France in Focus

A few weeks ago my 34 year old horse was unwell. My friend S who runs an equine rescue charity came to give him the necessary injections. After the treatment S took a photo of me with my horse and posted it on her rescue charity FB page.

About an hour's drive from here D saw the photo and immediately recognised my horse. D last saw him in 2002 and didn't even know he was in France. D only moved to France 3 years ago and met S via the network of rescue. In the UK D had had a horse at the same yard where my horse was on full livery and where a young woman V looked after his daily needs (I was a full-time carer at the time). D and I made contact and she told me that in two weeks V was to come from the UK on her first visit to France.

Last weekend D and V came to see my boy for the first time in 20 years and swore he hadn't changed. (They said that about me too, but they were clearly just being kind!). I couldn't believe that D had instantly recognised him from the FB photo. What makes him so unmistakable is that he has part Akhal Teke breeding and has inherited the breed's unique metallic sheen which makes an otherwise ordinary chestnut coat gleam like spun gold.

I wonder what the odds were of this incredible chain of events. We've known of many coincidences since moving to France, but this took the biscuit. I wish I could post the photo but I'm useless at doing that. I think Bayleaf has seen it though and could perhaps do that for me?

What a lovely tale!

Great story.
Re. posting photos. I posted this ages ago.
If you've an Android phone it's simple (must be 'cos I can do it). Once you've got the hang of it there'll be no stopping you showing us piccies -guaranteed
"this Luddite uses an app called Lit Photo on my Android tablet & phone which is simple to use.
Open app, chose 'compress photos, select photo from camera & tap on it , tap on arrow top rh of screen to confirm, select quality ( somewhere around 35% is fine), tap 'start compressing'. instantly photo is compressed & stored in phone memory. select this photo to post."

I'm pre-Luddite! But I'll give it a go in a while.

Wow, that's amazing, Veem ! 34 is a great age.
I love Akhal Tekes. I once knew the secretary of the Akhal Teke society here in France but sadly we lost touch. She had some beautiful horses when she lived in Normandy, wonderful to ride, calm, lovely nature, stallions and mares. That wonderful silvery metallic sheen has to be seen to be believed ... spun gold is a good description.

Veem wrote: ↑Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:21 pm I'm pre-Luddite! But I'll give it a go in a while.

How long's a while?
I couldn't reduce piccies sufficiently to post 'em until I found Lit Photo.
Only trouble for me is my fat fingers on a tidly phone keyboard so I sometimes post on my W10 laptop & then edit that post on the phone when I add the photo.

Now And back then!

Thank you Bayleaf. The 'then' photo reminded me that whilst riding around the showground on the day, Misha turned a few heads as usual and one lady even came over to ask me what I had sprayed on him 'to make his coat shine like that'!
In the background of the 'now' photo is 'baby Jakie'. Now 25!!!!!

L Austin France wrote: ↑Tue Aug 23, 2022 2:10 pm

Veem wrote: ↑Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:21 pm I'm pre-Luddite! But I'll give it a go in a while.

How long's a while?
I couldn't reduce piccies sufficiently to post 'em until I found Lit Photo.
Only trouble for me is my fat fingers on a tidly phone keyboard so I sometimes post on my W10 laptop & then edit that post on the phone when I add the photo.

Thanks for the tip Vic. I managed to use Lit Photo to get the photo into my album, but then didn't know how to post it on here. Bayleaf to the rescue and I'm grateful that she's posted a couple of pictures of Misha.

He's gorgeous - what a shine on his coat !