Here at Château de Fontaine, a group of new muzzles join our family every year as they cautiously probe the world for the first time. Still, if you ask around, the other horses would probably all agree that there are four horses in particular that seem to stand out. Rumour at the Château even has it that these four horses are behind the ‘horse’ in the saying “get off your high horse”
They are, of course, our four fantastic sports horses: Prima Donna, Romanova, Deevoice and Zantros aka Papi :)
For the sake of ease, we may as well refer to them as the Fantastic Four from here on out .
The Fantastic Four have a slightly stricter schedule than most horses here at Château de Fontaine, and that comes with both its upsides and downsides. The downside is that they have less time and fewer opportunities to socialize with the other horses. On the other hand, however, they get to explore the old château forest, dance around in the grand arena and lounge in the spa when they’re done. So it’s definitely not all doom and gloom.
As should come as no great surprise, a typical morning for the Fantastic Four starts with breakfast. That means a generous serving of Reverdy’s full-bodied and wrapped hay horse feed and some delicious mash on Fridays to kick off the weekend right.
After being allowed some time to digest, the day starts for real. The grooms come for the four sports horses and accompany them to the other end of the stables, where they prepare for the day's ride in the arena. First, the Fantastic Four are rubbed to help loosen dirt, hair and other detritus, whereafter they are brushed to remove it from the coat. They then have their hair, hooves and tail cared for and groomed. And lastly, a refreshing layer of hoof oil is added to shine, moisturize and nourish the hooves. In short, the day starts in a most regal manner.
When the Fantastic Four are ready, it’s time to enter the arena. Accompanied by either Bolette, Jerome or Frederikke, the sport horses each take their turn in the spotlight to show off their power and elegance. In a dance that intertwines horse and rider, each partner is the other’s whetstone; sand and sweat mixes on the arena floor as the two hone each other’s skills.
But once the daily exercise and training is done, it’s time to relax at last. Prima Donna, Romanova, Deevoice and Papi each enjoy a cooling shower, followed by some well-deserved time under the UV lamps, where they can dry their coats and warm their feet. It’s almost like being at the spa! And neither groom nor horse ever forgets the magic rule: training ALWAYS ends with a sugar cube.
With dry hair and the satisfying ache you get from having exercised, the Fantastic Four eagerly exchange the enclosed stables for their grass paddocks the rest of the day. From the paddocks, the four sports horses can gaze out over the forest as they loll about and enjoy their free time. They also eagerly observe and interact with the other horses on the neighbouring fields. The foals in particular will often do some strange things that’ll merit the sport horses’ full attention. They seem to jump around as if they don’t have a care in the world. What strange creatures...
Now, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the four horses might be worn out after such a long day. However, as soon as it hits 4pm, all four members of the Fantastic Four start jumping, neighing and bucking in anticipation of dinner, as if they were all just little foals again without a care in the world. Once dinner is done, there are no more plans for the day. The sport horses head back to their own rooms and unplug for the day, enjoying some time alone with their own thoughts before curling up in the soft straw. As their breathing grows heavy, the sun bids its farewells and slowly dips below the horizon. But tomorrow, when the sun comes to visit again, it will be carrying yet another exciting day with it for the four sport horses here at Château de Fontaine.