This year, I was able to go again myself, and O.K. went with me. I took so many pictures I have decided to split them into themed groups. Therefore, if you are not interested in one particular topic, you can simply skip one post and wait for the next.
Today's post is about the most important protagonists of the Horse Market - the horses!
As you can imagine, there were many in the parade, more than the ones I am showing you now:
My absolute favourites - Shire Horses! I stand in awe of these friendly giants who are so strong and yet show no aggression at all.
It must take a very calm character of a horse for it to be trained to be a drummer's horse! I wonder whether this one works as a police horse in real life.
The Horse Market has been going on in Ludwigsburg since the year 1731. There have been a few missing years in between, mainly due to wars I suppose; the one we've just had was the 248th, I seem to remember having read.
As I said, there is more to come - about fashion, history, and old tractors, to mention just some of the themes I found covered by the parade.
Great photos, shire horses are my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThey make my heart beat faster, in a good way.
DeleteHow really exciting this wonderful event must be. I love every kind of draft horse. Just south of us is a large Amish area where they still plow with them.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that Ludwigsburg is carrying on this tradition.
Me too, Kristi! I've loved the parade ever since I was a little girl.
DeleteHorses. Market. Count me in. I adore horses and Shire horses are so perfect and powerful and calm. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteThey are wonderful, aren't they! (The Shire horses, I mean.)
DeleteI've never ridden one but I imagine one must feel on top of the world up there.
I remember last year's post by your Mum well. That's the sort of event that I really enjoy for the atmosphere as much as for the horses. Having said that it's many years (decades!) since I rode one but I love them on so many levels and they have been such an integral part of humankind's development. I was trying to remember when I last saw a shire horse and I can't remember. I think they would have been my favourites.
ReplyDeleteI'd actually opened this last night so I made my comment this morning without seeing the other comments. I find it interesting that we've all picked up on the Shire (draft) horses.
DeleteThere have been years when I was watching the parade and wondering about the surprisingly small number of horses involved. Not so this year! There were many more than the ones on my pictures here; sometimes I didn't catch them from a good angle, or people were between me and them, or I was distracted otherwise.
DeleteThey ARE remarkable and special! If I were rich and had lots of land etc., I would definitely want a pair of them.
DeleteWow, that is amazing. I have never heard of it, but it's a wonderful tradition. I love shire horses too. I visited a stud of Suffolk Punches near Woodbridge, in suffolk, a few years ago and it was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI like this tradition very much, too. There is so much more going on over the three days the Horse Market lasts, the parade is just the pinnacle.
DeleteYou must have missed my posts about it during the past few years. The very first time I ever posted a picture of my Mum and Dad was taken at the parade, by the way :-)