Friday 3 January 2014

Too Cold To Ride

As I said, it's cold in Ottawa. Minus 38 c with the wind chill. It's too cold to do much of anything. For me and my little horse Panda it's too cold to ride. But let me introduce you to Panda. Panda is not a thing, but she is Canadian, made in Canada. She is a breed called Cheval Canadien, Canadian horse, the little Iron horse, the official National horse of Canada.  Panda is the culmination of over 300 years of dedicated breeding by the hardy farmers, primarily from Quebec who raised these sturdy animals to plow their fields, pull their wagons, safely transport their children to church, to school. It is a quintessentially Canadian breed -- sturdy, curious, alert, inventive, sound in mind and body, sometimes opinionated, adapted to rough conditions and cold, cold weather, exquisitely beautifully and a bit untamed. What a perfect animal to represent this country of ours.  In winter, Panda's coat is blue black and as thick as a mink's. I love burying my hands in her mane to warm them. I love watching her dash around her paddock kicking up a whirlwind of snow. I can almost hear the sleigh bells. I wonder if she dreams of spring.


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