Windt im Wald
A Wind in the Woods
Geauga County, Northeast
Ohio since 1995
WIW Royal Idyll Foaled May 25, 2003 at 1
AM (Royal
Pride Rythm x FF Gai Arista, by High Command)
Last update
October 27, 2011 The video footage included
on this page shows our beloved WIW Royal Idyll
The 2010 video footage of WIW Royal
Idyll was taken by Idyll's devoted, loving owners, Carol
and Doug Exley. We are ecstatic that the Exleys are permitting
us to share Idyll with all our online visitors. Would
you look at this gorgeous, strapping boy with the quiet,
forgiving demeanor, the short back, and the legs that go on
forever? What a treasure he has become, thanks to all the patient
and loving tutelage. We believe that Idyll is pure elegance.
Further, we see the best of both parents in his size, his movement,
and his personality. At 15.3 Idyll takes our breath away.
Not only is he a graceful mover in harness, but also an honest
horse under English saddle. Oh dear Idyll, you have made
us all proud. We all seemed to sense after Arista's passing
that there was something wonderful fated for you! Here
you are, all grown-up and ethereally beautiful, a genuine do-it
Arabian. You seem to conjure up images of Abu Farwa and Rabiyas,
and maybe even Oran, with your golden dapples and your sweet
majesty. We believe you to be Royal Pride Rythm's finest
son. Love to Idyll, Sam, Doug, and Carol from Grandma
and Grandpa, who are beaming with so much pride we both just
might burst!
Thirteen days after his expected birth date, this strapping
colt made his rough appearance into the world. There was nothing civilized
or refined about it. He came storming through shortly before 1 AM during
Memorial Day Weekend. The monitors showed us just how serious Arista was
on making this her lasting delivery date after a couple of false alarms;
she was as tired as we were. She threw herself into the task with almost
too much vigor, but everyone, including Tom and Diane, came through this
one tired but oh so satisfied with the final outcome. Even all the
occupants in the stalls, even kingly Royal himself, enjoyed the smells of
the new arrival, and Queenie was overwhelmed with peeking through the cracks
at this newest neighbor. Arista was not so sure she wanted her privacy invaded
and promptly put her ears back at Queenie, who loves to visit with
a long, licking tongue through the wire inserts of the stall separating
them.
Idyll is going to be a really big boy. His legs go on forever
and he has great bone depth. He has two legs with high white and a huge
star with an attached snip that reminds us lovingly of WIW Princess Iris,
his full sibling born on IRS day in 2000. He is extraordinarily loving
and friendly as the attached pictures, taken on his tenth-hour anniversary,
attest. He looks to us as though he will excel at dressage and eventing,
but we are making predictions before we hardly even know him.
This
boy conjures up lots of wonderful names, all beginning with WIW Royal, of
course. We believe this will be his chosen name, although a few others could
fit him just as heroically. To us, he will always be the Royal Conquering
Hero, conjuring up thoughts of George Friedrich Handel and lots of
trumpet fanfares from the 18th century.
February 14, 2004 Hello!! So sorry
I have not written sooner. So busy and so cold!! How about
you? I keep hearing about your weather and I must admit
our weather seems a bit milder. Not by much, however. I
want to update you on Idyll, my wonderful little boy. So,
here are a few of my favorite things:
He has a ball
in his paddock which has become his favorite toy. He tosses
it outside the fence and then I toss it back. We have a
great time and he is SO proud of himself!!
He stands
in his stall when I bring him in with his halter and lead
until I tell him to move. I can walk around him..pick up
his feet..I can take off the halter and lead..until I say
OK, he stands..even with food in his dish.
He loves
Sam. He plays with him all day. Of course Sam does not respond
in the manner I am sure Idyll would like. I look out and
Sam's tail is straight out behind him with a little chestnut
gelding on the other end. Another game is the bite and run.
Sam REALLY loves that one..NOT!! But Sam has been a patient
and perhaps too tolerant companion. We are fortunate and
so is Idyll.
We bought him a new blanket and he wears it bravely and
proudly outside. I watch carefully and it has been a good
experience for the harness..all the straps and noises. He
now lets me do all of this while standing without ties..a
bright boy.
