A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-21-03....My Kingdom for a Horse

Billie

[Billie]

Enjoying all your pics! Sweet, I think the mane is awesome on your last pic of the Andalusian. (still think it's way too unruly on the first one) :)

[sweetliberty]

Unlike the Lipizzaners, Andalusians come in many colors (although the Lipizzans go through color gradations as they mature, starting out very dark, even black). I just love the coloring on these two, especially the flaxen mane and tail on the second one.

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[deadhead]

Wonderful thread, Billie. "Little John" is beautiful. Thanks for the information about horses and for sharing your love of horses with us, they are indeed beautiful. Been horseback riding a number of times. I have to admit, I am always a little scared, but I do it anyway. My sister, my 2 nieces and myself went riding in Montauk. Riding on the beach, always was a dream of mine. Well, we were riding for a while before getting to the beach. When we reached the beach, the leader stopped all of us and told us that horses sometimes drop and roll on the sand and to be ready to jump off. LOL Yikes!!! Thankfully, none of the horses dropped and rolled :-)

[FreeTheHostages]

[Billie]

Aren't they pretty!

[Billie]

Hi, Colleen - thank you so much. Have never ridden on the beach before - think that would make me a little nervous, too.

[Billie]

Afternoon, Freezie. Okay, I HAVE to ping LadyShallott, because this little cutie on the calendar page reminds me of HER little redhead, Hannah!

[sweetliberty]

They are magnificent. Got me searching the web for more pics for my collection. How's this for the classic fantasy Renaissance photo...(also an Andalusian):

[Billie]

That mane is unreal! Lady Godiva could have ridden this one and her 'own' long hair wouldn't even have been necessary! :)

[sweetliberty]

Isn't that beautiful?

[Billie]

Hey, Texas - any horselovers among ya'? :)

[Billie]

This cowboy wrote earlier this week that he was going to spend some time away from his pc again, and hope that next week will be much better. The pain, swelling, and stiffness is still bothering him quite a bit, so keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We all miss him.

[WVNan]

Ooooooh, my favorite animal! Thank you Billie. It's a beautiful thread. That little girl at the top is also me. I always loved horses and would draw and paint horses all the time. When I was nine years old I discovered Zane Grey books and decided that I wanted to be a cowboy (yes, a cowboy) when I grew up. I dreamed of going west and living on a ranch. When I finally had the opportunity to travel West, I was in heaven. Wyoming still tugs at my heart.

[dutchess]

Hi Billie and lovely sistahs....Heading out the door....Billie...again lovely thread today...

Sweet Liberty...thanks for posting all the beautiful pictures today....Absolutely stunning...

Nan...sorry I missed you the other day when you posted the lovely tribute to Codee..we know she is in a much better place...

Have a great weekend all...

[Billie]

You have a wonderful time, hear?!

[Billie]

Nan! Can't believe you're here at this time! And oh, my, those are two absolutely AWESOME specimens there! Arabians, surely!

[Billie]

I always loved horses and would draw and paint horses all the time. When I was nine years old I discovered Zane Grey books and decided that I wanted to be a cowboy (yes, a cowboy) when I grew up. I dreamed of going west and living on a ranch. When I finally had the opportunity to travel West, I was in heaven. Wyoming still tugs at my heart.

Did your mom save any of your drawings of the horses? I never could quite get the muscles and stuff right until Mr. B, who 'doesn't' draw or paint, stood behind me once when I was trying to work on a Western painting and told me 'he' (the horse) needed a muscle here, and a vein there and a dip here, etc. It worked. When 'we' finished, it looked pretty good. LOL

Have never been to Wyoming - think it would be a great place to visit!

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for the update on our favorite Wolfie Louie!

Sorry to hear that he is still in so much pain. Will continue to keep him in my thoughts & prayers!

[AnAmericanMother]

Andalusians are lovely horses, they are the last of the classic "High Horses" for royalty's processions (hence the expression, "ah, get off your high horse!")

The only gripe I have with them is they are naturally heavy as lead on the forehand. You feel like you're riding a wheelbarrow - downhill all the time. And jumping . . . forget it! They're not jumping horses.

They also are not very speedy. I went to see LOTR with a friend, and we noticed in the chase scene with Arwen and Frodo running from the Black Riders that the Andalusian was going full tilt, while the Black Riders (on their T'breds) were having to hold their horses back to avoid overtaking the Andalusian.

That said, I think the Andalusians have the most noble heads and necks of ANY breed on the planet.

[AnAmericanMother]

Best way to learn the ins and outs of drawing a horse is to volunteer to groom a dozen or so. That's how Mr. B knows! and that's why although I don't draw at all I can still sketch a recognizable horsie - after cleaning every inch of a long succession of muddy hairy equines for 40 plus years!

I don't think you need to go as far as Mr. Stubbs the English horse painter did and start visiting slaughterhouses to sketch the musculature . . . that's carrying devotion a bit far it seems to me.