St-Leonhard's Ride- for all horse lovers

[Barbara]

St Leonhard is said to be the patron of the cattle. But as with many saints he graced an older custom of pagan origin.

At his day in some towns in Austria and Southern Germany there is a procession of horses and horses and carriage that is called St Leonhard’s ride.

These pictures are from Wartenberg where my mom lives. It was drizzling and rather cold but we loved to see all the beautiful horses – I think there must have been 60-70, one even was a carriage with six but I didn’t get a decent picture of it. Amber, my mom’s dachshund barked only at the smaller ponies- she thought they were big dogs and she always has to tell the big dogs their place ;)

I loved especially the cold blood horses. Everyone has tractors now so you don’t see them so often but they are so gorgeous.

Enjoy!


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pf7e77053f20b939af46a851663228afb/ec2fcee3.jpg

Riders at the top of the march

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p7841cad820d6e8536629ee14df35f88c/ec2fd0f6.jpg

Southern German Cold blood

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pef5b3f07b7000598287aba76216c3d7c/ec2fcd6e.jpg

The same, now walking

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pc089cc7ff51c0919b2aef22f55520bb8/ec2fd0f5.jpg

Haflinger- an Alpine race

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p0b237da8f1b11d624a43c288468e3c7a/ec2fcf06.jpg

Haflinger carriage-and-four

>>>>more to come

[Barbara]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p83e67a5a7b726aa9008389efde43f08a/ec2fccf7.jpg

Haflinger with the harvest crown carriage

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p02a288e0eb2ec97fbcb215369468c568/ec2fcd7d.jpg

Beautiful white horse

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p1606a12f579e44d7d506148b8a98efa7/ec2fd0f3.jpg

Pony with sulky

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p7eb0639059b1e5d46c1a107cd77a27d1/ec2fd0f8.jpg

My favorites: big black and white cold blood horses

[Miss Z]

Those pictures were great, I'd have loved to have been there! And I'm with you, I can't get enough of big, beautiful piebald cobs :D

Thanks so much for sharing

[Sonia59]

They are beautiful! I love exhibitions with horses :)

[Edwina's Secretary]

Whawt fun!

Is this...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p7eb0639059b1e5d46c1a107cd77a27d1/ec2fd0f8.jpg
horse's mane BRAIDED to create the scarf on his neck??? How cool...oh....and the Ugg boots on the legs....SO fashionable!

The white horse is also a beauty!

[Killearn Kitties]

Is this horse's mane BRAIDED to create the scarf on his neck???
Is it? I thought that was some kind of headscarf! :D Good grief, I wonder how long that takes?

What lovely horses, but you don't have any pictures of Amber? Shame on you, Barbara!

[Barbara]

It IS braided- the pony with the sulky wears the same hairstyle decorated with some geraniums ;)

[Argranade]

OMG what beautiful horses! :D

The last horse's White and Black cold blood's are SO beautiful my god!

Ahh .... I would have loved to been there lol.

[Chilli]

Oh my.. How beautiful!!
That must have been such a spectacular event to watch. So much beauty!
The pictures were wonderful. :D

[Almita]

Wow the horses are gorgeous! Love them all. The weather looks gorgeous as well! Thank you for sharing

[dukedogsmom]

Those are beautiful! I had no idea there was such a tradition. Thanks for sharing. My favorite was that cute little pony.

[flamepony12]

Wow, that looks fun! Great pictures! :)


oh....and the Ugg boots on the legs....SO fashionable!

where are the Ugg boots? XD

[Edwina's Secretary]

where are the Ugg boots?

The way the coat grows on the lower legs looks like Ugg boots to me! ;)

[luvofallhorses]

great pics! :) they are all beautiful! :D

[lizbud]

Beautiful horses all.

[Freedom]

Thank you for telling about the tradition as well as showing the photos. That makes it more meaningful, as least to me! I also was fascinated with the braiding of that mane to look like a scarf. THAT must take some time, eh?

I don't know a lot about horses, but I do love them. These photos are terrific! Are cold blood horses a draft horse? I have not heard that term before. I don't think it means cold blooded like snakes and reptiles, I wonder what the term refers to. They sure are fascinating horses, and so well cared for all decked out for the special feast day!

[Barbara]

Are cold blood horses a draft horse? I have not heard that term before. I don't think it means cold blooded like snakes and reptiles,

Hey that was a Germanism :o In Germany the big horses (like Clydesdale etc.) are called cold blood- although their blood is as warm as any mammal's. I suppose they rather think the character is a little less hot than Fury's ;)
I couldn't find out how they translate.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I think this is interesting....in English...."draft" is also a word for a cold breeze....as in..."don't sit in the draft" (I know they spell it differently in the UK)

So we have "cold blood" = "cold breeze"

:D :D :D