Author and book designer Beth Oberholtzer admits to having a lifelong love of horses, with a special admiration of draft horses for their beauty, strength, and size. For photographer John Herr, who recently completed the book "Working Horses of Lancaster County" with Oberholtzer, horses are more of an acquired appreciation. "I found myself in farm fields with any number of horses," said Herr of his work on the book. "Subjects came up out of curiosity (to give me) a smell or a nuzzle or a gentle nip. I gained a real appreciation for horses and mules."

Oberholtzer and Herr held a multimedia presentation at Fairmount on July 28, explaining how they created the book and sharing experiences of shooting the photos.

Oberholtzer explained that the book focuses on both draft horses and carriage horses, noting breeds within those categories that are common in the county. "Most draft animals (in the county) are Belgian horses or mules," she stated, adding that Percherons and Suffolks may also be seen. Among carriage horses, the pair encountered the popular standardbred and the spirited saddlebred. Oberholtzer also described Morgan horses as smaller and tougher, Dutch harness horses as stronger and more stylish, and Fresians as sturdy. She also shared interesting facts about the animals, pointing out that she was charmed by a donkey's huge ears, which can grow to 12 inches, compared to the 7-inch ears of an adult Belgian horse.

While they were observing a variety of horses in a number of settings, from farming to driving to training for races, Oberholtzer and Herr gained an appreciation for the relationships between horses and owners and trainers. "They had a clear sense of satisfaction in having an attractive, well-trained horse, and they appreciated it when someone else recognized that," said Oberholtzer.

Herr agreed. "The rapport between the human and equine species is unmistakable," he said, noting that many of the "horse folks acted with skill and experience acquired from the cradle on."

Oberholtzer and Herr also shared interesting stories of working with horses and their owners. Oberholtzer described a scene where a driver's wife ran ahead of the horse with a container of baby powder, sending poofs of white into the air to attract the horse for a photo, and Herr spoke of his opportunity to drive a buggy, saying that he had not realized the amount of physical force that would be necessary to keep the animal in check. "I would have had sore arms if I had driven more than a half mile," he reported.

Oberholtzer's experiences included sitting on a hay bale in a dairy barn with her laptop reviewing photos with a young man sitting on an overturned bucket while his brothers worked to milk the cows around them.

Herr and Oberholtzer collaborated together previously on "Plain Meetinghouses: Lancaster County Old Order Mennonites Gather to Worship," and they completed "Mares & Foals of Lancaster County" at the same time they created "Working Horses."