Endless Equine Art

Last night I watched "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" on Netflix, Werner Herzog's documentary about the Paleolithic-era paintings in the Chauvet cave of Southern France.  Deemed the oldest works of art on record, the paintings were primarily of horses.  Their scruffy manes, knobby heads and arched necks are easily recognizable, and they are pictured running in groups.  The lines and textures of the images are so beautiful that I want to get a copy somehow and hang it on my wall.

Morgan stallion on black canvas, 9x12" acrylic

It leads me to reflect on this equine wonder, a limitless source of inspiration though the ages.  The horse lives on, forever stretching our collective imagination.  When I learned to hold a pencil and make a mark with it, I started drawing horses.  Even though I had never owned one, I drew them galloping with flowing manes and tails.  I drew long heads with pointed ears and rounded cheeks.  I drew bent legs and bulging knees and comma-shaped nostrils.  Now all these years later, I am still painting horses. It seems only appropriate on this Valentine's Day that I should be reflecting on my first love, the horse.

Here are two new salutes to our eternal friend.

"War Horse", Mustang 9x12" acrylic

Clifford's Expos, Eh?

We were excited to learn that the Novi Equestrian Expo and Novi Pet Expo, both traditionally held in November, were under new management this year.  The new promoters were enthusiastic and happy to add Clifford to their entertainment list for both events.

 

After a summer hiatus, Til was happy to climb back in his suitcase to perform his freestyle frisbee routine for the amazing Rock N Roll K9s Performance Team.

Este got leathered up for the event and auditioned for the Rock N Roll K9s.  She made a good effort, especially climbing the A-frame, which she had never done before.  She ended up outrunning me on the course and passed her audition with flying colors! 

Tricks are for Kids

 

Clifford the Wild Morgan!

After the longest, hardest winter of our life, I decided to haul Cliffy downstate and get him back in shape for our tour.  He needs muscle tone and in fact, hasn't even shed all his winter hair yet.  Maybe he was afraid it would never end.

After two days' rest, I took him out on the longe for a light workout.  He was slogging along a bit.  He didn't want to longe normally, instead preferring to turn toward me and rear, do his fancy footwork and trying some other tricks.   He doesn't like doing normal horse stuff.

Despite this, I persisted and he finally did some reluctant trotting.  I thought at 22, perhaps he was feeling his age.  I thought some muscle tone and supplements might help.  Pretty soon he stopped and had that "look of eagles".  I snapped a couple of quick photos before I realized that he was watching a lady and little girl walk down the road.

"Trot!"  I said, urging him to get back to work.  He shook his head and sprang into motion.  When he did, it was like slow motion.  He had that beautiful lift, his long neck arched, his legs moving in suspended elegance, and I watched the years fall away.  He was tipping one ear toward the little girl.  He made one circle around me, and then he kept on going, pulling the line out farther and farther as he made a beeline for the road where she was walking.

"He likes kids," I explained to the pair, as I pulled him back.

"We were watching his tricks!" the lady called.  "We think that's neat!"

I almost called them into the yard.  Clifford was so focused on the girl that we both watched them wistfully as they kept going, farther and farther away from us.

I realized again, that this is his calling.  His interest is not in working and perfecting his training.  His interest is in connecting with people, particularly children.  He is an ambassador, a playmate, a performer and a clown.

We need to get some weight and muscle on him.  He wants to go back to work.  He is ready.

Age 22 and still going strong!

Hay, Chewed

Got a nice email from Standlee Hay Company offering some samples of their timothy hay, alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets.  Here is a pic of Cliffy from yesterday enjoying some of their alfalfa mix from Tractor Supply Company.  The horses just LOVE this stuff!  And their timing was impeccable because, as anyone in Michigan can tell you, we have had a beast of a season.  The hay shortage due to drought last year was immediately followed by the longest, coldest winter on record in recent years.  Standlee is pulling us through to first cutting -- for which we are truly grateful.

You could say they "take a sad song, and make it better."  Here's to better days ahead!

A Horse in the Farm Store - Outtake from "Clifford Goes Shopping"

Here's a fun short outtake from our YouTube promotion. In this one Clifford is “shopping” and supposed to examine certain things on the shelves. He starts out in work mode, offering up “yes” and “no”, but then he sees the camera! He loves cameras and forgets that an actor is never supposed to look at one! I have to give him a little bump to remind him to “look”.

Want to see more of Cliffy in action? Help us with our 2013 tour by sharing our campaign link.

Traditions with Equine Art and Lunch!

When you live in one place for a long time you develop traditions with people and places that are sweet and sort of comforting. Since I have been displaced due to caring for sick parents over the past couple of years, most of mine have fallen by the wayside. My best friends have made the effort to keep things rolling so I don't feel too out of touch.

This drawing stems from one of them. Muriel Herrick and Dianne Dervin help organize the Michigan Morgan Futurity Stallion Service Auction every year. Muriel owns Century Oak Farm, home of her ever-youthful grand stallion, Gradell's Wild Magic.

Every year now, one day in January for the past seven or eight years, Muriel and Dianne take me out to lunch! I deliver a piece of art and usually a Clifford book, and we sit and eat and talk. We talk about friends we know in the Morgan world. We talk about dogs. And we talk, talk, talk about horses -- especially Morgan horses.

