Horse Journal Entries

107 creative works found

• Everything
• Images
• T-Shirts
• Writing
• Journals

• Life and Death, Equine style
  by Wendy Slee KMA

  Life never ceases to amaze me, w ith its potential for drama and excitement constantly “lurking”….well with my life it does anyway! I’…

  Life never ceases to amaze me, w ith its potential for drama and excitement constantly “lurking”….well with my life it does anyway! I’ve reached the weekend and made it through the week. And what a week it has been! / It has been one of many unsettling experiences, where I find myself questioning…..how the heart does not harden completely so that another living thing or experience can ever touch it, how you can want so badly to never “feel” anything again, yet all the while be just plain grateful that it doesn’t happen like that, because then you would miss out on the joy that creeps in like a surprise when you are not expecting it, and touches the places beneath the armour and make your heart sing. I marvel at the pit you can dig for yourself, yet however full of exhaustion or despair it might become, it can also contain proportionately the same amount, if not more, joy and gratitude. I wonder at nature and life and miracles and why they sometimes don’t happen how you want, yet occur when you least expect them. And most of all, I am just deeply grateful for the ability to laugh at myself and have a sense of humour at life’s turbulent moments of chaos and fleeting glimpses of euphoria. Last Thursday night, a new baby arrived in the family…..a little foal. Having bred horses for over twenty years, I never get over the huge energy buzz I get to witness a birth, discover a new baby, or see a foal untangle the little body from the long legs and master the art of equine life so quickly. It is always an emotional and, for me, a spiritual moment. These days, such moments are rare, as I no longer have a herd or run an official breeding establishment, I only have my old stallion Mystic (well past retirement age, but you try telling him that!) and his long time girlfriend Wildfire, a little mare I bred 16 years ago. We have also been agisting Mariah, a little mare for my friend’s 9yo daughter, trying to get her in foal, but after two years, had given up on it ever happening. Until of course……. I had been heading off to bed, and had actually done something out of character for me, and in an effort to achieve a pain free night following such a desperately busy week, I took some ibuprofen (my condition worsens at times of tiredness and stress, so the pain levels become quite hard to handle, though normally, I refuse to use anything from drug companies….) Anyhow, off to bed I went, and pulled up the covers – it is unseasonably cold here – the nights are generally warm, but of course, Murphy’s Law says that was about to happen would NOT happen on a nice balmy night. So….I awaken to squeals….. / “Go away” I thought. “It is nothing” / But on a farm, you get to know all the little noises of the bush, the birds, the critturs in general, and you just KNOW when they are not right. So the squeals I recognized were of horses meeting new horses, not old horses getting very familiar!! I thought my niece’s show horses must have gotten loose and come visiting my little horses. I grabbed the torch, and headed out in my sleepwear, barefooted and all (glad it was dark and the nearest neighbours were miles away) There was my little mare Wildfire with a new baby foal and she was squealing and kicking, trying to keep it away from Mariah and the stallion. I got excited and started calling to her, as I managed to squeeze through the barb wire fence without losing anything more than my dignity. Then I spotted Mariah dragging the afterbirth behind her, and got such a shock. She was not even supposed to be in foal, and this new baby was HERS!. She was not barren after all, and had actually been in foal all year, even though sharing a very intimate time with the stallion and fooling us all! It was a huge shock, as all I could think of was how overjoyed the little girl who owned her would be, as it had been her birthday that day. I could imagine her shock and delight when I broke the news! My first problem was parting the expectant Mother from a foal that she was determined was hers ( probably wondering at how pain free and instant the birth had been!!!) and avoiding the flying heels and threat of teeth on my bare legs…. You know how cranky new Mothers can be, or even the ones who THINK they are! Eventually, I caught Wildfire in the dark and got her across to a gate into the next paddock, and I tried to get her through the broken gate, with one hand and naturally she did not make it simple. But at last she went through, and the obliging old boy Mystic followed her. (The maternity wing was “women’s business” and he wanted no place in there, even if it was his progeny there wobbling it way around and looking for a mother!) / (It reminds me of him with his foals two years ago…if ever I have seen a stallion look mortified and embarrassed, it was this old boy, when the little foals would rush up to him and stick their inquisitive noses into his nether regions looking for a feed! Lol) I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking “now Mariah can get to her baby and bond and