THE
GRAND ADVENTURE
OR
- "Ever wondered just what happens when horses fly?"
Feb
10, 2002. 15 gypsy horses leave the UK for the USA, in the (to
that date) largest single importation of gypsy horses into North
America! (we have since beaten this record, with 26 horses on one flight in
February, 2003).
Click
on small picture for larger image!
The Day
before the flight:
What's
the best way to get caked mud out of feather? Why, stand
in a huge puddle of course! This is the day before the
flight, about 10 of the horses, trying to get the mud out.
The USDA (US government agency responsible for import of
livestock) doesn't want mud from other countries. The
winter muddies had to go! This is a great way to get all
that mud loosened up before the rest of the bath.
Bonny filly, Big Bonny, Rosie filly, Shakey's
ears, Pie, Panda, Tali, and White Face
Bonny filly, Big Bonny, Rosie filly, Tali,
Panda, Pie's ears, White Face, and April
Pie in a puddle :)
Bonny filly, and her mom, Big Bonny, Rosie
filly, Shakey, Tali
Rosie filly, Panda, Tali, Pie, April
Bonny filly and Big Bonny checking out Rosie
filly
Jim, White Face, and April
Drip Drip... Panda and Pie (with
Shakey's behind), dry off in the sun, (yes, that's SUN, in
England!)
To the Plane:
The English "Horse Boxes" lined up
outside the front door of the plane, taken from the back door of
the plane. That's the wing above the trucks, I was happy
to note there was one just like it on the other side :)
The
ramp to the plane, looking down into the horse box with several
of our horses. The horse behind you see is "Little
Joe".
The inside of the plane. They build the
stalls (3 across) as they put the horses in them.
Panda backs into her stall
"Are
you alright Honey? Yes Mom, but I can't see over this big
board very well" Panda and Pie get secured in their
flight boxes.
View From behind the horses in the grooms
area. Those red behinds are Thoroughbreds that came in
from Ireland on our plane.
Video of 3 of the youngsters getting on the plane First up the ramp is Joe, second is Tali,
then White Face.
Joe is a pony gelding, Tali and White Face are weanlings.
(Will take a few minutes to download)
In New York:
The
USDA Import Center in NY. The horses come in from the plane, and
get disinfected, feet first (which is the puddle they are walking
in). They then disappear for 2 days, while blood work is done on
them.
Panda gets checked into the import
center. She looks wet because she is!
It was raining out when we got to NY, and it was really
damp on the plane as well.
Pie gets off of the truck from the plane
Lucky is in front of her, getting checked in first.
Pie wants her mom!
Panda in front, Lucky second, and baby Pie
get a foot wash.
Tali and Joe get
ready for their footwash
The
handlers and vets at the import center were seeing spots! They
couldn't keep track of who was who, and were very thankful that I was
around to identify "the kids". I couldn't believe that
they couldn't tell them apart :>)
See the
sold horses page for more pictures of the
horses that have come over this year
Looking
for a gypsy cob something like these guys? Get in touch with us
and we will find you the horse of your dreams!
