Los Caballos - Horses

Horse Photo through Jeep Windshield

Esperanza Riding Club Herd from our Porch

There are painters that specialize in painting horses and I am not one of them.   On vacation in Vieques, Puerto Rico, there were opportunities to observe horses - everywhere.    We learned that there are approximately 9,000 residents on the island and there are 10,000 horses.   The single lane access to our lodging was a long, steep and winding dirt path down to the property.   Our first introduction to their predominance was when we turned onto this road in our 4WD Jeep, a very large horse was calmly ascending as we descended.  We came face-to-face with him on a stretch bound by thick brush and trees.  What happened next was obvious - and he fully expected it - we backed out and let him pass.  After all this was his property, not ours.

So although I have never really painted horses - like the mangoes - they were an integral and fascinating part of the landscape.   An objective view of their silhouettes revealed that they spend most of their time grazing, which looks like an upside-down (squarish)horseshoes.  These watercolors don't do justice to their muscular form and beauty, but it was fun to do these quick studies.






More horses



Bella

Looking West from Hector and Mary's

Mangos!

Mangos I

Have you ever eaten a fully ripened, just picked mango?   I hadn't until last Tuesday when we arrived in Vieques, Puerto Rico.   What a special treat!  The sweet, juicy flesh of the fruit was very similar to a perfect peach, and the aroma was unbelievable. Our casita was surrounded by mango trees weighed down with these bright, heavy fruits.   We were invited by our hosts, Hector and Mary to help ourselves to the fruit.   The only caution was to never try to get to a freshly fallen mango if their horses were out.  The horses would win every time.  


Mangos II

We witnessed firsthand the horses zest for the fruit.  We heard a mango fall with a thud.  The closest of the three horses - pets of the Inn - made a beeline for it.  He made a precise nibble at the edge of the mango's skin then swung his head around in circles which took the skin off like a spiral.   He then took the whole fruit into his mouth, juices pouring out.



Mangos III

With all this attention on mangos, it became a prime topic of the watercolor studies that I did on this vacation.  The strap shaped leaves were sunlit and warm green, forming star patterns just above the fruit clusters.    I did several studies of the mangos and I look forward to working on an oil paint version now that we are home.





Mangos IV

Mangos V