Todays trek includes a few stops in the country, a horse farm, a hunt for a rare flower and marmot viewing.
First stop was random, but I always love what I can find when I look around. I made Yuri take this picture. Just seemed so American in Ukraine. And the day was off to a great start.
In 1767 the oldest in the South Russia “Derkul” horse plant was founded in the village Danilovka near Belovodsk. Not much has changed from the original planning and building of the horse farm. And I have never been on such a big horse farm. Every piece of the land has a purpose, there are padlocks everywhere.
Here are the two old pillars - the remains of the old entrance gate. The inscription on the plaque of the right pillar reads, Derkul State Horse Stud. The inscription on the left pillar dates back to Soviet times and declares that the horse farm is a listed architectural site. When you stand in front of the former old gate, you can see the remains of an old fountain to your right. There was a park for visitors and the fountain cup is still there.
This is the first building built on the property and is currently used as the horse clubs meeting location.
Alexander Fiodorov, the museum keeper and farm manager, took us around, showed the horses and told us a lot of things about the history and the present uses of the farm.
As the legend says, Russian Tsar Peter the Great on his return from the Azov campaign (1695-1696) stopped here. He admired beautiful view of the river Derkul with vast meadows and said: "A horse plant must be built here!”. But his death postponed the construction of the plant and his ideas were realized in some decades by Catherine II who was a big connoisseur of horses.
The Horse Farm museum contains a lot of exhibits about the farm's thoroughbred horses and their achievements: diplomas, cups, medals and what not. The farm's horses have taken part in lots of international competitions and are well-known all over the world. Mr.Alexander Fiodorov, our guide for the day and an old friend of Yuri’s mom, wrote a book about the Horse Farm and presented one to Caroline and I.
The present name of the horse farm is Novoderkul State Horse Farm. In Soviet times it was also called Horse Farm No.63. The buildings of the horse-breeding farm were built in the form of the name of Empress Catherine II. From above you could see her monogram: E II as you can see in the model below in the museum, and it was quite impressive. Alexander told us that during the last war the Nazi pilots refused to bomb the horse farm after they had seen the empress’s monogram. Catherine II was a German princess name Sophia Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst.
Every horse stable has a plaque with the name of the horse and its parents attached to the wall. Each nickname is unique. It is a combination from the letters of the horse's parents. According to the rules, the horse's nickname should not be given to any other horse within 50 years of the horse's birth.
Look Dad, this one was born on your birthday.
The first stables appeared here in 1789. At the beginning of the XIX c. there were already 5 horse plants in this locality. Right now Belovodsk district is the only one in Ukraine that has 3 state horse plants and where horse breeding is the most important and the oldest branch of agriculture.
The Derkul horse plant first bred and supplied the Akhal-Teke and thoroughbred English horses for cavalry, the best of them for the royal stables. Since 1843 the pedigree horses are grown here. At the beginning of the XX c. the plant started to breed the Orlov and Russian trotters. Many of them have become world champions. Today there are approximately 1500 horses whom live and are cared for on the farm.
Alexander took us to the stables located in the old building that is seen as E from above.
There is a special microclimate there and the architectural design provide maximum comfort for horses. Alexander had some dried crust and sugar with him, and he shared it with me to share with the horses. It was funny how carefully the horses took the dried crust with their mouths. I could not help smiling and laughing. Hippotherapy, they call it.
The whole complex is considered to be an architectural monument of the XVIII c. It includes a unique manege for training young horses, built in 1897 in Japanese style, and the old auction building has marvelous acoustics. I tested it out per Yuri’s request with a bit of Amazing Grace. And it was awesome!
The entire grounds are extraordinary. I am not a big horse person, although I am not adverse to learning and owning one someday. I love the concept of the freedom that comes with riding.
There were 26 babies during our visit. The youngest was only a few weeks old and one orphan whom I was ready to bring home with me. They were all so shy and adorable.
After viewing the stables we were taken to the old horse riding house, a unique building called Japanese Manege here. It is called Japanese because its architecture reminds you that of Japanese houses.
This building is an architectural masterpiece of Ukraine. It's a unique building in the entire country. Its roofs and walls rest on only one pillar in the middle. All the beams were made of larch - the best durable wood that was also exported to Venice from Russia at that time. Believe it or not, but the building's diameter is 34 meters and the height is 17 meters. The farm workers replaced the old roof with a metal one, but did not touch the larch beams. They have remained intact and will serve for another thousand of years, as Alexander says.
The second part of the II.
The Japanese Manege here is called Japanese because its architecture reminds you of Japanese houses. It's a unique building in Ukraine. Its roofs and walls rest on only one pillar in the middle. All the beams were made of larch - the best durable wood that was also exported to Venice from Russia at that time.
The Japanese Manege was incredible. The light was perfect and made for some great pictures.
Yuri makes a friend.
Alexander and his wife are, as previously mentioned, old friends of Yuri’s mom, so we were treated as friends, which meant lunch and cognac. It was amazing. All in Russian, but I have gotten used to not understanding much and enjoying the feeling of places. I loved just ‘being’ at the horse farm. I made friends and wandered into places unknown for some individual mini excursions.
So what is hiding in the church? You guessed it, he is after another bottle of cognac. He was too fast for the camera sometimes, but I snapped one.
It was a wonderful way to spend Caroline’s last few weekend in Lugansk. Everyone was so great. It was a magical day!
And just when we thought it was over, we were off on another adventure in such of a rare flower that grows in the prairie. Yep, you heard me right, a prairie flower. Alexander was thrilled for the adventure. And before we get to the flower hunting I find these farmers working away. I know, you see it all the time in the US, but here it is so cool to see some huge tractors at work.
And we found some marmots. Yuri and Caroline had a great time hunting these little critters down.
Cows, not such a big deal besides that the scenery is lovely. I learn later on during our pass back thru Danilovka that these cows are all owned individually by the residents of the village. And are slowly being handed off to their owners as they trek thru town. It was so interesting and fun. As we passed Alexander’s cow, he rolled down the window and called to her, she mooed back and quickly trotted behind us home.
Such a wonderful and perfect day! Many thanks to all who came and played today!
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