Since the beginning of civilization, buyers have been warned to be careful when making purchases. "Caveat emptor" - Buyer Beware - is advice that still holds true in today's marketplace. While most people in the USA who sell horses to overseas buyers are honest and honorable people ... it is always wise for the buyer to be careful and make sure that they are being treated with fairness and honesty and respect.
We had an experience some time ago in which a breeder in the USA was going out of business. She sold the last of her remaining horses ... not of the highest quality ... to an unsuspecting buyer in another country. The horses arrived at our facility in poor weight, with health and behavioral issues. One mare in particular arrived with a serious health issue that went from bad to worse and became life threatening. The new owner needed to be made aware of these issues.
When we suggested to the seller that we should communicate directly with the new owner, the seller refused to give us her contact information. Her excuse was that the new owner did not speak English, so she insisted on doing all the communicating herself in the new owner's native language. What we suspect was really going on was the seller was misrepresenting the horses that she had sold and she didn't want the new owner to learn the truth about what she had bought until they arrived at their new home.
When we insisted that the sick mare be treated by our veterinarian for her life threatening illness, the seller chose to provide the least expensive treatment option. We followed up with a great deal of labor-intensive after care - provided at no extra cost. We were delighted that we were successful in keeping the mare alive and nursing her back to good enough health to ship on schedule.
However, when the horses arrived, the new owner was unhappy with them and held us responsible for their condition. This could have all been prevented if the new owner had contacted us in the beginning of the quarantine. We always take photos of horses when they first arrive and are more than happy to send them to the new owners ... but we need to know how to get in touch with them in order to do so.
So, if you are shipping a horse from the USA, regardless of language barriers, get in touch with the quarantine facility and ask for current photos and information about the horse's condition, behavior and health. There are plenty of translation programs on the internet that can help us overcome language differences - and prevent the new buyer from being misled by a dishonest seller.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
When I was a child the cowboy movies and TV shows I watched always had the narrator saying things like, "Meanwhile, back at the ranch". I always thought it would be so much fun to really have a reason to say that - and now I do! So ... meanwhile, back at the ranch, I finally got home from Qatar on the night of the 26th of December. I love traveling the world, meeting new friends and experiencing different cultures, but I also love having some time at home with Terry. Just as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home!" After my unexpected, unplanned adventures this past Christmas, those words most definitely ring true for me right now.
Terry and I are now looking forward to welcoming 2011 quietly together at the ranch. And then it's off and running with an exciting new year of traveling the world with horses. Happy New Year to you all!!!
Terry and I are now looking forward to welcoming 2011 quietly together at the ranch. And then it's off and running with an exciting new year of traveling the world with horses. Happy New Year to you all!!!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas from Luxembourg!
It is Christmas Eve ... and the snow continues to fall in Luxembourg ...and flights continue to be cancelled and rescheduled. Terry was able to complete his journey and deliver horses in Riyadh earlier in the week. He is back at the ranch in Texas now, keeping the home fires burning.
Henry and I are still in Luxembourg. We may get to fly out tomorrow morning to Doha and Dammam ... or we may still be stuck. It all depends on the weather conditions. Things don't look very promising right now. As I look out my window, snow is failling quite heavily and the streets and sidewalks are covered in ice.
However, the horses and humans are alright. We are safe and warm, with food, bedding and shelter,so things could be worse!
Merry Christmas, everyone, from Texas and Luxembourg. We wish you peace, joy and happiness and we look forward to an amazing New Year filled with new opportunities and adventures are we fly horses all over the world.
Henry and I are still in Luxembourg. We may get to fly out tomorrow morning to Doha and Dammam ... or we may still be stuck. It all depends on the weather conditions. Things don't look very promising right now. As I look out my window, snow is failling quite heavily and the streets and sidewalks are covered in ice.
However, the horses and humans are alright. We are safe and warm, with food, bedding and shelter,so things could be worse!
Merry Christmas, everyone, from Texas and Luxembourg. We wish you peace, joy and happiness and we look forward to an amazing New Year filled with new opportunities and adventures are we fly horses all over the world.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Let It Snow ... Let It Snow ... Let It Snow!
