“Ride your pony
“Get on your pony and ride
“All righty
“Ride your pony
“Get on your pony and ride
“Oh you’re ridin’ high
“Now stay in the saddle
“Way out (South)
“Where the grass is green (ride)
“(Mexico), you know what I mean…
I‘d heard a clippity clop goin’ up the street in the mornin’. Then they all came down the street complete with band an’ all. Rahde!
See the (un)braided mane on the horse on the left? Mane’s pro’ly dyed. Rahde!
These little here ponies dance. Yessiree. And them saddles cost a bundle. Rahde!
Now this little here cutie? Been given a hard time. It’s foamin’ at the mouth, chest and neck. That ain’t right.
Dance, little ponies, dance. (See the huge brands on the back legs? Poor thangs.) Rahde!
Ah shore didn’t like that rahder, the way he treated his rahde. Pushin’ it too hard. When a horse starts a-foamin’ it’s time to give it a rest.
Purrty little ponies, right? Rahdin’ away. (The main road is just a block down to the left. Another universe.)
We’ve been spending more time in Cuernavaca, an hour’s drive away from Mexico city. 600 meters down and 5ºC more. Perfect weather. Lots of horses. Foals or colts. Took this shot in a hurry. One never knows who owns the farm. Rahde!
Just a-shoppin’. On the main road… Rahde!
Thank you for ridin’ with us. Until next time, giddyap. Stay in the saddle. Y’all be good naw ye hear?
What a beautiful spot to get away from the noise of the city!
It is. C’est un boulot d’enfer, mais on ne regrette pas.
Haha 🙂
Can you believe I thought you were someone else (Gilles = Gîtes). How have you been? I took a bit of a break this summer. Went to France and got together with friends near Saint-Malo. (Hadn’t been in a long while. Magic still works)
I hope you are fully vaccinated and ready for your third shot…
Cheers.
Glad that you had a good break back in France! Yes, double jabbed since the summer, thankfully and my elderly neighbour is due his third shot next month, so, they are rolling out the third jabs! Hope you are keeping safe too!
We are, thank you. Though I suspect this disease will have to run its course before we can really be “free”. (If there ever was such a thing) 🙏🏻
Good!
Hmm, yes, I think you are right!
‘been meaning to ask. You run a “Gîte”, right? Those two years must have been Hell for the business? Or are you slowly recovering?
When I saw the title of your post come across my email, my immediate thought was “Steel Pony Blues.” Do you know it? https://youtu.be/tGI4r2zgq0o
Nope. Not tht I recall. But I will hop there “rahgt” away. Giddyap.
What a great song. Thank you. I love the Blues. 🙏🏻
Something in Mexico never cease to amaze me, how a guy you may see in the street walking, and you will not think much of him, then you see him on his fine horse riding, you know he has more money than I do, I couldn’t afford to have a horse!
Agree totally. I sometimes think 60 or 70% of Mexico is hidden below the surface. That rider I didn’t like? Maybe he’s a CPA. And those horses cost a lot of money. La silla vale 60 o 100 000 pesos… So the horse?
All well?
Tell me about it! I am not an expert, but my brother, some cousins, and some friends they are. Just the cost of one fine horse, and not trained, but from a good breed, you will have to dish out, at least $10,000 to $60,000, and not pesos, but dollars, and now think about the maintenance, and likely you got to own a property in the country, a ranch with land so you can keep it, and take for a ride, plus pay the help, you are more likely to, than do it yourself every day. On the old days remember my cousins the Charros, talking some of those fancy outfits could cost you on the old days when when I heard it, early 60’s $50,000 pesos, you could buy a house then, with one outfit, today, I don’t want even to know! Some use gold Centenarios as decorations, the price of a Centenario coin today for sale is $47,500 pesos!
We are fine, thank you, hope you are well too.
2 million pesos minimum? I’m not surprised. Plus maintenance, yes. A fortune. But at least those horses are still around… I have “concuños” in Colombia who do that: raise and train “caballos de paso fino”. They have a different walk than the ones I saw here.
Stay well.
