Clydesdale horses – Slow Shutter Speed

Right now my life is like an unfinished story. I jump from one activity to another without finishing the first. And so it is with the second part of my visit to the Anheuser-Busch facility in Fairfield, California to see the famous Clydesdale horse team in action. So many things got in the way of my posting this blog, including a two-day Toastmaster conference.

But here I am at the computer ready to show you images of these beautiful horses. I received conflicting information of the horses’ ages. I can tell you that when they can no longer participate in parades, they live on a ranch and enjoy the rest of their natural life.

Another fact that amazed me was the time it took to dress the horses (in their fancy harnesses) and hitch up the team. Once the eight horses were hitched, they did one horse at a time, April (the dalmatian) and the drivers got on board for the ride around the parking lot.

I came home with over 500 shots to go through because I finally decided to use continuous shutter speed. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wade through them, just a few select ones.

April was out to greet everyone.

This is where the horses are kept until it’s time to get hitched.

The wagon. Notice, everything is red!

First horse arrives.

At least three of the staff were dressing the horses.

The process continues

In about 10 minutes, the first horse is ready to be hitched.

On the way to the wagon, horse and handler fall in step.

Hitching to the wagon.

The horses interact while waiting.

We’re now up to three horses hitched.

Beautiful face.

The parade begins.

They circled twice around the parking lot in one direction.

And then changed direction for two more rounds of the lot.

Now, that’s a fancy foot.

After the parade the team is still for everyone to come closer.

Both Alyse and I decided in a recent phone conversation that we were going around in circles–not literally but in the sense of getting nowhere with our lives. Returned from our 2-week road trip, neither of us felt that we were getting much done or advancing toward a goal.

I had wanted to take a course from Leanne Cole, a friend and fine-art photographer in Australia, but have yet to start it. I just don’t have the time. I’m still moving boxes around, unpacking the ones I can, shopping for new things for the house and beginning to get into a normal routine, including photography. Maybe, I’m wanting too much too soon. I want to have my house done, want to begin to meet people in my new community and want to advance in my photography ability–ALL AT ONCE!

Fortunately, I’m prioritizing photo outings with my regular Tuesday group. We recently visited the Anheuser-Busch plant in Fairfield to photograph the famous Clydesdale horses. We began with a plant tour (I’ll show the images in this post.) and then watched the hitching of the horses to the cart and the small parade. This was all done in their parking lot.

So, here are some pictures from the plant tour that lasted about 1 hour. I so enjoyed the outing, and had the feeling that I was accomplishing something. In the next post you’ll meet the horses and April, the dalmatian.

Oh, on a side note, when I met one of my new neighbors, I kept talking about going out to shoot this and that. I saw a puzzled look on her face, and realized she thought I was talking about guns! “I shoot with a camera,” I said!