On Saturday, our new mobile model horse store debuted at Skyline Farm's annual Spring Plow Day. We were nervous as a young Thoroughbred on race day, wondering how the models would ride in the trailer. I'm happy to report they all behaved perfectly!
Everyone had a lot of fun - Teams worked the field, a blacksmith on a vintage portable forge demonstrated his craft, a wagonsmith worked on restoring a lovely antique sleigh, the local young farmers' group brought their goats out to play, the carriage house museum was a hit as always, as were the treats the volunteer food brigade cooked up.
Below: In the wagonsmith's shop, Master Carpenter and Wagonsmith Nick Buck replaces floorboards on one of Skyline's many antique sleighs. Nick is no stranger to driving sleighs and wagons: A few years ago he drove the Oregon Trail with three mules and his little Terrier Olive Oil!
George Merrill and his Haflinger mares warm up before hitching to an antique harrow to demonstrate how to work the field in spring.
Meanwhile, back at Triple Mountain, we were soon talking horses with our very first visitors to our mobile store!
Silver the Miniature Horse dropped in to see if the models are really almost as big as him (they are!)
Then Silver joined up with his friend Buddy to give wagon rides around the farm. We loved waving to the riders as they went past our store each time, and more than once, I heard their driver Ben tell riders, "Hold onta yer hats - We're gonna go like the wind!" as the Minis broke into a trot, to everyone's delight.
We knew models are popular with kids, but this is the first four-legged kid to visit our store:
And of course, the kids' moms approve, too!
Even Keaton the Clydesdale came by to see how much he looks like Breyer's SBH Phoenix. 5 year-old Keaton was born at Budweiser's Merrimack, NH, farm, and this was his first outing to Skyline. He had lots of fun meeting everyone, and seemed quite entertained by the antics of the goats and kids.
Keaton got to show off the beautiful stride he was bred for when Greg Cuffey demonstrated ground driving in the grassy ring:
What a great day! We hope to see some of you at a future outing of the Triple Mountain mobile model store, or at our Hiram, Maine, flagship store. Of course, if you're not nearby, we still ship worldwide!
