The trip to Texas

Well, it took me some time to think about our trip to Texas but it all started from the phone call. There are Akhal Tekes for sale in Texas, not one but a few to choose from... I called Natasha and she told me that other people getting ready to come so I called Kate in the middle of the evening and left a message... Kate I will be going to Texas to look at Akhal Tekes, would you like to come. Kate called right back and amazingly agreed to join. And here we are in my old Mercedes Benz convertible on the road to see Tekes.
Flight was quite good and soon we found ourselves in St.Antonio airport. I rememmber coming to St.Antonio and Houston with the group from my interpreting job CCI and I was quite happy to back to town I have once visited.
Cesar borowed the trailer and hit the road. We went to a freind and asked for a trailer and here we go...
Upon arrival we called Natasha and Tito and soon we were greeted by freindly women and her freind who came to pick us up. We were asked if want to have lunch or anything like that - no we wanted to see Akhal Tekes.
The temperature were reaching up 105F and pretty soon we realized that the bottled water is out best freind. It took us about an hour and half and here we are in Nixon, Texas.
We met with Tito and headed to look at the stallions. My heart started jumping when I saw Dolomit - pretty dark bay stallion who was flying on the air. He was shy and stood in his corner in the stall without causing any trouble. But once taken out, his eyes were lit up, body stretched out and proud king was observing us... He has kindly trouted and let us strangers come to him and touch him. I could not sleep that night, Dolomit was looking at me from his height ... proud and tall.
I was really impressed by other stallions, beatifull Murmansk, Arim ....Gigant, Grom. Striking hot Arim was shinning so bright on the sun it was hard to realize which colour he is. All stallions demonstrated beatifull gaits and listened to Tito very well.
Tito to took us in the pasture to look at the mares. It was a big drought this year so they were about 25-30 mares in the pasture. I looked at Kate and asked her - Kate, which one is ours?
Kate armed with notebook and the pen was taking fast notes. After looking and walking around in 110F for about half an hour I realized why these horses looked tired - I was tired too.
All of sudden Kate pointed at unattractive mare with some winter hair and asked Tito about her. Tito was quite surprised because it was one of the good mares brought from Russia in 1999. Moira was very freindly and just followed us everywhere like a dog. She didn`t look anything I saw on the pictures of heavinly horses and I was doubting our choice... There were a couple of pretty black mares Hiva and Akbash but they both didn`t have any training and would be hard for us to handle. Kate didn`t think much of them.
More we talked more we found out about Moira. She was the daughter of famous Osman who is no longer alive and Moira had fall or two. I could not see her colour, she looked dirty white with the spots. Moira was taken by another farm but they could not breed her she was brought back.

We came back that day exausted back to the the trailer. Frreinfly freinds of Tito`s family took us back to Seguin. I don`t rememmber anything once I hit the bed. I was tired. I think Kate was tired too. I had dreams about Dolomit looking at me over and over again... and then I woke up.
It was early morning in Seguin and me and Kate were on our way to have breakfast. Cesar called us and told us that he is about 40 minutes away from Seguin. I was glad he made it OK with the trailer through the several states. It took him 18 hours to drive from Myakka City.

When Cesar arrived he looked tired but after having a lunch we rushed back on the farm. That day we looked again at Dolomit. Before we left home Kate didn`t recomend that we should have a stallion since they are hard to handle. After spending more time with Dolomit and watching him being in the stall next to other stallions and being quite freindly the big decision was made. Dolomit will become our horse.

Mares were more difficult - it would be nice to have younger mare but most of them were unbroke so we were unsure how we were going to transport her to Florida and handle if something goes wrong.

Moira continued following us... everywhere.

