The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

99 days, and you know its the hours that will drive you nuts!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

That is Smeagol and Deagol! (I did caption it....)

Oops, my bad! I didn't see the text between the pics, sorry!

I asked about the horses because I've read that what we would consider draft horses today were used to carry knights-in-armour during the Middle Ages... they needed sturdy horses to carry that much weight! In the later pic with Aragorn fighting the Orc though, his horse does look more like a standard riding horse.

As for the girl, I'm sure the writer of that piece meant to state that Viggo was just purchasing her services... uh, to care for his new horse. ;)

[Corin Stormhands]

I don't think there was ever any doubt.

[Corin Stormhands]

The ping has taken her...

[2Jedismom]

LOL! Not really. I just have some downtime. Joshua is napping and Matt's at his co-ops. A friend took him so I am home with nothing really to do. Matt'll be home soon and I'll be working on the rest of his schoolwork with him. I'm tickled that I have time to sit here with you for a while...it's the best pictures I've seen in a long time!

[2Jedismom]

[2Jedismom]

And on the triple-six, no less!

[RosieCotton]

LOL - what timing!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I've always liked that saying! :)

[hunyb]

Ooo, ME ME ME!!!! ;0)

[RosieCotton]

There's a place around here that sells that saying as a bumper sticker, but it's kind of a witches shop and pretty weird so I've never been in there. It IS funny, though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Actually, I think he bought her a horse too, and purchased her um... services... and - oh forget it! ;~D

You are right about the large breeds required to carry the knights in armor. They did not look so much like the modern clunky Clydesdale or Belgian-type draft horse, but they were large strong riding horses of some magnificence!

Two of the ones still bred true to that style today are the Friesian (commonly seen in medieval costume in demonstrations and shows):

And of course, carrying knights to battle was the original purpose of the Lipizaner Of Spanish Riding School fame. They are bigger than they look... Large in size but still with very fine features and grace:

[RosieCotton]

Are Lipizaners the breed with that unusual kinda floaty gait?

A group that did shows with Lipizaners (I THINK that's the right breed!) came to a town near where I lived when I was little. We didn't see the actual show, but I hung out and watched them exercise the horses for awhile. I remember being amazed at how muscular they looked - really sturdy looking horses, and gorgeous.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I like going to weird places... you never know what you might find! :)

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I like Clydesdales, they have hairy feet! And they're big, too... here's a pic of one I found on the web:

[RosieCotton]

I like going to weird places... you never know what you might find! :)

Oh, so do I, within reason! There's another place in town that's similar (has crystals and the whole bit), but the "weird place" I first mentioned has such an anti-Christian air (the owner has lot o' aggravating bumper stickers on her car in addition to the one mentioned) that I'm afraid the place would blow up if I walked in...

[HairOfTheDog]

They are magnificent, and that one may not be entirely mature Bear... Some are even bigger than that! Few men could look over their backs, and he doesn't appear to have the girth and width of others I have seen.

[RosieCotton]

People still use horses for logging in some areas around here - the land is too steep for tractors unless you build roads. When I was a kid, a guy logged down the road from us for awhile with a Percheron - talk about a big horse!

He was a baby, though...loved to be petted and sweet talked. We used to wait for him at the end of the day and give him apples, which he adored.

I would go find a picture, but I think I'll avoid posting images for awhile...

[HairOfTheDog]

The is an extended kind of floaty gait that is taught and refined in a lot of advanced dressage horses, but yes, Lippizans are the masters of dressage.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Here's a cutie... even the foals are big!

I haven't found many pictures of Percherons, but I did find this interesting link: Origin and History of the Percheron Horse