|
Who is Romashka?
I dared sending this question to the most
distinguished authority in the field of horse breeds, the author of several
scholarly papers on the horses of Russia through time, Gala Argent, M.A, the
proprietor of Celestial Horses,
and was honoured to receive a detailed and inspiring answer that I am now
pleased to share with you.
|
Next =>
|
| Gala, We, the Dubrovki company, seem to be growing in popularity with all the right people, and it occurred to me that Romashka need to be assigned to a breed befitting our new profile on the Russian rural travel scene. She needs to be made into something for than a village hag she really is. Could you make a credible guess based on her photos and description? Short legs, horsey brown fur, if you look carefully she is covered with spots of just slightly different hue of horsey colour but that only shows in the summer when she is clean and well brushed. From the knees down her lets are black. Also black tail and forelock, with a white spot of the forehead. Short, big belly, prominent hump at the base of her neck. Stubborn temperament, no fear, no aggression, real careful with loads which seems to be an inborn trait. I bought her for the "intelligent" look in her eyes, her tendency to look at sources of noise and other scary things rather than to try escaping them, and a very regular gate with low hoof elevation. If not her pig-like eating style I'd guess she has something from a thoroughbred.. Any way to inject her some blue blood - conceptually - without exposing oneself to the charge of being an outright liar? Your professional and enlightened opinion will be appreciated greatly. Thank you. Pasha
|
 This is Romashka carrying a person of a rather un-horsie orientation (Nadia) and a small child (Maria) and, as long as they don't ask her to leave the immediate vicinity of her barn, the animal is remarkably cooperative. If you do get on her nerves, she'll put you down by a series of bumps of increasing intensity till you are where you belong, in Romashka's opinion. But this will be done with no rearing, prancing or other dramatic maneuvers. Panic and aggression are not in her repertoire..
|
Pasha, Congratulations on the popularity of Dubrovki! I have reviewed Romashka's photos and description and I can say with some certainty (and my tongue in my cheek) that she is the perfect cross between the elegant Thoroughbred (Don? Budenovsky?) and the noble aboriginal local village breed. Thus in my educated opinion, I deem her that most sought-after mount, the "Anglo-Aboriginal." From the Thoroughbred, she gets the stubbornness. From the local breed, all else. All of her features have wonder of purpose. Her short statue helps her conserve heat in the winter, the prominent withers keep the saddle in place, and the big belly stores food for later. As to those who might say the word "noble" does not belong in the same description with "local breed," I retort: Ha! Do you think it was the fancy Moscow carriage horses who finally repelled the Central Asian hordes? Do you think it was the blue-blooded show jumpers who carried Bering and his crew across Siberia to Kamchatka? Nyet! It was the noble local horses, with their ability to endure tribulation and dig deep for more. It was the noble local horses who showed no fear, carried their burdens carefully, and smoothly transported their charges with no resentment. These are the horses of history. These are the horses who deserve statues in city squares and paintings by the masters! In noble Romashka flows the blood that traces the history of Russia. (How's that?! Okay, okay, I got a tad carried away.) Best, Gala P.S. Depending on Romashka's self esteem level, you may or may not want to share the above with her. If she's pretty sure of herself already, it could push her over the top.
|
