The other side of creating art, collecting inspiration for free.





Would you agree if I said the best things in life are free?
Would you still agree if I went on to say the
 best things in life are not things at all? 
Today the best thing was equine.
My collection of vital reference photographs grew by 300 pics... 
A little thing for most people. 
For an artist who needs loads of well detailed photographic info as well as home made photos for inspiration it is pretty major.

We went to a small local show. 
The weather was good. 
The children love horses and are up for anything that allows them to be exuberant lively little girls. 
Well by the time we had closed the car doors and had our first peak, they were not the most excited exuberant giggliest wee things there... their mother was like a child in a candy story! 
Thrilled to bits... 
Cold bloods were lined-up, rustic, unpolished, straight off the farms, out of their fields, foals in tow, the real deal.
Authentic Belgian (Brabant) draught horses.  
Heaven...
I had my camera...a full battery, an extra card in the bag, a happy family, sun and amazingly... time.
The fun could begin and did!
3GB of photos were shot.
Photos of horses, big horses, young horses, sleeping horses, rearing horses, ponies,
 hairy shetlands....
Photos of dogs, black dogs, hairy dogs, golden dogs, working dogs, little dogs, big dogs, dogs, puppies....
Photos of sheep, woolly sheep, black headed sheep, lambs, lambs in head collars...
The list, much like my enthusiasm, is endless.

This was one of the most rural, authentic and friendly shows I have been to. 
In line with the Belgian draught who has a temperament to match its size.

Here are some facts about the authentic Belgian Brabant draught horse:
  • Height 16 hands - 18 hands
  • Colour: bay, brown, grey, red roan black points and chestnut.
  • weight: 2000 pounds (1 ton) (stallions can reach 2400 pds)
  • Kind temperament and easy to handle
  • The worlds largest Belgian draught horse was Brooklyn Supreme 3200pds (1450kg) 19.2 hands.
  • Carried knights into battle in medieval Europe.
  • Belgian heavy draught is one of the strongest breeds.
  • Provided generic material from which nearly all modern draft breeds originate.
  • Belgium exported 75000 horses yearly to other European countries where they were popular as a good strong working horse.
  • The first Belgian exported into the United States was in 1866.
  • Today, America's favorite draught horse.
  • The last Belgians were transported out of Belgium at the beginning of the Second world War.
Here is a great link to a site dedicated to the Belgian draft horse in America. Here you can find out everything you would like to know: from the history of the breed, what fueled its' renaissance to why it has become so popular today.

Thanks for popping by.
Time for me now to"organise" all my new collected inspiration.

Comments

Making A Mark said…
Beint able to take photos and actually being able to take good ones are two different things! Looks like you got some good ones.
6:49 pm
Unknown said…
Must admit was "trigger happy" until I shot what I wanted to see in my work (if that makes sense!).. After the initial excitement: eye, trigger and timing all came together.
Now I have loads of work for the colder months...
7:16 pm
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