2015 May – New Perth Farm

I was coming from Montague one day, headed to town (as we say in eastern PEI – Charlottetown being the only town to head to) and I noticed a pasture of mares and foals. I talked to the owner, Ken Mellish, later on and he identified his herd as Dutch warmblood, bred specifically for dressage.

Ken was generous to open his farm to me, wanting his horses shown in the best light. Well these beautiful mares and foals can only be seen as outstanding.

We’ll start with the front pasture, shot before I met Ken.

About a month later, in early June, I returned and met Ken Mellish who established this breeding farm, concentrating on dressage blood lines. He graciously showed me this year’s crop of foals. The mares were really cautious and I had to blend into the fence and hide my camera before they’d cross into the pasture.

Mares’ parade…..

…and here come the foals.

The yearlings – spectators.

It was the day I’d waited for…fresh spring air, the sunshine really warming you with a bright green spring pasture all around, and I was surrounded by mares and foals. I wanted to be in this moment forever.

The mares were happy to lower their heads and graze on this fresh new grass but the foals didn’t quite see the attraction.

It was a challenge to get these shots, with mares in the way and the foals like sprouts, off in every direction. They were just starting to play with each other, Ken said.

It was eye-opening to see Ken with a foal, I’d thought they were so much smaller but look at this one next to him and the width of his neck…their growth rate is phenomenal.

And then I saw some action in the training ring, one horse being lunged and another showing off for the camera (someone else’s camera!). These horses are bred for sale to the dressage ring. Below is Hamish, this is just his third time ‘under rein’. He’s a 3 yr old, here. That year (2012) was their ‘H’ year with the foals all named with H; i.e. Hamish, Havannah, Heratio, Hanosa etc.

I didn’t get this gorgeous horse’s name; he/she has such an expressive face!

And as I left I was still enjoying the day – and so was this chestnut.