Next morning we brought Kate back to St.Antonio. So now it was me and Cesar all by ourselves... with the trailer and truck getting ready to leave home with our new Akhal Tekes.
Cesar helped next day Giza and Flora to load their horses up and Tito loaded Dolomit and Moira. We went to get Cogigns done. We were quite nervoise about how 7-year old stallion will travel with Moira in three horse trailer. They did great. We unloaded Moira, had her inspected and loaded her back. That day we returned back exausted. It was time to go back home.
Next day we took some rest and stayed by the pool. No horse activity. We woke quite early next morning and started to get ready. We bought ties, canisters with water for horses and hay. We had to wait for the heat to calm down to start our route. We were determined to drive through the night not to loose our horses to the heat. Tito started loading around 6pm. He looked at Moira ... shook his head and said Good horse. Tito loaded Dolomit first, it didn`t take much he just walked in. Moira walked in the trailer second. Tito said, both are good. Tito told us: Drive as much as you... can and just go go go.
And here we were on the way from Nixon, Texas to Florida. Cesar was amazing handling trailer loaded with two horses, I was glad that we had mini trip to the vet to see how horses would act on the road. They were both standing fine.
Cesar drove straight 24 hours and we stoped only for one hour sleep in Georgia. We travelled through the night and it was adrenalin rush when we were going through Louisiana brigde over the Missisipi river. The highway was narrow with not much protection on the sides...You look at one side and you see river you look at another side and you see huge semis charging up and speeding in front of each other thorugh the night.
We got lost in New Orleans but didn`t stop there. The situation in the city didn`t look freindly. Drunk people with no shirts on the streets, strangers running around... I was afraid if we stop our horses more likely will be used for food there.
Last 6 hours were painfull, Moira started to look weak and we had to stop in Jacksonville to get some hay. She cheered up right a away after she saw a fresh flake coming her way. Dolomit at first was moving away from Cesar but by Jaksoville was coming and sniffiing Cesar`s hands. Cesar pet him all the time at each stop and pretty soon they bacame freinds. Dolomit was a happy camper and he didn`t cause any troubles on the way home. He probably knew that he needs to behave because we won`t know what to do with him otherwise.
We finally arrived at Ocala. Moira looked exausted and we put her in the paddick with fresh hay and water. Dolomit didn`t look tired. Cesar walked in the trailler and took him out. We were glad our trip was over and our horses were almost home.
Last two hours were easy since Cesar just flew through the road with Moira and we were home!
Wellcome home Moira and Dolomit!

Snake, polo and the end of the summer is finally here!

It`s been quite challenging few month, at first we were rained on for about two month straight every day. With our newly built barn we found out that it`s actually in a low spot. Welcome to the life on the farm! We learn something every day. We brought dirt and and then everything looked like a big mud lake... Cesar didn`t get discouraged and continued on hanging plywood and finishing stalls during the rain and lightening... How do they say it in Russian - half of the life for a good horse!
I am sure in Spanish they would come up with something different - at least Cesar did...

Highlights of the month of July was the meeting with Renee' and Jim Strikeland and riding on their ranch their polo horses. Me and Cesar went twice and had a really good time. Cesar caught the polo fever and now we are looking how he can start learning th game. Kate suggested old broom and basketball, I would add wooden horse to strike from...

We had to say Good-bye to Sophie in July. Nikki was quite upset but gladly accepted Cesar as her new Mr.Mom. We tried to put Nikki with Moira hoping that old mare will remember having foals and would cheer up to the occasion... Wrong, calm and half way scared Moira all of a sudden was charging around the pasture with that famous Akhal Teke race speed and was trying to kick that baby away. Of course baby Nikki thought it`s her new mama and with the squires was running after Moira looking all happy that finally she will have someone to be loved by. We got lucky to seperate Nikki and push her through the opening in the fence for some reason Cesar built in the corner...

Yesterday we found snake in the middle of the kitchen. It was tired and didn`t seem to move nowhere. By the time we debated to put Simba after her or not she crawled into the kitchen cabinets. We spend half of the night getting her out of there... At the end we just blocked her with the foam and issues is still unresolved.

I start understanding why Carroll used to tell us that on the farm you never get done you are always catching up...

Dolomit have received three requests for AI for the next spring and we are very proud of him. He is a very proud and beautifully Akhal Teke stud with a wonderfully temper. He has a lot of patience for all of us and we hope to be able to ride him fairly soon.