Or; 'No bad thing which doesn't bring something good'. Yesterday I got the flu and anything on top of fibromyalgia is really too much so I decided to go to the doctor and told him I needed something that pulled me UP. He gave me something that despite of agressive flu made me bounce out of bed at 8 am and all day today I have been feeling better than ever! Removing the ache and pain I normally have I realised how EASY life can be and now I am really inspired again to GET 100% well, again! I went to stables and I had decided not to ride but Donoso was begging me so I gave in to him. The others had to stand back but they had been out in the sun so they were happy continue eating their afternoon hay. Back to doctor that told me he wants to draw more blood to check everything, so tomorrow am I will be there, again.

Here's a update I forgot to post on Big Baby Festivo in Dressage Daily. I am very proud to see him out there and feeling very connected to him, the time we had together was full of intensity and beautiful emotions. His new owners has given him such a great life and on last email from his trainer he told me that Festivo is all he ever dreamt of and that riding him is like having christmas everyday  and that makes me very happy to hear!

http://www.dressagedaily.com/market/horse-market/festivo-mr-0

Massage in the morning and without blinking I had ridden 3 horses AND finished with energy to do more - winning feeling, still riding on that wave!! Hurra, hurra. Fibromyalgia you watch it.. I was very happy with all three, especially Halagador has developed alot lately, he is rocking it!   Very cool. Moli is getting new oats today, we found corn in the other which is one of his allergenes, grr, how hard can it be to get that horse a decent meal!? Also Santa is bringing a special cultured powder called 'Probimin' from Sweden, I am pretty sure that will fix him once and for all.

Here's a greeting from Festivo greeting in the New York snow, brr, in the hands of man that makes him look small!?!

I have had a day of horses recieving two professional mums and two dogs, after some coffeshopping we made swedish buns and the house smelt like heaven on earth (to me anyway)! Meanwhile I had a glorious update on Festivo that has made his first on-stage entrance in the USA, he went to a trade show where everyone fell in love with him! Two people recognized him from us and one lady knew him from Sicab last year and she was so excited to see him in the US so she could breed to him that she almost started crying! Splendid!

Festivo MR demonstrating how to be presented as a sport horse in breed shows in the US.

Yes I've had a day off pampering myself and decorating house, its been so good! Friends are coming for a visit from USA and Sweden so I want to get it all as finished as I can so they can be comfy. I got another email from happy Festivo-people; 
'I don't know how to express in words how I feel about him being here! Perhaps the best way to try to explain it is I have already fallen in love with him. How could you not? It's been incredible. He is so sweet, loving, and eager to please. Watching Chad ride him today was fantastic. Bob and I didn't want the ride to end!! He was obviously so happy to be back in work. We measured him up and we're ordering new tack for him. He certainly loves his treats! A few very knowledgeable horse people said it's obvious he's been so well loved and cared for. We promise you that will continue!! Thank you for trusting us with him.'
And here he is starting his new life.. I miss that sweet face!!  
 

Trainer writes us;
Festivo says Hello!
'Well my dream has finally come true. Festivo arrived yesterday. He is truly a Big Baby. You have done a wonderful job. He is settling in nicely and will begin working tomorrow. It was worth the wait to get such an incredible horse. David DeWispelaere will be coming to help me train in November so I hope to have his fitness level back up by then. I will keep you up to date on his progress.
Many thanks to You and Javier. I am thankful I have met you and was able to spend time with you in Spain a few years ago.'
We wish Chad and his new owners all the best and we look forward to the updates and PHOTOS of Festivo in USA!

Happy horse, happy rider - Chad's turn to smile Big!!
Festivo MR & me in SICAB 2010
 

Here we are still walking around in a t-shirt, delayed summer?! Busy day with phonecalls and email and Moli has started working again! He was coughing alittle in the beginning but then he stopped, no temp no bumps, as new! He is now on oat and straw diet until we get labresults. Today a new horse had a fever, 41 degrees... The vet is thinking Duke, one of the spanish team horses, brought some virus when he came back from Germany, he had a cough when he arrived. So it makes sense that Moli picked up on that as he had his immune system sensitive because of the allergy. Start, Donut and Hagge are fine even though they have had close contact, they all have normal temp and I worked them all three today. I give them MSN for immunesystem and I have always been rigorous with vaccinations, then they are also very fit which helps. Now Moli is going to be super duper fit aswell! He's having iron supplement as his blood showed he was slightly aneamic. I had planned to compete and qualify him to SICAB this year but that's not gonna happen, so now we aim for the morfo-functional shows 2012 instead. So we'll be chilling out in Sevilla as tourists this year, look forward to it (am I?) I hope I will see you there?! And here's some favourites in rewind, man it was exciting.. Even though my nerves always kill me I have to say I love competing!!
Festivo MR and me at SICAB 2011
         

