Inger's Horses

This is a very large painting, an approximately three quarter life size view of an Arabian mare and her warmblood cross foal. In fact, this is the same foal as in Snug as a Bug. Inger’s Horses would be an appropriate title for scores of my paintings, for Inger is my prime source for equine models. Inger breeds sporthorses, which are horses of any number of breeds that have been selectively bred to excel at jumping and dressage, a sort of equine ballet.

Warmbloods, big bodied descendants of various European cavalry horses, are the quintessential sporthorse, but are usually quite expensive. Thoroughbreds, bred for horseracing, are more plentiful and the ones that didn’t do well at the track are often affordable. However, the thoroughbred temperament is usually too hot for the endless drilling and discipline of dressage. They are often crossed with the more placid warmbloods for a calmer, but more affordable athlete.

Arabians, also hot tempered and small, are crossed with warmbloods to get an exquisite, refined head, the larger size of the warmblood, and the brains and endurance of the Arabian. That is exactly the qualities of this foal. Today, a grown horse, she has a beautiful Arab head, but the calm, cooperative temperament of her Oldenburg father, and none of her Arabian mother’s defensive flightiness.

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