have some rest”. But no. I suddenly realized the paddock I had pushed the other two horses into had its other gate wide open, and away went those two, off down towards the highway. So in the freezing wind, still in my pjs, and with only a little torch, off I went after them. And did the old cat and mouse game. They would let me get within a few metres of them, then with a “yippee! We’re free!” they would trot off with their noses and tails in the air. Bugger! There was no way they were about to give up their new found freedom! And anyone who has been around horses will know you do not chase them – you will never win! So through one paddock and another, I followed them, calling out oh so nice things, promising them all kinds of treats…all the while gritting my teeth…..and hoping the torch didn’t pack it in. Eventually they went towards the dairy, which is where it got really frightening for me, as the swampy damp ground, long grass and drains were full of snakes at this time of year, one of them being the Tiger snake, Australia’s second most venomous snake. I took a deep breath, swallowed my fear and plowed across the grass, a place I would not even walk over in broad daylight. I just prayed the snakes would be asleep somewhere else or at least feeling kind. Eventually Mystic, the old darling, came back to me, allowed me to catch him by the mane, and I lead them back to their paddock. On the way back across the dark long grass, I felt sharp sting on my barefoot and thought “It is nothing but a sharp stick I have trodden on”. By the time I got them safely home and the mare with her foal (it was a filly!!) settled under the trees out of the wind, I was frozen and it was almost 1am. I got indoors and had a wash, then sat down to look at my foot. There was one puncture wound on my toe and it was quite sore. So….I asked myself “Is it a snake bite (ha! A one toothed snake or just one with a bad aim!) or a bullant or bee sting? ” At this point, the adrenalin had my heart pumping from rushing out after the horses and the excitement of finding a new foal, and the ibuprofen had kicked in and I was feeling quite dizzy and drowsy – so I thought, “Is this the effect of snakebite?” I felt really stupid….should I go into the hospital and look like a real dill if it is only a bee sting, or will I look worse than an idiot if I die in my sleep and the kids find me in the morning! I did not wish to call anyone at that hour of the morning, yet my thoughts turned to my two young children asleep in their beds. What to do? I called the hospital and they told me to come in and spend the night in hospital, but I thought it would not be easy with my children….so I decided to wait it out. So I got on Redbubble, (the perfect place to go when you could be dying from snakebite, of course!) even though really tired, and played on there for an hour, and quietly monitored my physical signs….. / and as you can tell, it was NOT snake bite and I am still as large as life and shiny side up!! The next day, we called up the owners of the new baby and told them the good news. The little filly was a dear sweet thing, very friendly and strangely bonded to me and the other humans. She was a bit slow drinking from her mother, so I had to milk the mare and syringe it into her mouth to ensure she got the colostrum. This is to give baby as much of the goodness and protection from her mother as she could get. The young girl who owned her, arrived with her family and the look on her face was priceless. The baby was christened “Rosy”, It was an absolutely delightful time, and one that would become even more precious with what was about to unfold. By the following morning, I knew something was very wrong with the mare. She was not eating and alarm bells went off. / Two years prior to this, I had lost my favourite mare I’d had for 18 years, to hyperlipemia, right after foaling, and had to raise an orphan baby. Now Mariah was showing signs of the same. And so it was. We got the vet, we consulted professional breeders who had saved mares with this condition before (I had never known anyone to bring a mare back from this bloody horrible disease yet!!), and I began the process of trying to save her. We took the precious baby off Mother’s milk and started hand feeding her. This was to give the Mother a chance to stop metabolizing her body fat to produce milk and perhaps slow down her disease. I injected her with insulin and syringed sucrose mix down her throat every few hours, and tried so vainly to get her to eat something. What a precious little soul was the filly – she stuck her head in the dish of formula and drank. She followed us around; when my front door opened, she neighed to me in her little raspy voice. She KNEW. She knew her life was going to revolve around humans and not her mother, and she almost accepted it from the very onset. As I recall the day after her birth, she was just as happy to be with humans as with her own Mother. And poor Mariah….. we fought so hard for her, but she simply gave up. After five days of struggling to save her, of hopes raised, and heartbreaking scenes, I told her owners that I believed she was ready to go, and that to keep her alive was not kind. So I had her put down. / These things are never easy. I hate every part of this side of owning animals – no matter how kind the actions are, I cannot hear a gun without freezing to the pit of my soul, and I still shed tears for the grand souls of these noble creatures as they pass over. The hardest part is to not hold onto regret and blame myself for things not done correctly, or time not spent more wisely…. Or whatever….the lessons abound…. Still, around my home, there are so many ghosts of loved ones….that have moved beyond the road I walk…. / I love my horses so much, death always seems so unfair. So, I saw Mariah returned to the Earth and the baby went to the vet hospital to spend some time getting stronger before taking on its new life as one of a human family in a suburban backyard. I know that little life wouldn’t be an easy one, but it will be filled with love, and I will always welcome back young Rosey to stay here on the farm and learn to socialize with real horses. Then, I checked my other two horses, and Wildfire was making milk, it was dripping from her teats. Another birth was imminent. / I brought her into my garden (a large tree filled yard) where I could watch her more easily, and after last check went to my very welcome bed. Half an hour later, I am awoken to a knocking under the house. I had the dog tied up under there (the only place I could put her to keep her away from sick horse and foal and any other not so pleasant items that she might roll in or eat – well you know dogs will be dogs!) I grabbed the torch yet again and outside I went. These night time jaunts in my sleepwear were starting to become monotonous! There was Wildfire running up and down the side of my house looking very upset. I got down on my knees and looked under the house with the torch and sure enough, there was one terrified dog (it wasn’t ME!!!! She was saying) and one very active baby foal. I hate under my house…it is dark and creepy and full of spiders and often even the place where snakes live. But under I crawled in my pjs, and captured the foal and dragged her out. Yes her! A filly, and what a stunner!! So this one, I am sure, had hit the ground running, and once out under the stars, away she went, at a tiny gallop, racing around the yard, with her distressed mother hot on her heels. This went on for four hours! I don’t know what that baby was on, but she was definitely hyperactive. She ran through fences, jumped through cracks in gates, through gardens and shrubs, went back under the house three more times, and eventually, taking pity on the poor mare who needed to calm down, I barricaded the front section of my garden using everything I could find outside in the dark, and took them in there. Straight away the baby leapt into the dog house and went to the back, while the poor mare freaked out completely. / I honestly have never seen such an active baby. I was unable to go back to bed and leave them as I was so worried she would hang herself from somewhere. Or get stuck, or worse, get out and run away from her mother. Eventually she collapsed on the ground and they both got some rest, and THEN, I too, went back to bed. By this time, the sun was just starting to lighten the horizon. But the next morning, I was greeted with the sight of my best Christmas present. She truly is a stunning little filly and both she and the mare were doing fine. After the traumas of the week however, I was definitely overly watchful and worried about the health of them both, not to mention, extremely sad for my friends and their daughter at the twist of fate that saw me with a healthy baby and mother, and them with a dead horse and an orphan foal. Somehow it seemed unfair. So you see, between the lack of sleep and my concerns for all my creatures, not to mention the many emotions this has all evoked for me, I have barely had time to think about Christmas. I just ponder the sadness of our connections with animals, how there is always sorrow when they are ill or suffering, and death is never easy to deal with (even after all the years of heartbreaks and experiences I have had with my horses). I shudder at the necessity for guns on farms, they chill me to the core, yet know deep down, they can be a kind option for an animal’s peaceful and rapid release. How the fear creeps in when you love something…..at times I know, I have felt I will never own another horse, or get attached to another creature, or have another relationship, because the loss is so hard to bear – yet deep down the simple truth is, nothing lasts forever, but the effects and memories of love do, they are cumulative within our souls and become a part of who we are – love is always its own reward. Therefore any moments shared with another, whether human or animal, are a gift to honour, and never to be shied away from. / I come away from this week, heartened too by the awareness of joy in having them share our lives. These special characters are all a blessing to me, and teach me many things. I only have to witness the miracle of such new births to know that the cycle of life continues, that all is as it should be. Witnessing such moments brings tears in my eyes… an expression of love for life, and an overflowing of the heart. The final word – two days later, a horse float arrives at my front door, and the woman driver unloads a little mare, who has come to visit my stallion. The process begins again…

