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Friday, November 25, 2011

Amish Neighbors

Doug and I went for a walk one August morning, deciding to walk down to the end of the road and back. As we were on our way back, we could see a team of Amish draft horses coming toward us. An Amish woman was walking down the middle of the road, kind of behind and to the side of the horses; but we couldn't see anyone handling the reins on the team.

When we got close enough, though, we could see a little tow-headed boy, probably about four years old, walking behind the horses and holding the reins. His dad was cutting hay in the field with a team of horses, and the boy and his mom were bringing another team to give the first team a rest.

We stopped to talk with them, and the woman said that she told the boy she was going to take another team to Dad, and he could come along. She said his response was to say, as if in awe, "Gee, I'm a lucky boy." And he really meant it. She said he loves to do anything with the horses. The dad was pretty proud, too, pointing to his boy and saying he was a little farmer in the making.

I so wished I could have snapped a photo of the little guy driving the team of draft horses, but the Amish really don't like to have their pictures taken.  I did manage to catch the following one with a zoom lens and from behind, though.
 

You'll just have to use your imagination to replace the young man in the picture with the little tow-headed boy that we saw.


10 comments:

  1. I love horses, but I'm a little afraid up close. He must be a brave little boy.

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  2. What a sweet sight that must have been. The photo you did snap is wonderful. They're magnificent creatures and that little boy must have looked adorable and small by comparison. You may have done without that shot but you've painted a good mental image.

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  3. One of my favorite scenes in Lancaster, PA is catching a team of these massive animals being used to farm the land. Love you photo...tricky girl you are to respect their lifestyle but still get your photo!

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  4. Elizabeth - These draft horses are huge, and I think I'd be a little intimidated following close on the kicking end of them; but the little boy seemed perfectly comfortable.

    Hilary - The little guy did indeed look small and adorable behind those big animals. Thanks so much for the kind words.

    Deb - Like you, I enjoy watching the Amish farming with horses. I'm a horse lover anyway, so living among the Amish is the next best thing to having my own stable. :)

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  5. I love these teams, and really enjoy watching them work. A friend who has problems getting his horse in a trailer always tells it he is going to send it over to the Amish and they will show it how to really work.They are very lovely people to meet.

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  6. Steve - I, too, enjoy watching the horses at work, whether it be the draft horses working in the fields or the light horses and ponies pulling buggies and carts. The Amish in our area have some magnificent buggy horses...a lot of American Saddlebreds. Very showy.

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  7. What a nice walk that was, Linda. I'm glad you got a photo...those horses are HUGE, aren't they? In a way, I envy the simple life the Amish lead. And yet...

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  8. Cheryl - I know what you mean about Amish life. But I'm not sure I'm up to the hard work. :)

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  9. MAFW - Thanks for the visit and the encouraging comment.

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