Today horses have been outside eating the fresh sprouting grass after the rain. Tino's wound is healing, today he has been out doing acrobatics and he was not lame at all. Tico is abit low, has a swollen gland under throat and a runny nose and is on antibiotics. Nova's wound is healing slowly but well. Just to add to last weeks excitement my dog got hold of a packet of rat-poison,.. but he got to vet in time, will be eating vitamin K for a month to prevent internal bleeding. I have been pretty finished after a week of literally thousands of kilometres with clients monday to thursday and worrying about animals nonstop. But now I am rested after a non-horsey weekend with family and disconnected with Madrid shopping and relax. Ready for a new week!
The most beautiful in black - Halagador.  

Today Tico was diagnosed with strangles and Tino had to be stiched up. 

Tino got 6 stiches and will be fine, he was such a incredible star, just rested his head in my arms and let the vet stich him up. I am absolutely blessed with intelligent and cooperative horses. Tico is fine, no fever, no runny nose or other symptoms except the huge bump that will probably burst at some point, puh can't wait,..
Tomorrow all horses stay in, I need to focus on going out with a client. What can I say, I am emotionally exhausted. Lycky to have my mother here and my vet-aunt is coming on thursday, how convenient,.. 
 
Some pre-trauma pics from Halagador training today.
 
     

All including Nova enjoyed a morning turnout. Her wound is slowly recovering, she is very sore as you can understand but still very brave and cooperative. One or two bandages/ day is necessary. 
 
Spain is not so much about glamour, pretty much everything practical is a problem here. Today I had to call the deliverer of forrage because several 500kg packets were spoiled. Paid for forrage, paid for delivery, paid neighbour for storing it. I told him he needs to pick up the spoiled hay as it is inconveniently taking up storage space. He told me he only removes unopened packages, and I asked him how I could possibly know that the forrage is spoiled if I don't open it? Spain would be such a nice place to live if only people liked to help each other out a little, take responsability for their job and cooperate. 
Last week at the Spanish Championships I engaged a discussion at a dinnerparty with a known Grand Prix rider, we were talking about conservative Spain and the big handicap from having been under a dictatorship for many years. The rider claimed that sometimes it is good to be a dictator for your horse and that Franco had not been all bad for Spain.
Oh my god. End of discussion.
But it is not all doom and gloom, Halagador is right now lodging at stables Los Arcos and we are enjoying our training here. Very convenient as our finca is just across on the other side and today we could hear Donoso calling from his paddock, H recognized him answered, cute. Halagador is in total harmony, shows his super manners and fits in very well with the beautiful typical spanish architecture :)

Monday after a great weekend with best-friend-forever-Anna, yay! We are born and bred in same town, even grew up in the same village, are trained by same ridinginstructors and our parents founded our local riding club. We went to same school and college and I never let anyone ride my horses but Anna trained my mare when I was away studying. We have been training horses under the same conditions, no indoor always outdoors enduring horizontal rain, snow and ice, and with headlights to be able to see in the dark winter, so riding here under the trees in the spanish shade and sun is just heaven for us!
We are definitely soul-sisters and how much more fun can it be to have unlimited time for non-stop chatting, training horses and doing Madrid in summer temps!?!! As you can see Donoso and Halagador are also best friends, they stand next to each other whilst being tacked up and neither says a word, ocassionally D gets bored waiting and leans over to H but just like a mate and without any fuss <3

Here me and A posing ok ok many pics but I liked them all and couldn't choose,
Two very happy and syncronized girls :)
       

 
 
So here she is, Anna riding again after a break of more or less 20 years and doing the spanish walk for the first time under the spanish sun! 

Halagador's trot extentions

And D and me 

Halagador is in super shape, his coat has never been more shiny and he is having fun! His natural excercise has done him great. He is at the peak of his life, he knows who he is and is proud of it. He is keeping fit with his daily work-outs on the pessoa and enjoying relaxing days in the super grass we are lucky to have at this time of year.  