• SALE...WOO HOOOOOO
  by Dawnsky2

  A very big thank you to Steph ,, for loving this image enough to purchase it,,i am thrilled to bits,,i really am,,:))))))))))))))))))))))...

  A very big thank you to Steph ,, for loving this image enough to purchase it,,i am thrilled to bits,,i really am,,:))))))))))))))))))))))))))) when i got up this morning i found that Steph had purchased this for her Mum,,dawndavis,,and not only that, i had around 23 comments on ’’Paiges’ enchanted Stallion’’ during the night,, i think thats a world record for me,,i am Thrilled to bits,,,and just wanted to say that dawndavis,,and I have been doing some art together over MSN, the phone and BM’s,, she is learning very fast and produced a lovely piece last night,,well done dawn,,and thanks for being a great friend,,,x Dawnsky….:)))))

• And then I discovered horse dung on my knee.
  by Michelle Dry

  This is a short one because i am busy, but of late I have been covering numerous sporting events, photographing weddings and basically ha…

  This is a short one because i am busy, but of late I have been covering numerous sporting events, photographing weddings and basically having a frantic photographic life- the way I like it. I even had a forest gump day where I breezed into numerous situations which were like being on a film. I.e getting a press pass for a festival where I somehow managed to beat all the other professionals onto a speed boat and photographed famous band people wake boarding. Me being me was completely unaware of who they were and had to get them to write their names down and which bands they were in… Woops! So rather than be start struck, which I have never been- people are just people, I decided just to have a laugh as always. It is when you find you are being driven around the extreme sports festival by a world champion that you begin to question how you managed to be in the right place at the right time. Anyway the following week i had a bit of a gross incident. I was photographing the British eventing team (horse jumping) when a horse surprised me by appearing from a bush. So quickly I knelt down to take a picture, it was a good picture, but when I stood up I looked down…. And there it was. A horse turd had engraciated itself on my knee. Of course I had worn shorts. I informed some of the other photographers by text, they responded with ‘only you’ Michelle. It seems I have a bit of a reputation developing. I have been called the extreme Bridget Jones. So there we are…. a bit of an update. More has happened since such as salsa dancing. I was paired with a Japanese Tourist, unfortunately there is a move where the girl is twisted into the girl’s arms, bent over in front of the man and has her bum slapped. I will leave that to your imagination. The Japanese tourist froze…. Maybe it was the fact that I was six foot and he was my chest level or that it wasn’t customary in his country. That on top of something that looks like a strangle hold where my face was jammed into his armpit for a long period of time took its toll on me. Still at the end of the dance he bowed and scurried away…. This weekend is a salsa congress which is two days of pure dancing…. Look out boys! So will try and give an update on that! I hope you are all well. I apologise for abstaining from sharing adventures…. Michelle

• Let's Hope The Wild Horses Win This One
  by Gene Praag

  I copied this from KSL.COM Government considering euthanizing wild horses / June 30th, 2008 @ 6:24pm / By SANDRA CHEREB and SCOTT SONNE…