What an adventure we're having this Christmas week! Terry,two of our grooms, Henry Quintanilla and Sandra Young and I traveled to Luxembourg with horses last week, with the plan to deliver them to Kuwait City, Dammam, Riyadh and Doha.
Well ... this is Monday ... and Terry, Henry and I are still in Luxembourg, along with 12 horses. The snow let up for a while this morning and Sandra was finally able to get out with her six horses to Kuwait. The snow is beautiful - and quite a sight for South Texas natives to enjoy ... but we're eager for the weather to clear up so we can continue the journey and deliver the horses to their owners.
We had hoped to get the horses out to Riyadh tonight and to Qatar and Dammam tomorrow, but the airport is closed again and the snow is falling steadily. We still don't know when we'll be able to leave.
Thank you, Ayman, Mohammed, Ahmad, Saeed, Dhafer, Yasser and Majed for your patience as you wait for your horses to arrive. And thank you, Henry and Sandra for your flexibility.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A Christmas Miracle - Breezy Has Been Rescued from Scam!
Many of you may remember having received my email a few months ago about some former employees of ours who had been fired for incompetence, chronic alcoholism and theft - and then they got together and decided to create an "isolation facility" that they called "Terra Ceia". They designed and published a website and started contacting our clients, using the data base that they had stolen from our office while we were away delivering horses to clients. Wow! What a nightmare that turned out to be! Happily, they were only able to lure one victim into their web of deception. But that was one too many.
Last week we learned that they had told a client in Europe that they were going to finally ship her horse (after having had the mare for two months) on December 1st. Well, December 1st came and went ... and so did the container that they were supposed to be sharing with another isolation facility ... without the horse. They did not call. They did not cancel the space. They did not pay the freight forwarder the money that they had been paid in advance for the flight. They simply did not show up at the airport.
Then they contacted the European client and said that they were going to take her horse to another shipping company in Miami and ship her from there. The client became very concerned, as she had paid in advance for the quarantine and shipping ... and did not receive her horse. She did not want her horse to go to another unknown facility. She sent emails that were not answered. She called and left messages that were not answered. She was being ignored ... and they had her horse!
That's when we became involved. The client asked us to find her horse and get her away from these people. So ... we did! Here's what happened.
Given what we know of these individuals' characters, we thought it wise to go with law enforcement officials to keep the peace. So, we drove to Cameron, Texas and went directly to the sheriff's department. We had called them the day before to make arrangements for this visit. When we arrived, a deputy sheriff went to "Terra Ceia" to find out what was going on. Then he called and asked us to meet him there.
While we were enroute to the address that the client had given us, we had a call from the deputy that made our hearts sink. He had talked to the owner of the property and was told that they had moved out, lock, stock and barrel, a week prior to our arrival.
We also learned that the seven barns, hotwalker, paddocks, trucks and trailers that they advertised on their website did not belong to these poeple. They belonged to the owner of the property. They had been leasing one barn and living in the barn for the past 90 days. We were told that they had not been able to make their payments and had been causing so much trouble and failing to hold up their end of the bargain that at the end of the 90 day option period, the owner of the property asked them to leave.
Well, we were really blessed to be accompanied by a dedicated law enforcement officer. Deputy Hoyt got a phone number for the female perpetrator - called her - and after she feigned ignorance, he explained the consequences of international horse theft. It didn't take him long to convince her to bring the horse to the place where we were waiting to pick her up.
After a very long and stressful night waiting for these people to find a friend who could come and pick up the mare (They don't own a horse trailer!), it all came to a peaceful and happy ending. So, to make a long story short, the mare is now safe and sound at our facility - has started quarantine - and will go to her new home in Europe in January. It feels really good to be able to be help create a happy ending to what could have been such a sad story.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Miracles do happen!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Raven in Amsterdam
Thank you, Nienke, for sending the photos of Raven from Amsterdam. BRRR ... it looks really cold in all that snow. It was such a pleasure working with Raven and her traveling companions.
Thank you to Cedric, Toni, Leonie, Toril, Vero, Ayman, Ali, Abdullah and Abdulaziz for sharing your horses with us. We appreciate having had the opportunity to ship them for you last week and look forward to working with you all on future shipments.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thanksgiving!