Well, since Spaniards brought horses, and cattle all over they went you find vaqueros from Canada, to Tierra del Fuego’s gauchos, huasos, Colombia’s llaneros, etc. Even today in the USA the Myth of the Cowboy its old news, everyone admit now to vaqueros to be the soul, and heritage from times since explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, drove from Santiago de Compostela Nayarit, the first cattle drive 30,000 heads of cattle into the now USA Southwest as earlier as 1540 with only 30 vaqueros. And talk about that town, Santiago de Compostela, there is a lot of leather shops who do saddles, and tack. I only have ride a very expensive horse once, visiting the Hacienda of my cousins as a child, but in the old days before cars, either you had a horse, or even a mule, or you have to walk period, as a child it was common to see horsemen riding over town everywhere, not anymore, except on parades, or small rural towns, in my town before cabs, we had Arañas a sort of buggy horse car, and you will use them for public transportation, until they disappeared somewhere in the early sixties replaced by taxis, and busses, I know today its hard to imagine, for anyone not close to seventy like me.
Take care.
Well, we have seen things many youngsters wouldn’t believe, haven’t we? Arañas? I’ll look it up. Cuídate.
Beauties.
Yep. very pretty little horses.
The countryside looks green and fertile. So unexpected. Horse stud farms?
This place is like halfway down the mountain. And it’s the end of the rainy season, so everything is very green. There are ferns growing off the walls outside.
I never imagined Mexico to be like this. Just goes to show how TV shows, one watched as a child, mislead opinions.
Yeah. Like kangaroos and kookaburras… 😉
Well we DID have kangaroos hopping down the street occasionally.
What did you learn about kookaburras?
I remember “your” kangaroo…
Kookaburras? There was a Tommy Steele song I think. Also a Belgian comic early 60’s featuring a young Australian boy called Sandy. Had all sorts of adventures Down under. There was a kokkaburra in one story.
I have not heard of this Belgian comic. That is fascinating that a European country chooses a Aussie boy as a subject for a children’s comic. Even though not many Aussie boys were called Sandy – but I assume his hair was blonde!
Blonde indeed. Let me try to find you a link.
Here’s a link to an image of Sandy
The author, Willy Lampil was Belgian, and wanted a hero who was “different”. So he chose a young Aussie boy, who had adopted a Kangaroo called Hoppy. To me, living in Africa, he was a good “hero”. Series only lasted a few years.
(And yes, he was blonde. The author had actually never been to Australia. Worked on documents, photos, etc.)
They are pretty horses indeed, and I also like the saddles …
Very pretty. And expensive. The saddles? very elaborate. And they ride long, like Americans. I’m used to the French or English saddles. Much simpler, and one rides short. I imagine german saddles must be very similar.
German saddles are simpler too. What do you mean with riding long or short? Do you mean the length of the stirrups? It is usually long in Germany, short only when doing jumping competitions and races.
In France and England it’s short. Even shorter for jumping. Not like Americans who ride with their legs fully extended. (Or Latin-Americans) Not uncomfortable actually once you get used to it. (And yes, the stirrups) Did you ride?
Yes, I did ride, started when I was 10 I think. But in Germany we rode long, which I found comfortable. It is also safer. With short stirrups one doesn’t have the same “clinging” effect. Also, when you are used to ride long and lose a stirrup, you can manage without for a bit, because you actually holding on to the horse with your knees. The elderly guy on the black horse has, in my eyes, the perfect posture. I love horses, but unfortunately I have developed a horse (and cat) hair allergy.
“Long” riding is more comfortable. It’s just a habit of the French and the English. Though I suspect the middle Age knights had to ride long to wield their swords or spears.
Yeah, that guy rode well.
Sorry about the allergy. I didn’t know one could have horse allergy. A shame. They’r very interesting animals…
(Not to mention cats!! 🐈 )
I knew a guy once who started sneezing immediately on entering a horse stable. I adore horses and love cats as well.
You and me both.
