A horse's life at M. CHAPOUTIER

A horse’s life at M. CHAPOUTIER

Our horses: our indispensable companions

Working steep plots would be almost impossible without horses. Under the direction of the muleteer, his quiet strength works its magic. They share a special chemistry.

Nothing is more common than to come across animals on the Maison’s estates. According to the seasons and the vineyard’s cycles, idle sheep and retired horses roam freely. They clean the vineyard and add organic matter to the soil. And they provide a relaxing spectacle; a synergy of the labours of animals and plants.

For the muleteer and Ines, his mare, the day is made up of a succession of rituals. It starts with touching, stroking and words. Ined build up her strength with cereal supplements while the muleteer prepares her. Great care is taken with the working tools: collars in particular are waxed to relay wear.

Once Inès is harnessed, they head for the vineyard. So much to do…

  • Ridging, to bring the soil back around the base of the vine.
  • Decavaggio, to turn the soil the other way. The grass is left in place to preserve biodiversity. It is home to insects that protect the vine from other insects that are a threat.
  • Surface-scratching and hoeing to work the top layer of the soil to allow better water filtration.

For 4 to 5 hours, the muleteer and her mare walk through the vineyard. Unlike the tractor, the horse does not compact the soil, meaning that the earth is allowed to evolve normally. And of course the animal does not need as much turning space at the end of the row.

A real personality

Every horse has its own personality. You have to manage his moods, interpret his reaction when something goes wrong. He needs time to adapt to new tasks. Working with him is a learning process, culminating in a unique complicity between man and animal.

Such is the art of the muleteer…

 

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