Sometimes it is important for us to sit back and reflect on the blessings in our lives. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to do this. Terry and I are so richly blessed in our lives and our business that we want to take a moment to say "Thank You" to the people who make this all possible.
First, we want to thank each and every one of our clients, here in the USA and all over the world for allowing us to spend time with their horses and help them travel safely to their new homes. Thank you for the kind hospitality that we receive when we arrive in your home countries. We have learned so much about different countries and cultures and are delighted to be able to say that we have friends all over the world. We appreciate you all very, very much!
We want to thank our staff for the great work that they do, working together as a team to keep the barns clean and safe and the horses in excellent weight and condition. Without you, we would not be able to do what we do. Thank you Jose, Juan, Fernando, Megan, Nancy and Tanner for everything that you do for EZ 2 Spot Ranch.
Thank you also to Ron, our hay broker and horse hauler, to Mike, our farrier and to George, our supplier of halters, leads and anything else that we need. Your support services are critical to the success of EZ 2 Spot Ranch and you are greatly appreciated.
Thank you to Dr. John Clader and the entire staff at Chaparral Veterinary Center. What a great job you all do for us. We are so lucky to have such a professional team behind us for all the veterinary services that go into shipping horses internationally. Special thanks to JoMarie for keeping up with the crazy scheduling!
Thank you to our group of dedicated professional grooms who fly for us! Special thanks to Henry Quintanilla for always being up for an adventure and to the Wurschy Groom Squad who are ready to fly at the drop of a hat. We appreciate you! Deanna, Wolfgang and Henry are in the air right now, flying horses for us to the Netherlands and Kuwait. Sandra and Jolinda will fly out on the 15th ... and of course, Terry and I get to do our fair share of time in the air. Thank you all!
Thank you to the entire USDA staff in Austin, TX and to Dr. Soroko at the port of Houston, TX. Dr. Soroko, our hats are off to you for always being there, no matter what time of day or night it might be ... and for your good humor and professionalism. You are a credit to your profession! Thank you for being you!
Thank you to Mauricio Cano of the Texas Department of Agriculture for taking care of the export pens and always being there to help out when we need a hand preparing the containers and loading the horses. We appreciate you!
Perhaps most of all, thank you to the wonderful equines who enrich our lives every day. What a great life we have, getting to care for beautiful horses of so many breeds and the precious donkeys who come our way. It just doesn't get any better than that.
So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for being in our lives. We are richly blessed!
Dianne
First, we want to thank each and every one of our clients, here in the USA and all over the world for allowing us to spend time with their horses and help them travel safely to their new homes. Thank you for the kind hospitality that we receive when we arrive in your home countries. We have learned so much about different countries and cultures and are delighted to be able to say that we have friends all over the world. We appreciate you all very, very much!
We want to thank our staff for the great work that they do, working together as a team to keep the barns clean and safe and the horses in excellent weight and condition. Without you, we would not be able to do what we do. Thank you Jose, Juan, Fernando, Megan, Nancy and Tanner for everything that you do for EZ 2 Spot Ranch.
Thank you also to Ron, our hay broker and horse hauler, to Mike, our farrier and to George, our supplier of halters, leads and anything else that we need. Your support services are critical to the success of EZ 2 Spot Ranch and you are greatly appreciated.
Thank you to Dr. John Clader and the entire staff at Chaparral Veterinary Center. What a great job you all do for us. We are so lucky to have such a professional team behind us for all the veterinary services that go into shipping horses internationally. Special thanks to JoMarie for keeping up with the crazy scheduling!
Thank you to our group of dedicated professional grooms who fly for us! Special thanks to Henry Quintanilla for always being up for an adventure and to the Wurschy Groom Squad who are ready to fly at the drop of a hat. We appreciate you! Deanna, Wolfgang and Henry are in the air right now, flying horses for us to the Netherlands and Kuwait. Sandra and Jolinda will fly out on the 15th ... and of course, Terry and I get to do our fair share of time in the air. Thank you all!
Thank you to the entire USDA staff in Austin, TX and to Dr. Soroko at the port of Houston, TX. Dr. Soroko, our hats are off to you for always being there, no matter what time of day or night it might be ... and for your good humor and professionalism. You are a credit to your profession! Thank you for being you!