He-e-e-ey… You spelled “poor” with two ‘o’s, ‘ stead a’ P-O-R-E, lak et RILLY is… Are yew shore yer not a FAKE country boah? We don’ LAK fake country boahs’roun’ heah…
You quate raght. “They were pore as mice” goes the saying. (I’m just bilingual english-southern.) Went ter Grad school at the U. of Alabamer, Tuscalooser. (Roll tide!)
Didn’t know you spoke Sudern. 😉
Tuscalooser! No she-it? Why, ah wuz left awf en Tuscaloosa by a no-good trucker said he’d be raght back, jes’ set thur’n wait, so ah di-yud—fer five embarassin’ damn hours b’fore ah fahnully got a clue and busted a greyhoun’ outa thur …
… Know what’s a little disconcerting, my friend? That’s actually a true story from my own early life 😜
Yer du speak Sudern. What where you doing in Tuscalooser? Wonders of previous lives…
(I flew in from Europe to Houston. Took a Greyhound all the way to ‘Bama… (Those were the days)
“Sweet home Alabama. Where the sky’s always blue…”
Were you “on the road”? What year was that?
Toldja— got m’self left awf b’a damn no-good trucker. He wa’n’t gitt’n none from me — musta found some elsewhere ‘n jes give me the miss!
Lessee, Ah was nahnteen, so this woulda bin in the vurry late sebendies — headed back from Redlands to Minneapolis, midwinter, to rejoin an even no-gooder ol’ man than that trucker. Young ‘n stoopit!
LOL. “Young ‘n stoopit”. Weren’t we all?
Some more than others — with myself falling solidly in the former category! 😆
Still love that you “talk” like a Southerner…
Only on occasions. I told you when I arrived in ‘Bama, I thought I was bilingual, but the first 3 weeks I couldn’t understand a word in class. 😳
I found the difference between Mexican Spanish and Spain Spanish to be similar. I felt like I understood more French than Spanish in Spain and I don’t speak French!
Haha. yes. Spain Spanish is much rougher… (And French has many common roots with Spanish.)
Rest of the time, I have a “mid-Atlantic” accent.
Beautiful horses and saddles! Their coats are brushed to a high shine.
Keen eye. Yes, those horses are beautiful.
I rode horses a little bit growing up. I used to read books about the breeds and fiction like Misty of Chincotegue.
Riding is a wonderful experience. Nothing like it. Misty? Ahmona go and check it. (Me, I was more Bonanza and my friend Flicka)
Those shows were fun, not too strong on heroines though. I liked Black Beauty.
There weren’t many heroines until the very late seventies. Now it has changed fortunately.
Missed that one. What a pretty little horse…
It was a favorite book when I was about our child’s age, a little younger.
Once my grandson can read, I will inundate him with books. he already has a few favourites. Loves to be read to at night.
Beautiful horses and huge western saddles. 🙂
Yeah, I’m not too familiar with Western saddles, but I suspect they’re similar. Very different from our French or English saddles… (This post made me yearn for riding again)
In certain riding disciplines, they try to work up a lather around the mouth before starting their ride. They call it a “happy foam.” It shows that the horse is engaging with the rider and properly on the bit…but I don’t know these riders or horses but they do look handsome and beautiful Brian ~ sending joy hedy ☺️💫🕊
There are so many “ways” and techniques to deal with horses. I remember the horse I rode in East Africa. She had such a soft mouth one had to use a bit covered in rubber. Once I made a mistake and her a regular steel bit. She threw me on the ground 3 times before I realized what I had done. 😉
Joy back Hedy.
Quite a show
Exactly. A show. Who rides the most expensive horse and saddle.
I never ever got into horse riding, however, my writing friend wrote a (big) book about horses around the world and it was a marvelous read! Always pays to stay open to different things. Although, for these guys horses seem like a pretty normal thing! Funny, how it only takes a generation or 2 to forget about most things simple in life …
Riding was one of my many passions as a teen. Imagine I rode in the Ngong hills where Karen Blixen had her house. Unique. Also rode in a few weird places in Latin America. But that’s another story.
One generation? Yes. Hannah Arendt once said that every newborn human being has to reinvent the world. We are born blank. With no knowledge of what happened before. Which is why education is so important, to pass on past experiences…
A beautiful!
