Unfortunately, between the weather and the little ladies, there has not been much time for me to play with the new beautiful black stallion "Matrusco" who arrived just over a week ago and is sooooo beautiful!  I have managed to school him four times though (even with the rain!) and he is so lovely and honest and a real trier, aswell as being simply stunning at the same! 

I will try and get some new photos of the babies and him when the weather clears and send them to you all - if that is, it ever stops raining!  In the meantime, I will leave you with a few grey shots of "Rusco" and I on our first ride together!

For anyone looking for a stunning, kind and educated horse by the way, here is your man - even though I don't really want to let him go!!

And here she is...!!

Poor Dudosa had been crossing her legs and waiting for better weather but unfortunately, as we all all too aware at present, nature waits for no man (or horse!).

The last of our foals to be born this year from Averroes and "Judy" came into the world in the early hours of Friday morning in the middle of an "April shower" which more resembled a raging storm!!

Despite all that, she is a bouncy ball of delight, who is the sweetest, kindest and most loving little lady you could ever hope to meet!  She may not have been able to go into the field with her poor mummy on Day One of her existence but she made the most of bunny hopping and bucking around her stable and acquiring a taste for Sharrons' bottom!

The only problem with being so friendly is that, when it came to putting her out with her mummy when we had a tiny break in the weather yesterday, she didn't want to follow and wanted to stay on the yard and play!

Luckily with the help of Amanda and Karen Laudrum, who had just finished riding out with me (how very brave in this weather!), we managed to steer her to the field where mum was finally able to get down and have a well-deserved roll and the little lady was able to stretch her very long legs!

I will leave you with some of the very first shots of her taken when she was just a few hours old and will update with some newer ones when this weather finally breaks!

On a plus note though, the grass is currently a lovely colour of emerald green.....!!

Last year the ladies all went of to stud to be covered by the gorgeous double pearl stallion "Impetuoso" who stands in Alicante.  As all of the mares carry one pearl gene and are beautifully bred (half sisters from the Senorio de la Bariain Stud and from the Gaucho III line) we were very excited that we would get some lovely foals this year and, luckily, we were not disappointed!!!

Firstly, came the biggest colt the stud have ever seen from the Senorio de la Bariain mare, Gaucho granddaughter, Via.  She is a big girl standing around 17hh and as wide as a boat, but this chap is huge with so much bone and substance, a real corker!

For more information on this boy, please visit his owners website, equusvita.com, but here is a taster...

SPIRIT OF PEARL EV

A really lovely colt with superb conformation and movement. He has the very rare pearl gene and is a double black. A really great combination for any breeder. He is bred to be a Grand Prix Dressage horse. His Mother, Via, is out of Lastur, whose father was Gaucho III. Gaucho III is the number one dressage stallion in America and his half brother Invasor II won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics. Gaucho III was short listed for the American team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but unfortunately during the vet examination at the CDI selection trials, he suffered an accident and was badly injured.

Spirit of Pearl is an unusual colour and has exceptional breeding prospects as can breed a black horse carrying the pearl gene or a pearl/cream or a double pearl, if mated to the correct genetic combination..."

Then came the most exciting boy of all, a double pearl colt from our lovely lady Vega X, also a Senorio de la Bariain mare and Gaucho granddaughter, we couldn't believe it when he came out, he is quite extraordinary!!

Again, details of him can be seen on equusvita.com  but a little taster here - good job Christine is organised!!

PEARL OF PEACE EV
 
Pearl of Peace is literally "one of a kind" and very rare - he is a double pearl and a double black.  There are very few double pearl colts with a golden coat in the world and even fewer double pearls with a double black gene.   He is not only the first double black pearl colt to be born in England, but also the first "gold" double pearl colt. He is truly stunning to behold, with lime green eyes!
 
His conformation is perfect and even at this young age he is moving beautifully. He is bred to be a Grand Prix Dressage horse. His Mother, Vega X is out of Lastur, whose father was Gaucho III. Gaucho III is the number one dressage stallion in America and his half brother Invasor 11 won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics.  Gaucho III was short listed for the American team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but unfortunately during the veterinary examination at the CDI selection trials, he suffered an accident and was badly injured.
 
He will be an amazing breeding prospect with the ability to breed the most unusual and rare colours and produce quality offspring - a very rare combination indeed.  As a result of having a double black gene he can also produce black horses carrying, but not showing, the pearl gene.  He would suitable for all breeds of horses, not just Andalusians.

Then came out last little foal from Christines' mare, the more athletic Vera, who was line-bred through Gaucho to produce exactly what she is, a more "sport" style of animal. 

She gave us the most amazing filly foal who is just so elegant and perfectly formed with incredible movement.  A little diamond in amongst two big bruisers, she is just the sweetest thing you have ever seen in your life and I am truly smitten with this little lady!

Again, details of her on equusvita.com, but a little taster...

ESSENCE OF PEARL EV

A really beautiful filly with excellent conformation and movement. She has the very rare pearl gene and is a double black. A great combination for a breeder. She is bred to produce Grand Prix Dressage horses or go to Grand Prix herself. Her Mother, Viernoles, is incredibly well bred. Viernoles’ Father is Lastur, son of Gaucho III and her Mother is Bizarre X, who is the mother of Gaucho III, so she is a half sister to one of the most famous American dressage horses. Gaucho III is the number one dressage stallion in America and his half brother Invasor 11 won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics.
Gaucho III was short listed for the American team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but unfortunately during the vet examination at the CDI selection trials, he suffered an accident and was badly injured. Essence of Pearl is an unusual colour and has exceptional breeding prospects as can breed a black horse carrying the pearl gene or a pearl/cream or a double pearl.

And lastly, I will leave you with a picture of "daddy", who is looking forward to meeting his ladies again very soon!!!

So, after playing with the ladies, we decided it was time for the boys!

Sue has managed to breed to incredible young men from Habana and a stallion we previously owned called Pinturero XX.  These guys are now rising two and three years old and are great field buddies, although they will have to be separated in the near future.

These boys have been handled but not really trained in any way shape or form so are very sweet and trusting but knew absolutely nothing at all, they had not even been tied up, let alone in an arena!!!

So, we decided to try to train them in hand (eternal optimists that we are!!) and the results are below:

Theses guys are also available for sale and are featured on the website but I will leave you with some photos and promise to update again soon with details and photos of my Longcross ladies and Chrissies' class on her new boy "Larios"!