Thank you to Mauricio Cano of the Texas Department of Agriculture for taking care of the export pens and always being there to help out when we need a hand preparing the containers and loading the horses. We appreciate you!
Perhaps most of all, thank you to the wonderful equines who enrich our lives every day. What a great life we have, getting to care for beautiful horses of so many breeds and the precious donkeys who come our way. It just doesn't get any better than that.
So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for being in our lives. We are richly blessed!
Dianne
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Luxembourg in November
I am fortunate to be spending a nice quiet weekend in Luxembourg. The weather today is cold and wet, so I've opted to spend the day staying cozy and warm inside the hotel, looking out at the beautiful fall colors on the nearby trees and enjoying the changing seasons. Many thanks to Susanna, Jon Luc and all the other wonderful staff members here at the Ibis for taking such good care of me.
Meanwhile, Terry is enjoying his visit to sunny, warm Bahrain, eating fresh dates and drinking tea as he visits stables and talks about horses and tack and other such things with clients and friends.
Many thanks to Veronica and Wil, Tanguy, Noemi, Ros, Tony and Hilary, Inez, Anthon, Maryline, Osama and Faisal for sharing your horses and donkeys with us. Everyone traveled really well on both trips and arrived safe and sound. It has been a pleasure working with you and your animals and we look forward to the opportunity to work with you in the future.
Meanwhile, Terry is enjoying his visit to sunny, warm Bahrain, eating fresh dates and drinking tea as he visits stables and talks about horses and tack and other such things with clients and friends.
Many thanks to Veronica and Wil, Tanguy, Noemi, Ros, Tony and Hilary, Inez, Anthon, Maryline, Osama and Faisal for sharing your horses and donkeys with us. Everyone traveled really well on both trips and arrived safe and sound. It has been a pleasure working with you and your animals and we look forward to the opportunity to work with you in the future.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Whew - Busy Time!
I just realized that it has been quite some time since I last posted a blog. Whew! We're chasing ourselves around the world this time of year. Just got back from yet another wonderful visit to Saudi Arabia - Riyadh this time. Thank you Sami, Majed and your associates for your generous hospitality during our short visit. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the authentic Bedouin-style meal of chicken and rice. The desert is lovely this time of year, very cool and peaceful at night and the stars are amazing.
We got back to the ranch on Tuesday, after a bit of a delay in New York on our return flight. We're relaxing for a few days, and then it is off again next week. Terry and one of our regular grooms, Peter Wurschy, will accompany 5 miniature horses and 3 Arabian horses to Amsterdam. Peter will stay for a short vacation in Amsterdam and Terry will continue to Bahrain with the Arabian horses. At the same time, I go to Luxembourg with 5 precious miniature donkeys and 3 Rocky Mountain Horses. Looking forward to some quiet time in Luxembourg!
We're starting our next EU quarantine group on November 8th, and are in the process of preparing horses for shipping to South Africa, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in December.
We're very excited about some upcoming opportunities for shipping to China, Brazil and Colombia in 2011.
We got back to the ranch on Tuesday, after a bit of a delay in New York on our return flight. We're relaxing for a few days, and then it is off again next week. Terry and one of our regular grooms, Peter Wurschy, will accompany 5 miniature horses and 3 Arabian horses to Amsterdam. Peter will stay for a short vacation in Amsterdam and Terry will continue to Bahrain with the Arabian horses. At the same time, I go to Luxembourg with 5 precious miniature donkeys and 3 Rocky Mountain Horses. Looking forward to some quiet time in Luxembourg!
We're starting our next EU quarantine group on November 8th, and are in the process of preparing horses for shipping to South Africa, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in December.
We're very excited about some upcoming opportunities for shipping to China, Brazil and Colombia in 2011.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Our visit to Dammam, Saudi Arabia
What an extraordinary visit we had in Dammam, Saudi Arabia last weekend! Thank you, Abdulaziz, Dhafer, Mohammad, Ali, Khaled and all of the other gentlemen who made us feel so welcome. The horses all flew really well and offloading went smoothly.
