Bob Asmussen | Beloved horses, carriage business keep Bondville couple on the go
Dec. 12—Want to purchase today's print edition? Here's a map of single-copy locations.
The Saupes are in the middle of their busy season. To be more accurate, their beloved horses — Jill and Lena (Clydesdale) and Lonesome Dove and Rooster Cogburn (Morgans) — have full schedules.
One of their driving partners, Jonathan Rieches, bought a young Clydesdale named Magnus. The 4-year-old is being incorporated into the business, spending riding time with one of the mares.
For nine years, Beth and Martin Saupe have operated the popular Merrybeth Farm Carriage Service.
Actually, Martin corrects "we're two-thirds of the way through (the busy season)."
The Saupes, who are coming up on their 50th wedding anniversary, shared their schedule with me.
While they operate most times of the year, the rat-a-tat action started in early November and continues throughout this month (though they take Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off).
To quote Johnny Cash, "they've been everywhere, man" — Mansfield, Watseka, Champaign, Cissna Park, Catlin, Mahomet, Tuscola, Allerton Park, Sidney, Paxton, Chrisman, Rantoul, Farmer City, Urbana, Oakwood and Tolono, to name a few.
They've got the Mistletoe Market at Champaign's The Venue on Sunday and Monticello's Main Street on Dec. 22.
"The crazy weeks were the first and second weekends after Thanksgiving," Martin said.
They had two events that Friday night, four on Saturday and two more on Sunday the first weekend of December.
There isn't as much of a call for horse-drawn carriages in the colder winter months. But the Saupes handle private drives. They have one scheduled in January in Decatur.
Weather can sometimes alter the schedule. Last thing the Saupes want is folks driving in icy conditions. When that is the case, they will still set up photos at the event.
"We try to adjust things for people's expectations," Beth said.
Family members
The Saupes live on a farm near Bondville, with their horses and other animals.
Jill and Lena have been with the Saupes for years. Rooster Cogburn and Lonesome Dove came later from working cattle farm in western Nebraska, about 20 miles from North Platte.
"They are workhorses," Beth said. "Rooster Cogburn is just like the John Wayne character, he is a little ornery but he's never mean."
Morgans live into their middle to late 30s if their health stays good.
Lena is 15 and the Saupes hope she is able to work for another five years or so.
"You watch the horse," Beth said. "Lena's doing everything. She's had three babies. She knows how to do this better than we do to tell you the truth."
The horses are treated with the utmost respect.
"They're our partners," Beth said. "If you don't take care of them, they can't take care of you. And we thoroughly enjoy sharing them with other people."
The horses like the attention. Mostly.
Beth said horses have "personal space just like people."
Jill and Lonesome Dove don't like it when people touch their faces.
Instead, Beth suggests people pat them on their neck or shoulders.
The Saupe horses are bright. If they could talk, they would be unbeatable in trivia contests.
"Horses don't forget anything," Beth said. "They are very smart. You can teach a horse something good or bad in about three or four repetitions."
The Saupe horses do enjoy a good meal.
In an average day, the Clydesdales will eat 40 pounds of hay and 10 pounds of grain. They weigh about 2,000 pounds. That would be the same as a 200-pound adult male eating 5 pounds of food per day.
The Saupes up the grain total when they are working.
The horses spend quality time in the pasture during the summer. Less outside their barn in the cold of the winter.
"They are in big open spaces," Beth said. "You'd be amazed. Sometimes we go out there when it's snowing and they are standing out their with 2 or 3 inches of snow on their back just as happy as they can be."
Even without actual voices, Beth said the horses "talk" to them all the time.
"Ninety percent of horsemanship is observation," she said. "You're watching their expression, watching their movements, watching are they tense? Are they relaxed? Are they eating? Are they drinking? We watch them al the time. They are curious."
Long-term plan
The Saupes are both 70 with no ideas about slowing down.
"As long as it's fun," Martin said.
Beth has had horses since she was 7. Martin has been around them since he married Beth.
They have built relationships with many of the communities where they ride.
"I don't know if I could pick a favorite to tell you the truth," Beth said.
The Saupes and their horses work at weddings, anniversaries, marriage proposals, birthday parties and even an occasional funeral.
Knock on wood, the Saupes haven't had a proposal go bad.
"So far, I'm seven for seven," Martin said.
They don't always work. He has heard stories.
"Our mentor, who was in Normal, told us about a proposal that went bad," Martin said. "They got to that magic moment and she not only said no, but she walked away."
The Saupe horses ride in more than just scheduled events.
They also go out for fun with the couple, with the goal of keeping them fit.
"To do what they do, they have to be athletes," Martin said.
The Saupes have two vis-a-vis carriages, the traditional kind with seats facing forward and backward.
They have a hitch wagon used mostly at Curtis Orchard that holds 12 to 14 people pulled by two horses.