In my current state of upheaval, with Mom being gone and Dad having been so ill this year, the farm lost and struggling to feed Clifford and Trudy this winter, I find moments of comfort in my friends, and in the things we have always done together. My heart is grateful.

Here's a picture of my donation for this year's Michigan Morgan Futurity Silent Auction: Oil Pencil and Conte, approx 9x12"

Where Does a Horse Stay When He Travels?

Motel 6 will leave the light on for him! See more photos of Clifford on his website: www.cliffordthehorse.com

Today's Equine Art

Clifford inspires yet another new piece. This is oil pencil and conte, about 12 x 12". It is listed on eBay.

Today's Equine Art - Morgan Horses

I sometimes wonder if Clifford and Trudy know they are brother and sister. They are best buddies. Here they pause in a brief moment of mutual grooming. This rough sketch captures the movement and life in the portrait.

EBay link.



More "Color Horse" art, a Palomino Morgan in pastel on black, about 9x12".

Today's Equine Art - Sport Morgan

Morgans are great sport horses, known for their versatility. Plus, they are pretty! Here's Silly, a dressage star. This is oil pencil with conte, 8 x 10" on green charcoal paper.

Today's Equine Art - Morgan and Welsh Cob

A couple of young bachelors square off in a friendly sparring match. This piece is a mix of oil pencil, pastel and conte crayon, size 18 x 24" on pastel board. A Christmas commission. Shhhhh........

Clifford's In the Lansing State Journal!

Cliffy and his "Late Night" audition made it into today's Lansing State Journal. They published this photo of us!

Today's Equine Art - Laddie the Morgan

This is Laddie, a Morgan gelding with a fun personality. I took photos as this piece progressed so you can watch it grow.

Today's Equine Art

This is Quasar, a Morgan stallion, the first in my series of "Heart Horse" commissions. This is pastel, about 11 x 15"

Morning Hay

The pastures are greening up, and the slanted golden light is so beautiful this morning that I pause from the chore of filling water buckets. I'm thinking the two horses having breakfast would be a nice watercolor. I decide to go back to the house to get my camera.



When I come back, the light has already changed. I take the pictures anyway thinking I might be able to bring some of it back in translation.



I'm trying to get a shot with both their heads down.



This is tricky with Mr. Nosy.



Now TRUDY'S looking!



Finally, both heads are down!



Uh oh -- He can't stand it any longer!

Today's Walk

I think the StemEquine is helping Trudy. She has been running in from the field to be fed, and on our walks she shows no sign of lameness. I can't wait to see how the next x rays come out.

Clifford was in rare form today. One of the first things he did was grab Trudy's lead rope and try to take it out of my hand. He really loves running and playing in the snow. Today he ran up the hill to the neighbor's. I wish that my battery hadn't been ready to go kaput on the camera, because I could have gotten a lot of cute videos of him running, bucking and jumping around.

We walked out to the road and he went up to the neighbor's field to say hello to the three horses that live there. I thought, "Uh oh, that's it. I am going to have to take Trudy home and then come back and fetch him. He's never going to leave those guys."

I let him visit for a bit, then to my surprise, when I called his name, he turned around and came trotting back. What a good boy! He got a treat for that. We went home and they were happy to be settled for the night.

The Word is "'Tude!"

Well, does THIS look like a mare who has foundered? ;-)

Here are a few pics of Trudy playing in the back yard today. I wouldn't say she is 100%, yet, but.... Well, just look at her!



Her feet x rayed between five and eight. That means the rotation is mild to moderate. She had her feet trimmed on Friday. That day, she started going back outside. She is still barefoot. I stopped soaking her hay, since it has been cold and she steals Clifford's hay anyway. The hay I am feeding is a late cutting, rough and straw-like, all grass.

I started her on StemEquine on the day she was x rayed, January 19th. She'll be x rayed again in a few weeks.

Today's Walk

A beautiful snowy evening...


Trudy is waiting for her x ray results.


Clifford had a great time playing in the snow!

Morgans: Good for the Soul

It's a bleak and snowy day here in Southeast Michigan. Trudy still hasn't had her x rays, but even after several days off the bute, she seems a little more comfortable than she was. She's still not her flexible self, but much better. Dr. Cawley had said she could go outside if she was better off the bute, but I decided not to do that since x rays are tomorrow. I just want to find out how bad it is before I do anything.

But I did take her out for a walk in the snow. Everything is grey, with light flakes falling gently. Trudy was so happy and grateful! She arched her neck and purred softly, looking eagerly around and smelling the air.

I turned Clifford loose and he followed us down the driveway, shadowed closely by Ms. Rip. He curled his tail up over his back, snorted and took off, cavorting and bucking his way through the knee-high drifts. I wished I had my camera!

We paused and I said, "Clifford!" But he was too wrapped up in his antics to notice. I took my glove off and held it up. "Do you want to fetch my glove?"

That was all he needed to hear. He turned and came trotting over and assumed the position: Head down, ears forward, waiting for the pitch! I threw the glove and he leaped in the air, ran to it and picked it up. He came trotting back with that glove flapping in his mouth, rolling his eyes and swinging his head so the fingers waved at me.

No matter what happens, the Morgans always somehow manage to make my day. What a couple of wonderful friends.

No Matter How Bad Things Get...

...certain people can be counted on to make you laugh.