When the horses were safely loaded into their trailers and on their way to the stables, Ali drove us to guest quarters at Abdulaziz's beautiful stable. We were pretty tired, so we had a nice rest time in the early afternoon. Then we were treated to a delicious lunch of kebab, rice and a mezzah platter. When the evening arrived, it was time for visitors. We sat outdoors in the cool of the evening and enjoyed tea, coffee, dates, pomegranite seeds and lively conversation.
After visiting for a while, we went to another stable where we were treated to a tour of the beautiful facilities. Several of the horses were exhibited for us - magnificently beautiful horses that are cared for so very well. It was truly a joy to see them all working in the arena.
Then it was time for dinner! We were treated to an authentic Bedouin-style dinner, with cushions on the floor, lots of tea and coffee and dates, followed by a delicious feast of camel meat served on a bed of rice. We ate with our hands and enjoyed every minute of the experience! After the feast, a young man came around the room with a container of burning aromatic wood and we cleansed ourselves in the smoke. This was followed by a spritz of refreshing cologne and then the evening was over. Time to go back to our lovely guest room until we had to go the airport early the next morning.
Terry and I felt very honored to receive not only the spectactular hospitality of our Saudi hosts, but also some very lovely gifts of Lebanese sweets and I received a gorgeous hand-embroidered silk abaya and sheila. I will wear these with great pleasure on next visit to Saudi next week when we take horses to Riyadh.
Again, thank you so much to our hosts for making this trip one that we will cherish forever in our memories.
When the horses were safely loaded into their trailers and on their way to the stables, Ali drove us to guest quarters at Abdulaziz's beautiful stable. We were pretty tired, so we had a nice rest time in the early afternoon. Then we were treated to a delicious lunch of kebab, rice and a mezzah platter. When the evening arrived, it was time for visitors. We sat outdoors in the cool of the evening and enjoyed tea, coffee, dates, pomegranite seeds and lively conversation.
After visiting for a while, we went to another stable where we were treated to a tour of the beautiful facilities. Several of the horses were exhibited for us - magnificently beautiful horses that are cared for so very well. It was truly a joy to see them all working in the arena.
Then it was time for dinner! We were treated to an authentic Bedouin-style dinner, with cushions on the floor, lots of tea and coffee and dates, followed by a delicious feast of camel meat served on a bed of rice. We ate with our hands and enjoyed every minute of the experience! After the feast, a young man came around the room with a container of burning aromatic wood and we cleansed ourselves in the smoke. This was followed by a spritz of refreshing cologne and then the evening was over. Time to go back to our lovely guest room until we had to go the airport early the next morning.
Terry and I felt very honored to receive not only the spectactular hospitality of our Saudi hosts, but also some very lovely gifts of Lebanese sweets and I received a gorgeous hand-embroidered silk abaya and sheila. I will wear these with great pleasure on next visit to Saudi next week when we take horses to Riyadh.
Again, thank you so much to our hosts for making this trip one that we will cherish forever in our memories.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Dammam, Saudi Arabia - Horses and Kebabs
We're heading out for the airport this morning with a lovely group of Arabian horses that Terry and I will accompany to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Thank you, Khalid, Haytham, Othman, Ahmed, Abdullah and Saleh for sharing these wonderful horses with us. As always, it has been our pleasure working with you.
Our visit in Dammam will be brief, because we have horses to fly to Amsterdam next week, but while we are there, we are looking forward to enjoying authentic Saudi kebabs. We've been on a kebab recipe quest for a while and want to thank all of our friends from Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for sharing their favorite kebab recipes with us. We've been working on getting just the right blend of spices and we think we're getting close. We prepared chicken and beef kebabs last week to share with friends in Rockport, TX and the reviews were great. Everyone loved them and asked us to bring more! So, thank you, dear friends, for helping us enjoy the wonderful tastes of your part of the world! Yummy.
Our visit in Dammam will be brief, because we have horses to fly to Amsterdam next week, but while we are there, we are looking forward to enjoying authentic Saudi kebabs. We've been on a kebab recipe quest for a while and want to thank all of our friends from Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for sharing their favorite kebab recipes with us. We've been working on getting just the right blend of spices and we think we're getting close. We prepared chicken and beef kebabs last week to share with friends in Rockport, TX and the reviews were great. Everyone loved them and asked us to bring more! So, thank you, dear friends, for helping us enjoy the wonderful tastes of your part of the world! Yummy.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
You Can't Please All the People All The Time
Wow, are we frustrated right now. Terry is on his way home from Luxembourg where he delivered a group of quarter horses for a buyer in France.