Halagador waiting for his turn out in the grass
 
'Hagge' is the horse that has never had a injury, a colic, nor the slightest scratch, he can be outside and relaxed all day long. Halagador was sold to USA but came out came out postive on piro on one of the tests and doubtful on another, for export negative is compulsory on all 4 parts. We also had him tested for EVA (Equine Viral Arteritis) which was negative. EVA is caused by an arterivirus (equine arteritis virus, EAV). The piro test measures the levels of antibodies from a certain tick carrying a parasite called piroplasmose and when postive it means at some point the horse has been bitten and has developed antibodies. It does not mean the horse is ill. Most horses in Spain has at some point been bitten by such a tick and for export the levels of antibodies need to be whithin a certain limit. USA basically has 0 tolerance for any levels. I still have not seen a horse ill from piroplasmosis but I have read about cases of horses with very low immunesystem and if anemic, they can develop the disease, they get high fever, loose weight and if they do not get treatment the infection can be lethal. Start had very high levels of piro when I bought him but he has never had any symptoms. A very big part of the horsepopulation in Spain come out piropositive if tested, we know for a fact as we have had many horses tested for our clients over the years. None of these has had any symptoms either and would pass the veterinarian exam perfectly, so it is necessary to have the horse tested to find out the levels.

Piroplasmosis is not directly contagious from one horse to another, only via direct blood transfer. So if it is not a contagious disease why bother to include it in the import protocol one can wonder? Well there is a risk a horse can carry tick during transport, it can seem abit unlikely but there is always the possibility. It can seem alittle radical and rather a question of the governments making trading with other countries difficult, which to a point can be understandable, all countries prefer to enourage their own trading. With these experiences I have never considered piro a important health issue for the horse, only necessity for export.
Human infection with equine piroplasmosis is extremely rare. 

Here Halagador's lab report, with a funny name..

    
Halagador is now for sale as one of the most exclusive black PRE stallions in the world. After testing he now has a new price, which is reflecting;

1. The need to find him his new person as he is superflous for both Javier's and my breedingprogram. 
2. Because of my fibromyalgia I am not able to ride a 3rd horse for dressage competition/training.

3. Economic situation in Spain.

4. The decreased possibilities of international clients because of testresult of piroplasmosis.

I clearly want to point Halagador is now a oportunity and that his new price is certainly not not representing his real value. Anyone seriously interested in him and able to offer him a good him,  is most welcome to contact me for more information. Yesterday I got a booking on Halagador for 3 black mares in Spain for January 2014. I have had inquiries on him for international breeding, but we have not been able to accomodate as he is not available on frozen semen. He definitely has a market as a studstallion, there are not many black homozygous PRE stallions around of his quality and beauty in the world! I would be happy to refer breeders interested in him as a stud to the prospective new owner.
Halagador breeding 2011
 
Here some random pics over collected over the soon 3 years he has been with us, some are from his early years as we knew him from 3 years of age. 
May I also add that Halagador is pure pleasure to just watch everyday, to me he is black PRE nr 1. Only for sale to the best hands!  Enjoy!
2007

 
2010
 
2010
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
  
2012
 
 
        
  

 
  
And here he is today! 7th of June 2013.
                                       

We are absolutey super bored with this constant never ending rain, mud and cold but yesterday we wrapped ourselves up and had lunch on the veranda, abit chilly but still! 

Yesterday at lunchtime

Unfortunately bay beauty USA horse did not pass vetcheck and with those xrays I am glad vet did not recommend his sale, he is now taken off the sale list. All happens for a reason and J & K will get the best horse as one thing leads to another.. :)

Halagador is spending time paddocking and seems to love life being the stud of the stable. He is such a quiet boy, the mare and foal pass him and he just looks at them in admiration without saying a word, such a gentleman. I had found him a home in USA but when we now tested for piro one of his tests where doubtful which means he cannot fly  as there is a risk for bloodlevels passing the limit when the horse is exposed to stress. So no USA home for Hagge :( He is ok for Europe, Mexico as all countries as different import protocols, his price is now also adjusted accordingly now so- who wants our black beauty!? I hope he will find his new person soon as I have no time to train him as my priorities lies elsewhere now. He is happy though I know he could be happier with his own person. 

Halagador keeping an eye on mother and son
 

Here Start and I grazing, only good with this rain is that WHEN sun will be back the grass growth will explode, yum can't wait to get them all on that grass!

 
Starti posing in front of almond blossom
 

Viggo loves his new play-mate Tico, when he was in hospital he searched him stall to stall and cried when he did not find him, very cute pair! Little guy is having to do indoor gym as I don't want my mother-of-pearl-cutie-pie to get wet, he's cantering around in stable whilst me and mother do the stalls. My pride and joy! 

