Bonjour Blanc & Good Morning Ghost

One of the aims here at the stud is to improve our blood lines, breeding forward. Sometimes an opportunity cannot be missed!

Meet Ghost, a perfect little filly born from two amazingly bred Appaloosas, the sire RHA Sully Fire Image bred at Red Hills Appaloosa, Oregon, USA (FPD: 100% FAHR: 96% GAP: G-5) and the dam,
CTA Cikla Tahca bred at Caretaker Appaloosa, Indiana, USA (FPD: 100% FAHR: 96.78%). Both parents imported to Talisman Horse in France for their Foundation Breeding Program in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Ghost should make 15hh+ and is a well-proportioned filly with good conformation with a very quiet and sweet personality. Her phenotype is chocolate-brown now with her winter coat but her genotype is black (Ee aa), she is negative for the Pattern gene and is homozygous for the Leopard gene (LP/LP), 5 panel negative and grey gene. She is eligible for registration with the Foundation Appaloosa Horse Registry at 95%+, she’s registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club on their Foundation Pedigree Designation program at 100% FPD and their Generation Advancement Program at G5. We will overstamp her passport with the Appaloosa Horse Club UK and the British Appaloosa Society.

We hope to get her in the ring as a three-year-old and then she will join our breeding program.

Exporting Blanc

The journey was easily planned as Patricia and Come Hugot, the owners of Talisman Horses were purchasing our three-year-old mare Redheart Regal (Blanc), therefore it made sense to deliver Blanc and collect Ghost.

We applied for the export papers for Blanc from EquineExportsCarlisle@apha.gsi.gov.uk, the form is easy to complete and requires basic information of holding address, destination, date of departure/arrival, route and horse details (our journey was less than 8 hours, therefore a journey log did not need to be submitted). The Animal & Plant Health Agency (Apha) then sent the relevant health papers to your chosen vet and an exporting declaration form to be completed. An appointment must be made with the Vet to examine the horse within 24 hours of departure, Blanc’s health certificate was completed the day before we departed and is valid for 15 days. They also send you an A4 sign to be placed in the windscreen with identifies the lorry is carrying live animals, this ensures priority during transportation at the port, first on the ferry and first off.

Leaving the stud at early Thursday morning, we arrived at Dover port, you can buy an open return ticket up to two weeks in advance however they run a “turn-up-and-go system for freight. The port is 24 hours and there is a crossing every hour so you are never under pressure.

 

 

    The only other documents required were our passports and Blanc’s passport, we carry a first aid kit on board but we did need to buy an EU kit, quite basic but mandatory in France.

We like to travel single horses lose in our lorry, especially on long journeys. They have access to hay and water and find themselves a comfortable standing place, funny enough they never travel facing forwards or hearing bone, they always face the rear at an angle. Unless your DFR Patahas Redheart who laid down on his journey from Switzerland!

Being the first to drive on the ferry allowed us time to tender to Blanc and make her comfortable before we left her during the crossing (you can not stay with the horse) which gave us time to dine…

The crossing was very smooth and quick, within less than 90 minutes the announcement was made for all passengers to report to their vehicles. Being one of the first to exit the ferry we were had already planned the sat-nav for Talisman Horses, about 200 miles from Calis. The start of our French journey was somewhat delayed due to the French recent activities, many roads were blocked due to the protesters. Having negotiated a new route, it was very straightforward and we arrived before dusk.

We unloaded Blanc, I walked her around her new pasture, showing her the boundary, the water trough, and the hay feeder before letting her loose. The paddocks next to her were full of beautiful Appaloosas who all wanted to say hello but Blanc was more interested in having a good look around. She settled very quickly as darkness came and the lights were left on for her comfort.

Importing Ghost

We spent time with our hosts which was very enjoyable and once all the paperwork was exchanged we loaded Ghost, a filly who has never loaded or travelled on a lorry she surely displayed a huge amount of bravery and trust.

Arriving at Calais port, we had missed the 10 pm ferry, parked in our lane ready to be called we gained an hour of “shut-eye” as Ghost tucked into her dinner. My self and partner shared the driving which made the journey easy. At check-in and Border Control all our paperwork was inspected, Ghost’s passport against her health export papers and a slight interrogation of our purpose but we were all in the clear and experienced quite a rough journey back across the English Channel, not good for me!!

We arrived safely back home early hours the next day, Ghost was a little shocked coming down the ramp, it took a while but with no pressure, she worked it out within an hour!!!!

All settled, she tucked into her hay and was laid flat-out within hours, tired little filly!

We are absolutely delighted to have found Blanc a 5* home and so too does Ghost.

 

Here is a short video link to our export and import within 24 hours.