Horses in Stockholm

We drove out of the city and through the countryside to reach this ranch. Our friends board their horses there. Such beautiful country we would have never seen if not for our friends. I love visiting an area and getting an inside peek to off the beaten path locations... this was defintely off the beaten path!!! The area called Enkoping is all farmland... green, rivers and lakes... The owners said they sometimes get snow, but it tends to melt quickly.

This little foal was days old when we arrived. In fact, during our planning stages, our friends said we'd have to be flexible because there was a chance the mama would go into labor while we were visiting. As it turned out, she gave birth shortly before we arrived... convenient! She had not yet been named, so I named her Noelle... after my daughter :-) She always wanted a pony... Watching those spindly legs was incredible! New life...

Spring was in the air... flowers were blooming across the farmland. This bright orange flower stood out in the surrounding green pastures.

This horse is being groomed for the Olympics. She's a beauty! She was taking a nap when we arrived... Chimichurri is related to a couple of the others on the ranch and if I could, I would spend a lengthy period with the horses.

After hanging out with the horses, it was time for us to learn about the Swedish culture. We took Fika on this beautiful deck. Fika is more than just a coffee break. It is a time of the day, sometimes more than once, where people slow down and enjoy life. It's more than drinking coffee, it's taking a real break and interacting.

Next stop was quite a drive... we went to meet High Ambition. She and I first met in the stable :-)   Such a beauty! Our friends drive all over to tend to their horses, as they live in the city for work. However they have a country house to get away from it all...

This beauty, High Ambition, loved her "free" time. She wandered in the pasture, grazed and lazed. The area was so serene... While Mona swept the stable, Mattias walked the horse. Again, we had a spectacular day weatherwise!

At the same stable where High Ambition boards, is a stable with "movie stars". Team Vinnie is famous in Sweden. Signs are posted everywhere to not post pics on social media and I will respect that... but I did take photos and had a great time being in the presence of the famous! Their van was out front of the stable. I figured that taking a photo of the van would be okay...