After You, Duke

This shot on the right was taken by me from the driver's seat of the princess's carriage we call "The Cinderella". I had hooked up the team attachment, and took carriage horses Duke and Earl on a relaxing spin down the Arkansas country gravel roads where we live. If you look closely you will notice that Earl's head appears to be slightly behind Duke's. (Earl is on the right)

That's because it is. Earl is no dummy. He has figured out that if he hangs back that Duke does all the actual work pulling the princess's carriage, and he can just walk along and profile without ever breaking a sweat. I swear I could here him politely saying "after you, Duke" in an English accent. Our carriage horse Earl seems to have conveniently forgotten the team part of teamwork. So...whenever I drive the princess's carriage horses together I have to pay close attention to my traces to make sure to remind Mr. Earl to do his part of the pulling.

They are a comical pair. Sometimes Duke gets angry with Earl's laziness and lets him know what he thinks of it with a very grouchy look (if looks could only kill). Even though Duke has a wonderful work ethic, Earl has mastered the art of slacking off. Even so..the two horses really do love each other, and will even eat dinner together out of the same pan. They are true partners, and the best of friends all slacking aside.