What is that painting?

[Huttonite]

I have been avidly watching Jeremy Paxman's 'The Victorians'. One of the episodes reminded me of a print that was in my grandparents' house. I have not been able to find out who the artist was or what the painting was called, so can anyone help me please?
The subject is a group of three horses, or rather their necks and faces, with the surface of a water-trough at the bottom of the painting. Water drips from their mouths. There is a background of trees and the overall light of the painting suggests that it is early evening so the horses could have finished their working day.
Thanks very much in advance.

[saxy_jag]

Can you remember the painting that was on the programme? If we know that, we can attempt to identify a possible artist.

One of the foremost painters of horses, although pre-Victorian, was George Stubbs. It may be worth searching his work to see if there's anything familiar.

[gettinblurry]

Maybe Three Members of the Temperance Society by J.F.Herring?

[Schutzengel]

What a superb painting. Thanks for the link, if you click on the tiny picture, it enlarges to full screen. It's gorgeous.

[kempie]

Possibly based on the original oil painting "Three Members of the Temperance Society" by John Frederick Herring, Snr. Sometimes titled "At the Trough"...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/J.F.HERRING-PRINT-TITLED -AT-THE-TROUGH_W0QQitemZ120386007251QQcmdZView ItemQQimsxZ20090303?IMSfp=TL090303121002r19799

Versions of the picture have been attributed to John Arnold Wheeler, C H Thompson and M Gouge among others...

http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/attribut ed-to-john-arnold-wheeler-after-herring-1-c-g5 tfqim1ph

http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/c.h.-thomps on,-after-j.f.-herring-1-c-iaev6mmgxi

There also exist engraved versions by Thomas Landseer...

http://www.grosvenorprints.com/stock_detail.ph p?ref=3172

and Alexander Hay Ritchie...

http://www.prices4antiques.com/works-on-paper/ lithographs/Ritchie-Alexander-Hay-Engraving-Th ree-Members-of-The-Temperance-Society-Horses-D rinking-29-inch-D9823117.htm

[Huttonite]

Gettinblurry and Kempie I am very grateful for your collective help. C.H. Thompson's version is the one that was on the wall in my grandparent's house. The title 'Three Members of the Temperance Society' would have been apt since my grandmother came from a staunch chapel family.