"Working Horses"

Oil on canvas

1000mm x 755mm (39 3/8in x 29 3/4in)

Private collection: P and R Krishnan

The Clydesdale, the best known of British breeds of draught horses, originated in the Clyde Valley in Scotland in the seventeenth century, and was brought to Otago, New Zealand in the very early days of European settlement there.

George and Vivien Simmons, well-known NZ Clydesdale breeders at "Ashburn" in Gordonton, Waikato provided the two mares for this study. Ashburn "Kathleen" is on the left at 17 1/2 hands and on the right at 16 1/2 hands is Ashburn "Keri".

"Working Horses" is based on a pen and ink drawing by the same title that I did originally for a series of studies depicting early New Zealand Colonial Life.