/riders galloping across the plain.  Looked like an old western movie....except they all rode English...   ;^>

Canada can have all the illegals they so desire. I'm sure they would welcome them with open arms. I don't know what kind of laws they have on illegal immigration there, but being French and all it probably isn't much. It's too bad you have to put up with that crap in Calif. I personally could not live in Calif. But we have a big enough problem with illegals here in Atlanta, GA. Murders, rapes, deaths from DUI hit and runs. You name it....Hell they even designated certain areas in some towns around here that are for the express purpose for the illegals to have a place to "safely gather" in order to get day labor work. It's ridiculous!!

"Eventually, Socialists run out of other peoples' money..." MARGARET THATCHER

We'll leave our emotions out of it, see everything without bias. (Yes, I can do this.)

First, I've personally written in the past to the editors of the San Diego fishwrap excoriating this so-called "representation" of Mexican-American citizens; signed my name as a very irate Latin who does NOT accept La Raza. We can talk about that later. And not only do I have first-hand knowledge and experience in the border areas and in Baja; I also know parts of San Diego and Orange county in which all the billboards are in Asian script for miles. Lots of Viet, Korean and Thai neighborhoods where everybody's an immigrant.

South Central L A is where Mexicans congregate, both illegal and legal citizens. Nobody can tell me anything about this since I speak Spanish fluently, I met all those folks many times. I've had my company van swiped out of our parking lot, somebody snipped the wiring of its alarm system. A month later it turned up in Santa Rosa. Alien smugglers had removed its back seats and were vanning mojados out of Otay and San Ysidro all the way to L A and Northern Cal. I have seen it ALL.

Most illegals of necessity gravitate to ranches in Calif; and Los Angeles is crossed back & forth by streams of alien traffic. Yet, the established home making families aren't there in hordes. Sure, there's large numbers. They mix with their legal cousins. Anglo-Americans have no way of distinguishing the bad ones from the citizenry, who also speak Spanish every day. However, they're just as skilled in English. ALL their children speak English.

I've been friends with many illegal Mexicans, dating back to New Mexico in the 1950s. I know their personal agendas, and all their modus operandi; as if it were my own. (I'm a native-born Spanish American; not Mexican.) I've helped one family, back when an amnesty was granted; by obtaining them proof of residence so they could apply. I'm not ashamed of it; these were terrific people. They were really very conservative. They worked hard; became excellent American citizens.

The one certainty i was able to gather from this long experience is that a fence does no good. Illegals know all the dodges, they've been at this back and forth trafficking since pre-World War II days. Nothing stops them if they're determined.

However, one more thing always impressed me about them. Many stayed for just a few years; and invariably went home to their beloved Mexico. Some take root here; but a great number are always homesick. Do they love their own country? You better believe it. A good 30% of these Mexicans return to their land as soon as they get up a stake, and go start a little business in their home towns. Their kids sometimes go with them. Mexico allows them dual citizenship if they apply before some specified age.

They DO NOT intend in any way, to replace our heritage. Whoever sounds that note is either a wishful thinker (La Raza) or a devious liar. Usually it's somebody allied with shady Democrat politicians.

Everybody knows Democrats pander to all our minorities. --Ironically, it's the Democrats who call you and me extremely racist and bigoted. Here you are, calling THEM that. In many cases we seem to substantiate the charge; but by and large we aren't racists. I know I'm not.