  I copied this from KSL.COM Government considering euthanizing wild horses / June 30th, 2008 @ 6:24pm / By SANDRA CHEREB and SCOTT SONNER / Associated Press Writer RENO, Nev. (AP) – Federal officials are considering euthanizing wild horses to deal with the growing population on the range and in holding facilities, authorities said Monday. Wild horses have overpopulated public lands and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management can’t afford to care for the number of mustangs that have been rounded up, said Henri Bisson, the agency’s deputy director. Also, fewer people are adopting the horses, he said. Monday’s announcement marks the first time the agency publicly has discussed the possibility of putting surplus animals to death. The agency is also considering whether to stop roundups of wild horses to save money, a move that would be criticized by and from sheep and cattle ranchers who see the mustangs as competition for feed on the open range. “Our goal is supposed to be about healthy horses on healthy ranges. But we are at the point we need to have a conversation with people about pragmatically what can we do given the financial constraints of our program to meet the goals we have,” Bisson said. There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on the range in 10 Western states, Bisson told the organization’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. About half of those are in Nevada. The agency has set a target “appropriate management level” of horses at 27,000. About another 30,000 horses are in holding facilities, where most are made available for adoption. But those deemed too old or otherwise unadoptable are sent to long-term holding facilities to live out their lives _ some for 15 to 20 years. The board will consider the alternatives at its next meeting in September. Last year about $22 million of the entire horse program’s $39 million budget was spent on holding horses in agency pens. Next year the costs are projected to grow to $26 million with an overall budget that is being trimmed to $37 million, Bisson said. “We have a responsibility to balance the budget, so we are going to have to make some tough choices,” Bisson said. Bonnie Matton, president of the Wild Horse Preservation League, said she wasn’t surprised by the agency’s predicament. “They really do have a can of worms,” she said.

• Offsite Sale
  by George Lenz

  Hi guys; I don’t usually like to brag about sales, but I have to say, this was a good day. One of my pieces sold from a local gallery …

  Hi guys; I don’t usually like to brag about sales, but I have to say, this was a good day. One of my pieces sold from a local gallery at a very handsome price, and I didn’t have to share it with RB. This has been one of my goals this year, to sell my own framed prints from a gallery. I hope this is the start of a new trend. It’s expensive to get these ready for sale, but you can turn a handsome profit when your art sells. I guess the old adage, “It takes money, to make money”, holds true. Well, maybe a little luck too…lol… I mention this for those who may be disappointed about sales. It takes time, and you have to persist, and stay focused on what you want to accomplish with your art. Continue to strive to produce eye pleasing artwork, and you’ll see. It will happen. Anyhow, this is the one that sold, to a total stranger I might add … Always and Forever Cheers. G.

• Thank You! Sold a card!
  by Gene Praag

  You made my day…....Thanks Geno !http://images-3.redbubble.com/img/art/backingcolor:black/product:greeting-card/view:preview/362337-...

  You made my day…....Thanks Geno

• Meet Up - Horse riding through Mt. Disappointment State Forest
  by Erin Lyall

  I’ve been talking up the trail rides in Upper Plenty for several months now and I thought it was about time I finally got around to organ…

  I’ve been talking up the trail rides in Upper Plenty for several months now and I thought it was about time I finally got around to organising the first (as far as I know) Melbourne RedBubble trail ride meet. I’ve been going to Uncle Nev’s for years now. The staff are fantastic and they cater for all experience levels whether you’ve never ridden before or you’ve been riding all your life. DETAILS DATE: Saturday the 28th of June (this is just a proposed date and is flexible, if this doesn’t suit feel free to propose another date, just make sure it’s far enough in advance to make sure we can get a booking) ADDRESS: 1115 Wallan-Whittlesea Road, Upper Plenty, 3756 (50 minutes from Melbourne CBD) TIME: 1:30pm mount up for a 2pm departure (returning around 5pm) COST: $65 for the three hour ride including a stop half-way for coffee, tea and biscuits (though once they had cupcakes so you never know your luck) / NOTE – The website says a discount applies for bookings of over 10 people so the price may work out cheaper depending on numbers, also they don’t have eftpos facilities there so bring cash WHAT TO WEAR: It’ll be cold but like any exercise you’ll warm up once you get going so dress warm but not too warm. I usually wear a jumper or jacket that I can take off and tie around my waist if I need to. Also, comfortable pants (jeans are fine), and boots are best but runners with a bit of grip are fine to. Helmets are provided. I’ve got three spaces in my car for anyone who needs a lift, but if anyone else can offer rides to people in need that would be great too. If you’ve got any other questions or you want a contact number for the day just bubblemail me. =) So who’s in?!

