Making a Spectacle of myself.

Setting out across the fields on Thursday April 23rd..

Ahead lie the Laurentides hills and when the camera pans round you can see the little town of Ste Melanie.
Drop litter in the Laurentides and you get hit on the head for ....

 



A lovely day's ride through forested hills and whirling snowflakes, past frozen lakes...

to be warmly welcomed by Eric, Carol and Annick of Les Ecuries Diamond near Rawdon

Poutine is a Quebec speciality of chips (French fries) with cheese curds and a gravy sauce.  When Carol discovered I had not yet sampled its delights, she made sure we collected some for supper....

 It sounds grim but is actually delicious! 
Annick, Eric and Carol (L to R) see me off on  Friday April 24th.  Lady was stabled in the barn behind.

 It was a long but pleasant trek through the hills to next place I could expect to find some hay for Lady..

 I had identified an equestrian concern near Esterel, but had not had confirmation that I could put Lady up for the night, so asked nearby if there was anywhere I could buy some hay and ended up stopping for coffee and cakes..

 It transpired that Jeanette and Serge worked at the Haras Laurentien where I was headed, and that I was expected.   Hard working proprietor Samuelle Durocq-Henri gave me a great welcome and a luxurious bedroom, and invited me to stay on another day to see one of the 'operas equestres'  they put on once a month. Here is Samuelle practising for the following evening on her black Canadian mare ....

I was easily tempted, and it gave both me and Lady an opportunity to chill out for a day.  The 'spectacle equestre'  turned out to be tremendous fun, with clowns, jugglers, dancers, singers and a cast of horses including the Canadian, four Friesians, a Morgan, an elderly Arabian and a pinto gypsy vanner stallion who played the lead - the drum horse Voltaire who had fallen for the charms of black mare Operette.  The performance was enlivened by human and equestrian tricks and displays to music, and the show was followed by a lively cast party during which Samuelle tried out a couple of new tricks...

I played a small part in the spectacle when Samuelle introduced me after the show - what the audience made of the strange figure in baggy travelling attire that was presented to them I shudder to think.

The following morning Sunday April 26th I had a mounted escort down to the village.  Samuelle is on the Friesian third from left, husband and behind-the-scenes fixer Geoffroy Garnier second from right, and between them is Adele who speaks fluent English and was able to act as an intermediary when my French failed me..

 

 Ominous crossbowman warning sign in the woods, bringing with it shades of 'Deliverance' ...

But I eventually arrived safely at ...

 ....the well run Centre Equestre Val Morin, where I was thoroughly spoiled by Suzanne and the rest of the delightful Casavant family.  After a visit from a journalist representing the local edition of Information du Nord, Husband Denys saw me off on the sunny but chilly morning of Monday April 27th with a toe warmer of rum and maple syrup!