A Horse and His Boy

I'm finally going to unveil one of my recent commissions. This is Junior, a sixteen year-old Polish Arabian, and the painting is 11 x 14 oil on Raphael linen panel. It was such fun to photograph this guy, and Junior is obviously a very special horse, so I've asked to share some of his story. I don't think I can put it better than Junior's owner did in her first email to me.

"Junior is a very special horse. He is my son's guardian angel. My son, Riley is 10 yrs old. He has Epilepsy. Riley started having seizures when he was 2 yrs old. When he reached 4 yrs old...kids in school were playing hockey/soccer. Riley thought he was too sick to play sports. That worried me. He wasn't sick. He had seizures...


Riley's first riding lesson – one of many – would be on Junior. One year later the riding school sold their land. They put some of their school horses up for sale. I am a single mom and always dreamed of having an Arabian since I first watched the Black Stallion! I took it as fate. I had been saving up to take Riley on a trip Alberta to see the 'bad lands' and the Dinosaur Museum. Instead, I used the money to buy Junior.


Junior transformed Riley. Riley was no longer telling people he was 'sick,' even though there were days he was having 6 seizures in a day (while on 2 medications!!)! Other kids talk about hockey, baseball and soccer- - Riley just smiles and says anyone can play that- but not anyone can ride a horse!


The first year we had Junior, there was an incident with Riley as he was trotting around on his own in the arena (I was in the middle of the arena) and Junior stopped and would not continue to move. I walked over to ask "Why aren't you making him go?" I thought maybe Junior was being a brat..I then realized Riley was having a seizure while sitting on Junior. Junior had known something was wrong..and he stopped. This happened a few times after, each time Junior would stop slowly and wait for me.


Junior has given Riley so much confidence. Riley thinks he can do anything. Riley is now taking only 1 medication and is so far 1 yr seizure free!


Junior changed Riley's life..and mine. I have people at the barn where he is stabled offering to buy him. I will never part with him. I know the day will come when Riley will out grow him, and we will have to buy a second horse. I like to tease Riley about when he out grows Junior...that Junior will be all mine to ride...and I will buy a pink saddle...pink saddle pad...pink polos... etc. Riley gets mad and tells me 'He's a boy horse- he doesn't wear pink, mom!'

Monday Guest Aritst ~ Kim Ratigan

What a perfect day to have a guest blogger - winter decided to pay us another visit and dump some nice wet snow on us here in Southern Ontario, so having someone lined up to fill in today lets me take care of a slightly altered schedule at the barn without the stress of trying to fit in a painting! It's sheer coincidence that I chose Mondays to feature another artist, even though tonight is the only real night I care about TV, because 24 is on.


Kim Ratigan is a watercolour and coloured pencil artist who lives not far from me in Burlington, Ontario. I've known Kim for a long time now, as we used to do art shows together. We're both into horses and dogs, so we've never had trouble finding things to talk about! One of Kim's watercolour paintings was an award-winner at this year's Art Show at the Dog Show. Please take a moment and visit her website and blog to see more of her work! We're going to post two of Kim's paintings today, as I couldn't decide on just one! Thanks, Kim!

"A Word in Your Ear"
19 x 13" watercolour/coloured pencil

This coloured pencil painting portrays a quiet moment between a Thoroughbred going to post and his groom...commnunicating without saying anything...

The painting is on acid free rag board, measuring 19" wide by 13" high, and is double-matted in cream and grey-green, and shrink-wrapped in heavy plastic for protection. It is available for purchase at a special price for the duration of April's "Thirty Horses, Thirty Days." "A Word in Your Ear" is priced at $250.00 US (plus shipping, and 50% of the purchase price will be donated to Linda's favourited charity, LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement, an adoption and placement program for retired racehorses in Ontario, Canada.

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please contact Kim directly!

"Baby Bling"
5 x 7" Coloured Pencil/Watercolour

This is a small painting of an Arabian foal in all his baby "finery." Done in coloured pencil and watercolour, this piece was accepted into the Pyramid Society's Annual Art Auction, and was sold for $500.00 US.

The Other Half of the Entry

Today I painted Peaker's best friend, Maria. Maria only left a couple of weeks ago to join Miss Peaks at the training centre - I wonder if they were reunited! Maria was purchased as a weanling last December. She was a little backward, but the last few months really started coming together. She's a very pretty thing, and while Peaker gives the impression of being somewhat modest and innocent, Maria is the opposite! She has a dishy, almost Arabian face, and a mischievous eye.

This painting is 8 x 10 oil on panel. I knew my time would be tight with this one, as I had plans to go to the re-opening of the Art Gallery of Ontario this afternoon. I'm content with the sketch-like quality of this one. I've always liked the freshness of oil studies on panel, where one can see the tone of the panel showing through. Once again I was using the limited palette.

I did get some writing done last night, and I need to keep on top of that! Time is ticking!

Remembering that I'm doing these horses by age, and this takes care of the yearlings...that means the weanlings are next! I've really been looking forward to doing them. They have such irresistable little faces! Well...if I can still call them little!