• A Very Special Thank You.......
  by whisperingruth

  A very special thank you to the beautiful Cassie – angelandspot for purchasing my Highway…

  A very special thank you to the beautiful Cassie – angelandspot for purchasing my Highway to Sedona card! Like myself, Cassie is also an animal lover and an avid horse rider. Her love of nature really shines through in her art. Cassie, you really are an Angel! This will also be another well deserved contribution to THE MITCHELL CENTRE FOR EQUINE RESCUE AND EDUCATION a wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to saving horses from needless slaughter . . . Just saving one beautiful and precious horse makes their efforts worthwhile . . . Thank you once again my dear Angel . . . This sale is so greatly appreciated!

• I don't get too many sales! But today I got a nice surprise
  by Randy Monteith

  Hi everyone I don’t really get too many sales but did get two card sales today. !http://images-1.redbubble.com/img/art/backingco…

  Hi everyone I don’t really get too many sales but did get two card sales today. and Thanks to whomever thought they were good enough that they would spend their hard earned money on them! This has made my day!!

• Thank you.........
  by Barssel

  A huge thank you the buyer of 2 “Floating on a Cloud” cards. As I said this image is very personal and it is extraordinary to know that s…

  A huge thank you the buyer of 2 “Floating on a Cloud” cards. As I said this image is very personal and it is extraordinary to know that some one shares my passion and affection. / Thanks again.

• sooooo chuffed
  by susan davies

  we are away at the moment and been out taking photos all day, my camera playing up tho, just typical when you are some-where you hav…

  we are away at the moment and been out taking photos all day, my camera playing up tho, just typical when you are some-where you havent been before, oh well, went for a meal and just logged in to see another sale card of have i told you lately that i love you, im thrilled so a big big thank-you to the lovely person who bought it, its so appreciated and more than made up for my camera playing up. thanks again lv suexxx

• Gratitude.........
  by Barssel

  I have been extremely fortunate to have had a few sales since joining the Redbubble community and I think I have managed to thank all tho…

  I have been extremely fortunate to have had a few sales since joining the Redbubble community and I think I have managed to thank all those buyers personally. But this morning I awoke to find I had sold a print of “Floating on a Cloud”. I am so grateful to this buyer, this image comes from a special bond I share with the other subject in the image. “Curly” or as he is known when he steps out to compete BPH Fremantle. / To say I love this horse is would be a grand understatement. He is so much more than my horse and something I find difficult to explain….............but I am sure if you have loved anything in your life, you understand. / My point is that this is a very personal image and now I will share it with another, this is both gratifying and humbling…..........and thank you does not seem to be nearly enough. / Adrian

• Barssel Horse Calendar
  by Barssel

  I know I am a bit late but hey I needed a calender….................. !http://images-2.redbubble.com/img/calendars/page:0/product:...

  I know I am a bit late but hey I needed a calender….................. / / / / / / / / / / / /

• Things that make me Yawn
  by Aaron Booth

  - Photos of flowers [like the internet needs more of these] / - Photos of horses [see above] / - Photos of birds / - Overdone HDR photos. Ca…

  - Photos of flowers [like the internet needs more of these] / - Photos of horses [see above] / - Photos of birds / - Overdone HDR photos. Can we all just agree that HDR looks shithouse and move on please? / - Photos that are black and white, except for one thing, which remains in colour ala Sin City. This cliche is so five minutes ago that it makes my head turn inside out when I see it. / - Things with wings photoshopped onto them [especially horses] / - Banksy inspired Military symbols mixed with nature, children, barcodes or oil references. YES WE GET IT… WAR BAD!!! I think that covers about 99.999999999% of what’s on Red Bubble.

