[HairOfTheDog]

In thinking about starting a new thread, I went back through the old one looking for a recent picture from someone in the group to post here. I found this wonderful pic of FrogInABlender's mare and new foal.

But that got me thinking The who's who page is now out of date with all these new babies here now... Those of you who have new babies... please post a picture, either an earlier one or a current one, so we can add them to the page and keep everyone straight!

[HairOfTheDog]

Ping to the new thread!

[al baby]

I will call my friends

[squarebarb]

Thanks for the picture -- love it. I will have more here pretty soon.

Got to take the Chevvy pickup into town to get the air conditioning fixed.

[colorcountry]

I'm still here lurkin.' Thanks you all!!

[CindyDawg]

Well, we will figure it out. I'll take some pictures and mail some grass to cowtown if necessary. It's definately walk as you eat pasture grass though.

[N. Beaujon]

Hair, what an interesting head on Frog (cute foal, too.) What breed is she?

[FrogInABlender]

I finally got caught up with the new thread. I was out of pocket over the weekend and it's been wild here at work ever since. I'm glad you reposted Truly and Ellie's picture. I liked it too. Thanks!

[HairOfTheDog]

Pinging hello from the saddle club thread! :~D

[ljswisc]

It's been awhile since I've visited this thread but I really need someone else's opinioin here. This is the very first drawing I've done in YEARS that wasn't a commission which means it isn't meant to be a replica of my photo reference. (I am a portrait artist in my spare time) My plan for this one is probably to enjoy it on my wall for a little while and then sell it maybe.. I don't know. It's been so long since I've had the option! (Yeah I'm blowing off starting a commission just for the chance to do this one!)

So the reason I chose to draw this picure is because the rider had me so inspired. I took the photo of her at a dressage show I went to.. and while watching an intermediate class I was noticing how due to the hot weather so few people were wearing chadbellys, or hunt coats, and their horses were braided very simply without the white tape.. etc. I was about to leave when this rider came along. I said to my husband, "This woman is a diehard.. in all this heat she's going to do everything top notch." So we turned back to watch her go, and I turned on my camera. She was so amazing. I got a million pics. She rode as if she were in the olympics.

Her salute was just a prelude of her impeccable detail. You'd swear the president was in the judges box. It turned out to be my favorite photo. So I sketched it out.. and the only thing that I can't decide on is the position of the horse's back legs. That seemed to be the only flaw. His back legs were not perfectly square. At first I liked that idea.. after all this was not a grand prix class... it was intermediate... So I would leave the horses legs as is and name the piece.. "Intermediate".

Now I'm wondering if I should square them up. I'm literally losing sleep over this! Should I honor the perfection this rider sought by perfecting the horse in this portrait? Or should I leave his legs as they appeared in the photo? Does anyone have any opinions.. from an art standpoint.. as well as a marketability standpoint? Would this picture be undesireable with the flaw? For once I have the option to do it however I want! Except that I don't know what I want!!!

Here's what I've got so far...