Beautiful place, with so many horses to ride🙂😊Well shared thank you ❤
My pleasure. 🙏🏻
💓😊🎉❤💗Welcome
This spurs me on, lol, seriously though – love the theme.
Spurs? 🤣
It was a nice surprise. And again I hear horses passing by almost every day.
Yippe ki yah!
😉
I know nothing about horses, but these ponies sure are pretty:-)
Very fine horses. And they had a particular walk I’d never seen before. Like dancing. A special training.
Did not know that horses could do that.
It’s training. There are different schools. The French, the Spanish. The Arabic. In Colombia fine horses walk the “Amble”. They don’t cross their legs like regular horses do. They move the right front leg first, then the right back leg, then the left front leg, and the back left leg. Makes for a very soft walk. Very comfortable for the rider.
I have to experience riding on a pony yet. That’s a luxury here.
It’s a great experience. Now I imagine horses don’t take the climate too well? They don’t like too much heat and humidity. (Though my great-uncle had polo horses in Singapore in the 30’s, and Singapore is hot and humid…)
C’est quand même beau, un cheval.
C’est ben beau. Un peu rosse parfois… Y’en avait un qui adorait raser les clotures pour que le cavalier se cogne les genoux…
peut-être que le cavalier lui cognait trop sur les côtes (vengeance) 😀
C’est fort possible. Les chevaux ont une excellente mémoire. 🐴
Lovely captures. Looked like quite the show and a pony procession down the street. Black, brown, white ponies complete with a marching band. Another universe on the other side of the road? That is the reality of some places.
With good weather, you can always make it a good time 🙂
I have to cross into several different parallel universes to get there. Yes, It is the reality of some places…
Have a great week Mabel
I like that, cross several different parallel universes…one step and a few turns and you can be entirely somewhere else. And you feel thankful for what you have and what you seen. You have a great week too.
I’m so happy for you cher Mzungu! Enjoy your new sanctuary. 😎 Biz.
Merci. It is a very nice place. Still a few details to fix, but we’re almost there. Biz Julie.
Woah! Looks like a really fun day, Peng Yu. The horses are magnificent.
Yes. Very beautiful horses.
Great post, takes me back to my hometown 🙂 Wonderful to hear you have found a jewel so close, Cuernavaca looks to be an oasis. The farm photo you took looks like an ideal place to spend some great time with the horses and your thoughts. I’m now back in Czech, back in the saddle so to speak, and things are gong well. Were you able to mount one on this trip, Brian, those would be the photos most interesting. Glad to see you are doing well – cheers to a great weekend ahead!
Hi Dalo. So nice to hear from you. Back on the Czech saddle hey? 😉 I can imagine it takes you back home. And you can compare the saddle and bridle work. (No I did not ride on this occasion. Been a while since I last rode. In Colombia I think. Similar horses/ponies, a different walk or step. I would probably not try to ride again. Bad back now. But it’s all right. Have you posted recently? Riding to your blog now… Be good.
Yes, back in the Czech saddle again 🙂 The post took me back to my home town, we have one of the famous saddle makers in the States from my home town. I’ve not been writing or shooting much, but hope seeing the work of other artists will get me into the mood 🙂 Cheers and enjoy the day!
What is the name of that saddle maker?
I imagine you like riding? Surely you can do some riding in Czech?
Hope you will get the mood back… cheers.
Last post was Kenya… You are taking a long break. Hope all is well?
Things are well ~ I’ve been surprised at how long the break had been. Ready to crack open a bottle and begin getting creative 😂
Some absinthe may do the trick?
Well done with this photo shoot and the commentary – such a fun dialect you have is and had a great flow to match the trot and horse energy vibe!
Thank you. I thought it would flow easy… (Remember Ah speek fluent Sudern. Yes, Ma’am. Bless mah soul!) 😉
Hahaha – I still marvel at your eclectic mix of Sudern -and all the other cultures –
😀
It’s fun ain’t it? (Right now I wish I could fly back to Asia and spend some time there)
Now I’ve got the song Rawhide in my head!
Fun stuff!
Giddyap!
Hahaha!