We left Spain to meet up with Festivo and the other horses in Amsterdam early in the morning, they were all there EXCEPT Festivo. The day before he is due to fly out the agent realizes the CEM test has been done in Spain and that could be a problem, she had taken for granted the test was done in Germany.. Panic. You cannot just call to the laboratory and ask for a certificate, all these papers are issued by ministry of agriculture and they definitely don't do this service urgently.. Again if we are around we can get it done but we were at airport checking in to go to Amsterdam. So after 100 million phonecalls, begging and help from a vet at studstation a email was sent to the agent so that the health papers could be signed by oficial vet for export. Puh.
Festivo arrived VERY tired, he had some wounds on his nose because my nice soft halter had broken somewhere on the way and he had been travelling with a too small one. A very nice transport lady had given him a new one (a pink one) and she was pleased he had a 'family' flying with him, he was absolutely exhausted. Dear Big baby looked quite small, and he put his nose in my arms when I put cream on his sore nose, uff, baby baby.
We had already loaded all horses and then it was time for OUR check-in. Where is your VISA I heard the lady saying - I thought she meant VISA as in creditcard but NO. Panic. Running to some machine to issue a VISA for USA, machine did not work. Luckily a woman recognized the panic and when I said we were the grooms for all the 5 containers of horses (three in each) some supervisor came to our rescue. We got the bloody VISAs. Many apples, haylage and lots of water later Festivo (in pink) and his friends made it to USA. The trip went very well, we sat with them at take of and landing, fed them hay and water and no problem. I felt so sorry for Festivo, he was the most tired one, his legs were almost giving in when he dozed off so I was with him most of the 7 hour flight. It was real hard to leave him alone but now he will be very well taken care of. I have taken some pictures I will post later.

New York is spectacular, it's like a every day christmas, I love it. At 10 I was eating a super healthy delicious lunch, people are friendly and very helpful, wonderful. Now we are off to the cinema, see ya!

It has been a emotional last week that started with a phonecall from Doreen in New York. She had fallen in love with our beautiul Festivo MR. Puh, our Big Baby. Very flattering of course but many things to think and feel. Last time it was Donoso, but he is THE chosen one, THE stud, THE horse, so I could not even think about selling him.
We are very proud of Festivo. He has has earned all the merits he needs from Spain and we have achievied them together. It has been a intense but fun year of us proving ourselves!
But fame and glory is only good if it leads to something constructive and the making of more happiness. We have been thinking and talking and feeling and we came to the conclusion that letting go of Festivo will enable Yeguada Vikinga PRE to grow and develop in a good way. 
He passed all bloodwork and vetcheck in flying colours. As he is a 100% horse I was only going to let him go if buyer was likewise, no fuss. Doreen and her husband Bob is 110%. Chad, the future trainer 150% so that was it. The agreement includes breeding and we are storing frozen semen, so our Big Baby will live on in some of our future offspring  !!! Our stallions are now merited and so we have accomplished part 1 of our breeding program. We are immensely proud of them. Now next step is breeding them to our own mares. Shopping for matching mares has already started, they will be carefully selected and I can promise you they will be exciting!

I am also very happy that Festivo's team-mate will be Chad. Chad came to us a few years ago, he went home to New York with 4 candidates to show his sponsor that was all excited, but unfortunately a hurricane stopped her shopping. So since then Chad has been looking for THE horse and I always told him I would find it for him, and I did! Congratulations to you also Chad, you really deserve THE ONE!

So we are all winners. Festivo will get a fantastic new person in Doreen, he is her dream come true. Perfect, just like I wanted it, my horses have fulfilled my dreams and I wish everyone the same happiness. He will get the best home and a career possibility with Chad and his trainer David. He will be absolutely adored well trained and it's the perfect time for him to get his international dressage curriculum.
Doreen, Bob and Chad; Wishing you so much luck with this unique talented PRE, now go make him a PRE dressage superstar! 

And be happy you Beautiful Big, and thanks for making us smile   

Mejores Movimientos Caravaca 2010
     
Mejores Movimientos Spanish Championships, SICAB 2010
    
  
Bronze EU championships FIECVAL 2011
    
Reproductor Calificado Talavera 2011