And finally a pic of my new shopping-object! It is 1 year since I lost Laia and I have since then been searching for the one that can replace her and be my third broodmare, now I think I have found her <3

Back to work and new plans for new USA candidate + France and Sweden visits coming up!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! 

Brr, today we are having icestorms with icyrain, it's freezin! When I ask Viggo if he wants to go out he quickly runs under the sofa, that's means a definite no! And then I always put a rug and double for stables, but even so - no way he says! I have been working non-stoppelistop. 100% plugged in, late nights, lots of phonecalls, emailing and long distance matchmaking. But now I am happy to say we have 4 young and exciting PREs for USA and tomorrow 2 are leaving for Mexico. On friday visiting clients are arriving for the weekend, plan is now set, I will be taking them from friday to monday and viewings are arranged. Two horses has been moved to be viewed conveniently for this client. Two horses still without rider as the regular one is on leave, hopefully another one will be arranged otherwise I will ride. 

So after today's morning earrands I crashed in the sofa. After resurrection from sofa, I went to train my boys and care for my girls. Tomorrow I have a new appointment with Suzanne Powell, I will be going with 'my' massage-master Mer, look forward to it! 

I still have no reply from owner of 'my' new golden longlegged boy so I am slowly running out of patience. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to buy or sell a horse, every time is a different case and you would think you had been through all versions after 8 years of working, but no no. There is always a new story to your surprise! You live and you learn. I guess that is because we are all different and everyone wants to do it their way etc etc.
Let's take the Halagador case. H was according to a contact sold via an intermediate. I was told what client and accepted. For 2 months he was sold, all his documents were sent, his vetcheck, his bloodtest. This client was going to pay in December between one date and another. No funds arrived so we kept talking to the contact, correctly of course via our contact. In January we were told the deposit had arrived to the intermediate and that the horse would be paid in full in 10 days. We asked our contact of permission to speak directly to intermediate to clarify because we had not recieved any deposit and now we started to doubt there even was one. He did and we spoke. No no the intermediate replied, I told my contact from the beginning this client was not reliable and that he should not wait for him.. Very strange as we have heard these two people communicate about our horse and been forwarded messages about the sale. Anyway, I said Ok not to worry. I can't say I am used to these kind of stories because I normally work directly with clients. But I have a open mind and if someone else has a suitable client for my horse I am happy to cooperate as long as all is done correctly and everyone's work is respected and the horse will have a good destiny. And of course the intermediate is entitled to comission for his work. I know how difficult it is to match a person to a horse sucessfully and it comes down to everyones ability and professionalism to find a suitable horse to the right person. So this case could aswell have been perfect for everyone, now it wasn't because the communication was not clear somewhere, but it doesn't matter. What is meant to be happens. 

So I continue enjoying my horse that I love very much. Right now Halagador is at his most beautiful phase for sure, it's a pleasure to work and watch him. He is filled out in every corner even though he is not working 100%, none of the boys do at this time of year, Donoso and Start are working 70% and Halagador less. For example today Donoso did a diagonal of super tempi-two's only after 15 min work so then I stopped and he got his dinner for being such superstar! Start is also fab, today a little naughtly because of windy weather makes him hot and he kicked against my spurs, cheeky cheek, but with a little sharpness from my side he goes 'oops sorry' and does the rest brilliantly. 

Viggo today not sure at all that he wants to join me in cold stables..

And Halagador last year

Finally fog and the worse cold weather went away and sun came out so I spent all afternoon in stables without being painfully cold.
Here's a non glamorous picture of Halagador on the pessoa today.

Good news Tina's PRE stallion passed vet! I am so pleased, she will be one happy lady riding this gorgeous well trained spaniard. There is nothing more satisfying than to see people find their dream in a horse and get happy, it's fabulous and I just love being part of that process! Thank you for confiding in us Tina   

And these two special Horsespre guys are now moving to luxury homes in Mexico.. 
 

Gorgeous classy palomino colt will no doubt make the mexican extremely happy. Brother to my girls and simply adorable. I just love this colour, looking at a beautiful PRE palomino it's like eating your favourite chocolate, well it is to me anyway :)
 

Novedosa today in her big golden straw box with cosy warm rug and yummy hay. Vikinga girls live a very good life and very soon it will be even better..