Recently the English weather made its mark. At a show held at Sledmere Hall in Yorkshire. As often happens it began as a clear blue September day, perfect for the horse drawn wagon driving exhibition. Everything looked set for a good event.
I managed to capture the horse teams working the “figure of eight” track laid out. The horses and wagons were immaculate. The driving was masterly. Along with expert commentary from loud speakers you could easily imagine the days when the countryside was free from tractors and combine harvesters. You could…
- Admire the sheer power of the magnificent animals
- Appreciate the close bond between the horsemen (and ladies) and their charges
- See the care and craftsmanship of the wagon builders of days gone by
And then, as the lunch time break approached, black clouds approached overhead. Yes, you’ve guessed it… it started to rain hard. It wasn’t long before everyone was rushing to find shelter in the tea-room. As far as the demonstration of horsemanship was concerned the show was over, ruined by the heavy showers that lasted throughout the rest of the day.
“Does that mean that the day was a failure?” The answer is a definite “No!”
In fact the day was a true success. They got what they had paid for. They had seen…
- 4 horse teams pulling loaded 3 farm wagons and a World War 1 “GS wagon”
- Harnessing demonstration
- Rope making machine
- Blacksmith at work
- Wheelwright tools
They were even entertained by a military band playing music from the 1930′s, just minutes before the rain began. Not only that but the organizers got the entrance fees and the exhibitors managed to show their skills. And, equally important, no animal was hurt in the process.
Although the show was cut short, the tribute day for ‘Wagoners’ (a 1st World War Regiment of horsemen) ended happily.
“Can you say the same about your ‘bad’ days?”
It could just be that you have had more success with your drawing or painting project than you think. There are those kind of days. Tomorrow you will look back and realize that you have gained far more than you have lost.
My mistake for the day was that my camera ran out of memory and couldn’t film the military wagon being driven by an ex-Army General.
If you are interested in seeing film of the horses, please let me know.
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Michael Dale is the author of 1 Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3 Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Visit http://www.Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more. If you haven’t done so already, why not take a look at this video that features some of Michael Dale’s Simple Watercolor Paintings |
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Too many compliments too little space, taknhs!
Thank you!