Horse!

[mijan]

I just wanted to introduce you to my horse, Champ.  

He's 16 hands high (that's very tall for a Quarterhorse), and is an absolutely darling horse with a playful personality, and a definite desire to please.  He also LOVES the snow.  I swear, he just likes to frolic.  We get to the field, and he can't wait to get into the snow, which in most places, comes up past his knees and hocks.  He's also got the most gorgeous tail, but my sister decided to braid it today, so you can't even see how nice it is.  Oh, and the sun was in our eyes... he normally doesn't look quite that sleepy.  LOL.  Trust me, I'll be taking lots more pictures, so you'll get to see better.  I can't wait until summer when he sheds his shaggy winter coat, and you can see how shiny his summer coat is.  :D

I also have a video that my sister took of me riding.  It's kinda shakey, and my sister had the sun behind me, instead of behind her when she positioned herself (silly person), but you can certainly see us gallop past. This is the video:  http://members.cox.net/phoenixsong/potterart/Champ_Gallop.AVI  (Be patient... it takes a moment to load.)

I'll hopefully have more videos and pictures soon. 

Comments

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Yes, the riding area makes a HUGE difference in how well you enjoy your riding. Lately, I've been avoiding the actual riding arena because of the bitch who owns the place, and have been going down to this whole open field. Gorgeous, snow-covered field. It's great exercise for Champie.

And yes, Harry is a Quarterhorse. Registered stud with a pedigree that goes way back... but he DOES look like a show-pony. He's well-muscled, but he's got a strangely dainty look to him. Thing is, he's BARELY larger than a pony. I think he's 14-3, MAYBE almost 15 hands, but no taller. So, sadly, he couldn't compete in the pony classes. But DAMN, if he could... he's so wonderful. I STILL WANT HIM! *cries* *sobs* *has severe envy* I need a better picture of him, but I had the hardest time getting him to stand back and pose last summer... he kept coming towards me to get petted. So, I ended up throwing him some hay, and I managed to snap a picture while he was chewing a mouthful there.

As far as calling him Harry... did you notice the little white mark on his forehead? ;)

Oh, and now, you're making me want to ride an Irish Draft. They're not so common around here, sadly, although I've SEEN one, I've never ridden one. I can't wait to see those pics when you finally get them... no pressure of course. :D

~P

[annephoenix.livejournal.com]

Not Monarch, the Irish draft (I'll to remember to take the digicam when I go see him next week). This is Sarastro (stable name Rambo), my Camargue stallion. His young days are long gone, and he's retired (and has lost all his gorgeous stallion muscle with age) in the mountains in France now. I miss him so much, but I believe he's never been happier... frolicking freedom, field friends, food, fun and f*cking! (He's not fertilising though, thank Merlin)... alliterative garbage ;-)

Sorry about the slight blur (the picture is from a really nasty yard with awful installations *and* and unfriendly owner. However, it's the only place that will let me use their sand-school to evaluate Rambo's arthritis twice a year. He's 21 years old on this photo)



So will you get to see Harry again? He's got the opposite head to my boy... and to an Irish draft for that matter. They are so massive! A lot of horse for little humans to manage!

Take care,
...

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Beautiful horse! And wait a minute... you've actually ridden one of the renouned white horses of Camargue? *blinks* I've only seen pictures. *is EXTREMELY jealous* Even though he's old, you can still see that he has an excellent shape, and is still quite healthy. And just because he's not fertilizing doesn't mean he can't enjoy the sex. He's just Sunkist... all juice, no seeds. (In case you're not familiar with Sunkist, it's a brand of citrus fruit, known for its great seedless naval oranges.) LOL.

From what I know, Irish Draft horses range from 15 hands to 17 hands. 15 isn't very large, but how tall was yours? And I know they're supposed to be quite strong.

Anyhow, I'm heading down to go riding today... I'll try to get some more pictures. Also, wish me luck... I'm having to face the evil bitch-woman of the farm today. *le sigh*

~P

[annephoenix.livejournal.com]

Camargue horses quite popular in France, so there's no shortage over there. Rambo came from a breeder, but lots of hacking/leisure horses are pretty much wild raised. They make fantastic TREC horses. Rambo is just under 15h.

The Irish draft (Monarch, who belongs to a friend here in Edinburgh) is quite massive. He makes any rider look small, but I'm not a very big person to begin with *lol*. I'd estimate him at a healthy 18h, but I could be overestimating, because there's just so much of him.

Hope you have fun riding this weekend! I am assaulting by deadlines, now that I've decided to leave Edinburgh in a month. The most important is to draft a letter to my landlord to end the tenancy. He's scary, and Glaswegian, and I can't understand a word he ever says to me! So no time off here :(

Anne

[mijan.livejournal.com]

That's true... they're from France, so of course they'd be comparatively common there... I've just never seen one around here. LOL.

I saw a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross yesterday. That horse was bloody enormous. She said he was only 16-2, but he just looked so massive... sleek muscle, and a huge head (from the Percheron side). Beautiful though.

I know all about deadlines. Go deal with RL, and I'll talk to you soon enough. I had my mother take a vid of me riding yesterday, but the woman doesn't understand the concept of a ZOOM button... so you can't even see me. I wasn't pleased, but oh well. Can't have everything. :p

*hugs*