• Thank you X 2
  by Barssel

  Spiritinme Purchased not one but two copies of “Climbing the Mountain” !http://images-...

  Spiritinme Purchased not one but two copies of “Climbing the Mountain” It is not all about the sales but when they come it is the most wonderful feeling, especially when it is a favourite image that means so much personally….......thanks again to Spiritinme

• The Journey of the Horse Series
  by BarbBarcikKeith

  It was really born out of desperation. / A sligh…

  It was really born out of desperation. / A slight aside – I was doing a number of purebred dog pieces for a company starting in late 2004, and they were getting done way to quickly. I mentioned something about horses, and the then owner loved the idea. Told me to work something up and he’d be more than willing to take a look. / So, there I was with absolutely no idea of what I was going to do or which breeds I should do (with the dogs, just go to the American Kennel Club and you‘ll find all the breeds in order of popularity – not so with horses).. enter the Internet. I started doing searches of different breeds (because there was no all encompassing site – each breed had it‘s own following – bad for me, great for them) – if there was a ton of pictures and information, I assumed that meant this was a popular breed and wrote that one down. The series ended up with around 30 breeds, but I’m getting ahead of myself. / Because the “company” was interested in doing coffee mugs, I had to work up a design that would work on mugs and t-shirts. Up to this point, I had been working exclusively in colored pencil… doing a lot of collages (4 to 6 images for each design) and was actually getting pretty tired of that particular layout. / Oddly enough, I have some of my BEST ideas either just before I fall asleep at night or as I’m taking my morning shower.. this epiphany started at night and followed me around the next day. Because I love doing portraits of animals – that would just have to be in there.. facing right (because a majority of people are right handed – and they would pick up the mug with their right hand.. and the head would be looking at them).. but it needed more than that. What oh what would work.. EPIPHANY!! Why not use a foal in the foreground with the adult head in the background. That would work.. right?? / The first breed I worked on was the Hanoverian. Wonderful looking animal… and here is where it gets a little weird. As I’m working on the layout.. nothing I’m doing is right. Everything just seemed all wrong! There’s a feel I wanted for the background that you just can’t get from colored pencils.. and the coloring on the horse wasn’t strong enough… and there sat my cousin’s watercolors. At this point, I think I need to tell you something. Although I had done watercolors in the past, I hadn’t used them for over 40 years.. and the reason I had my cousin’s watercolors, all her brushes and all the paper she had was because she had passed away the year before (April 2004 at 54) from congestive heart failure. So I gingerly started using some of the watercolors on that first piece very sparingly… because I remembered all the horror stories of how easy it is to make watercolor get muddy.. and how unforgiving the medium is.. it had me a little nervous and very tentative as to how much and where!! / Brought that first one in and they fell in love with it! I told them that I was thinking of doing at least 30 breeds and I got the go-ahead right then and there. So.. just imagine my joy.. working on the “gallery” layouts for the dogs.. now the horses and I still have some other odd ideas rambling around in my head. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after being an artist for over 40 years it’s that inspiration comes when it wants to without any input from you!! And so the horses began to take shape. What was really amazing was the “washes”. At first, I would put a very light wash of the horse’s color but then I realized that it wasn’t enough. I added colored pencil for the detailing and realized that THAT wasn’t enough.. so I would layer the watercolor.. then the colored pencil .. then repeat… until I got the color and effect I was looking for. The first couple of layouts had the foals with the “adult” head but then I started thinking that this could get really boring. I mean, what do foals do? Eat-sleep-and run?? So the idea of adding a full, adult body – doing SOMETHING – entered. And it didn’t seem to matter whether they were looking at “me” or looking anywhere in particular. It just seemed that – as long as they were facing away from the head – it worked. I discovered that working 2 of them simultaneously was a good way of keeping my “vision” fresh too. So, 35 pieces later, I have a series!!!! /

• New Book on Equestrian Sport........
  by Barssel

  ...