He comes complete with little boy inquisitiveness
and all the bumps and bruises that associated with.."ummm..what
is this new thing and how can I get into trouble"? He bumped
his eye and had a small swelling. Being the worrier that
I am, I had the vet look just to make certain all was well..It
was. The vet looked in his mouth and had to grab his tongue
to do so. Idyll did well. After, the vet told me I had a
very intelligent animal. But we already knew that, didn't
we?
He wants more than anything to taste the cat,
Winston and spends much time following him around along
the fence line to do so. Perhaps one day..
He is
filling out and growing up. His head is drop dead gorgeous
with a bright eye and most important..he is kind.
He thinks he is wonderful and we do too!! Thank you
so much Royal and Arista..and his grandparents..I am excited
about driving..I just think he can and will do well..
Hope all is well with you and the "gang"..Fondly..Carol
You want me to do WHAT? Stop tickling my ear!
I'm so cute
Ok! I think I will take my nap now.
3 Months... Getting ready for the County
Fair
This boy is growing! Look what six weeks has changed.
Not only growing but a new found independence.
Update as of June
5, 2003
We are devastated to report
that FF Gai Arista passed away on the evening of Wednesday,
May 28, 2003, at approximately 8:15 PM. We were all with
her in the barn when she had to depart this world for the
Rainbow Bridge. Her presence will be with us forever, and
we were with her during her last moments. She died nearly
instantly from an apparent embolism and hopefully, she suffered
no pain.
Idyll had a rough couple of days as we struggled
to find the best way to help him survive. It has been a
one-day-at a time challenge, but so far so good as Idyll
thrives on milk replacer and gets his daily exercise
running along with us as we put the other horses out each
day. He bravely leads the front end loader as we bring sawdust
and straw into the barn from our arena. He has been sacked
out, he crosses water, and he has no fear as long as one
of us is with him. We let him visit outside with a selected
few of his own equine peers, but we are careful to supervise.
We are pretty protective grandparents, you must understand.
More than ever, the name of Idyll seems appropriate
in so many ways for this survivor. In the beginning, when
we first thought of the name, it was because there are so
many references to royalty and to King Arthur in his pedigree.
We are reminded of his grandsire, HRH Arthur, who stood
as a sire in the 1970s in Burton, Ohio, and then, along
with the Squire Family, seemed to fade into the mists.
Even before the loss of dear Arista, we were reminded
of "The Idylls of the King," written by then Poet Laureate
of England, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, after the death of Queen
Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, at an early age. Some
of those lines by Tennyson recall a more tender age when
honor, decency, and truth may have prevailed. For instance,
Tennyson wrote in lines 1345-1351 the following characterization
of Lancelot in the words of King Arthur:
Lancelot, my Lancelot, thou in whom I have Most joy
and most affiance, for I know What thou hast been in
battle by my side, And many a time have watched thee
at the tilt Strike down the lusty and long practiced
knight And let the younger unskilled go by To win
his honor and to make his name.
We were also beguiled
by Tennyson's descriptions of the knight from Part 2 of
"The Lady of Shalott":
The gemmy bridle glittered
free Like to some branch of stars we see Hung in the
golden Galaxy. The bridle bells rang merrily As he
rode down to Camelot; And from his blazoned baldric slung
A mighty silver bugle hung. And as he rode his armor
rung, Beside remote Shalott. . . . His broad clear
brow in sunlight glowed: On burnished hooves his war-horse
trode; From underneath his helmet flowed His coal-black
curls as on he rode, As he rode down to Camelot.
And after all that has happened, all that we really
can think about as Idyll copes with his new destiny is that
"for one brief, shining moment here in Camelot", Idyll
and Arista were together and that she loved him. We
will love him for her.
The snow may never slush upon
the hillside By nine PM the moonlight must appear
In short, there's simply not a more congenial spot For
happily-ever-aftering, Than here in Camelot.
--Lerner
and Lowe's "Camelot"
Percentages for WIW ROYAL
IDYLL (Name Pending) By Diane Jones
At Windt im Wald Farm we are
preservationist Arabian horse
breeders. specializing in Crabbet/CMK bloodlines.
We also provide Arabian horse training and riding lessons.
We bought him a new blanket and he wears it bravely and
proudly outside. I watch carefully and it has been a good
experience for the harness..all the straps and noises. He
now lets me do all of this while standing without ties..a
bright boy.
