Earlier this week, Anne Eberhardt, The Blood-Horse's photography director, visited La Ville Rouge and her 2009 full brother to Barbaro at Mill Ridge Farm. She took some wonderful photos and wrote this report (I was scheduled to accompany her but was a late scratch to handle the Linda Rice podcast). Enjoy!-Ron Mitchell
By Anne M. Eberhardt
(Blood-Horse Photography Director)
I had been thinking about photos I'd like to follow up on and La Ville Rouge was one of them.
It was mid morning on Oct. 13, 2009, a beautiful autumn day, cool temperatures with the sun going in and out of some dark clouds. I caught up with Headley Bell at the Mill Ridge office and we set out to visit the mare and her weanling full brother to Barbaro.
Our first stop was the broodmare barn. The last service date for La Ville Rouge was April 26, about 5 ½ months ago. Like the other mares in her field she is noticeably pregnant. Her handler brought her to the barn for our photo shoot. He walks her around and poses her for the camera.
La Ville Rouge at Mill Ridge
At this time of year the mares stay in their field all day and night. Their caretakers check on them twice a day and feed hay if needed. With continuous rains through the summer and fall, grass has been in abundance.
"She's laid- back, just one of the girls," said Headley. "She's out there grazing and enjoying life. She's carrying her first filly so we are all the more anxious because this was a long time coming. We are at the mercy of nature and just take it one day at a time."
La Ville Rouge is led to her field and starts to get excited when she sees the rest of her broodmare band. She takes a run down toward the group of mares, bucks and kicks, does a loop around the mares, and then settles in.
Next Headley and I drive over to the weanling barn where the 2009 Dynaformer/La Ville Rouge weanling is housed. Headley notes that the combination of a Carson City mare and Dynaformer breeds a quality horse.
Weanling colt; Dynaformer - La Ville Rouge
"He was late to wean because of the hernia problem earlier this year," said Headley. "He's doing great now. We let him acclimate to the herd, then pulled mom away, and he's adapted very well."
The colt was weaned about September 1, a little later than usual due to his hernia illness in the spring when the colt had a high temperature.
"He never acted like he was sick," Headley said. "He had a special attitude throughout that time. Now he is strong and has good balance with a great attitude. He really stands out."
The colt was lead into his field at the same time as a filly by Consolidator/Unbridled Assay. Staying close together, they walk off a few yards, trot past the waterer and then trot back. The pair came back to the gate as more weanlings are brought out to their field. Once two more weanlings are released into the field the foursome takes off.