  Just like to inform all about a brand new book that hit the book shelves yesterday. It is an Introduction to Equestrian Sports in Australia. It is written by Kate Luxmoore and is published by Landlinks Press. The forward is by Gillian Rolton the dual Olympic gold medalist. / Kate even managed to find a space for a couple of my images and it comes highly recommended with an obvious bias…................

• Thank You For The Feature !!!!! :)
  by bamagirl38

  Thanks so much to the group Pinto Horses for the feature of my beautiful horse Spot !!!! I appreciate it more than you could possibly…

  Thanks so much to the group Pinto Horses for the feature of my beautiful horse Spot !!!! I appreciate it more than you could possibly know !!!! Thanks again! / Bonita :)

• A Very Sincere THANK-YOU "Mechellerene"......Another Sale!!!
  by Carol & Kev Haberle

  A very big THANK_YOU to Michellerene on purchasing a card of “Am I In The Way”, my capture of the beautiful clydesdale. I sincerely appre…

  A very big THANK_YOU to Michellerene on purchasing a card of “Am I In The Way”, my capture of the beautiful clydesdale. I sincerely appreciate your purchase, and hope it gives you great pleasure…. / Sincerely, / Carol

• Thank you!
  by Wendy Slee KMA

  I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Coolowen for purchasing two copies of “Mother and Child” as cards. You really made my day! Thank y…

  I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Coolowen for purchasing two copies of “Mother and Child” as cards. You really made my day! Thank you! smiles / wendy

• Photo being published !
  by Al Bourassa

  Paul Lindenberg has kindly asked for my permission to publish “Rodeo Royalty III” in a late May issue of his new Equestrian eMagazine. / I…

  Paul Lindenberg has kindly asked for my permission to publish “Rodeo Royalty III” in a late May issue of his new Equestrian eMagazine. / I am flattered and thrilled as I have seen the terrific ad copy which will direct folks to RedBubble so hopefully we can all benefit. / Paul Lindenberg is also a RedBubble contributor and the proposed cover for this eMagazine TimeStops© is on his RedBubble stream. / Thank You Paul!!! / Al Bourassa

• Thank You, Trudi!!!
  by Jan Landers

  Many thanks to Trudi / for purchasing a card of my ‘Follow Your Dreams’....it touches my hear…

  Many thanks to Trudi / for purchasing a card of my ‘Follow Your Dreams’....it touches my heart that you would choose one of my pieces…..I am truly honored! Many Blessings to you, my friend…. / Jan

• ~Sale to Sally~...
  by Dawnsky2

  YAY!!! / Sally Omar / Please use this link if you would like to view Sallys folio, she has…

  YAY!!! / Sally Omar / Please use this link if you would like to view Sallys folio, she has some beautiful poems, and also some great images. I would just like to thank my good friend Sally Omar, for purchasing ’’Gentle’’, what a lovely surprise it was this morning..:) I am so happy you like Gentle this much Sally, and it will be perfect sitting next to your poem….thank you so much x Laura x

• A Girl, Her Horse, an Accident
  by Barbie

  Most of you who know me also know my youngest daughter Rachel, animal lover extraordinaire and also horse owner and rider….. on the wee…

  Most of you who know me also know my youngest daughter Rachel, animal lover extraordinaire and also horse owner and rider….. on the weekend she was setting up for her usual ride, but while trying to mount her trusty steed Saxon (normally a well-behaved fellow) there was an incident. She was almost up on his back and he decided to buck, and though she tried hard to hang on, she was thrown through the air and landed heavily upon her right hip. Rach says there was an “explosion of pain” in her hip and she could not move, so the ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital, where she still is, as we speak. Apparently xrays show no fractures, thank goodness, but she is very sore and I imagine there will be bruises to show for it. She cannot weight bear on the right side so I am not sure whether they will let her home today…. Anyway it could have been much worse, horse riding can be VERY dangerous indeed…... but I spoke with Rach in hospital last night and through the pain killers she says yes she is lucky but it’s not Saxon’s fault….. all riders must expect a fall eventually she says. Just thought I would let you all know, I am sure you will share my concern and send Rach best wishes…..... cheers / Barb