When we went to pick up these horses from the seller's farm, it took four hours to load them. They had not been trailer trained and were as wild as March hares. Several of them were underweight and had various scratches and minor injuries. One mare had an abscess on her foot that looked pretty bad. The seller said that it had just appeared that morning.
They traveled very badly, with lots of kicking and carrying on in the trailer and when we received them here at the ranch we wondered what kind of miracles we were going to be able to perform by flight date. Luckily, we had about 6 weeks to work with them, as the buyer hadn't paid for them yet and we agreed with the seller to board them for two extra weeks (at no charge to her) before starting quarantine.
We got them into stalls and started working with them, hoping for the best. The abscess went from bad to worse. We had the farrier and the vet out to look at it. The first course of treatment that the veterinarian recommended (soaking in epsom salts) didn't help. By the next week, the mare was actually in danger of losing her foot ... and her life.
We contacted the seller (who insisted on doing all the communication with us, rather than putting us in touch with the buyer directly) and she said to take the mare to the vet's clinic for 3 days of intensive care. The vet had recommended two weeks, but the seller didn't want to pay for more than three days. She actually expected us to pay for the veterinary care, but our contract is clear about whose responsibility that is!
We took the mare(and her nursing foal) to the clinic and picked them up after three days(transport was at our own expense - 100 mile round trip twice). The vet said that she had responded well to the treatment and he was cautiously optimistic that she might live. The key to saving her life was in the daily care that needed to be provided from that point in time. Following the vet's instructions, we carefully and thoroughly cleaned her foot and changed the dressings every other day for the entire time she was with us, making sure that the foot stayed completely dry at all times. We also administered medication every day for a period of time after her return to the ranch. This took a lot of staff time and commitment (at no extra charge). The mare's foot improved such that she was actually able to ship on schedule. The vet said it was a miracle and we agreed!
Meanwhile, we continued working daily with the others in the group, trailer training, worming, having the farrier out to trim their hooves and feeding them extra feed and weight building supplements ... all at our own expense. We didn't charge an extra penny for the extra care and expense that this particular group of mares needed.
By flight day, they were all significantly improved. They walked into the trailer and the flight containers like old pros, with no challenges whatsover (thanks the the time and effort spent trailer training them!) We were really happy to be able to put them on the plane and deliver them to their new owner. They all were dressed up in new halters( also provided at our own expense) and Terry accompanied them across the ocean.
There was a lot of turbulence on the flight and Terry was in the containers with these mares throughout, keeping them calm and risking his own safety. He was slammed up against the side of the container at one point in the flight and has the bruises to show for it. But this is all part of what we do ... all in a day's work ... all part of the service we provide.
So, here's where the disappointment comes in. After all the extraordinary care that we provided, we got a nasty email from the buyer saying that the horses arrived in France in terrible condition and that we did not care for them properly.
She said they were underweight. I sent her "before and after" photos and she didn't mention that again. When a horse arrives at quarantine underweight, there is only so much that can be done before flight time. We did the best we could do, and the before and after photos clearly showed significant improvement in their weight.
She said they were wormy. We have records showing that they were wormed on August 1st. We always worm horses when they begin quarantine, as a normal course of action.
She said their feet were in poor condition. We have the bill from the farrier showing that he trimmed their hooves on August 25th. We always have the farrier out to assess hooves and provide trims if needed, again, just a normal course of action at our facility.
The biggest blow of all was that she said we had nothing to do with saving the mare's life. She said that she is thankful to the veterinarian, but that we had no part in it and she owes us no thanks at all. After all the hours and hours and hours that we spent providing care for that mare - at no cost to her - and she says that we deserve no credit for saving her life.
Wow. It is times like this that make us wonder why we continue being so generous and providing so many extra services at our own expense - both physically and financially. But then we reflect and we know why we do it. Its because we care about the horses and we will continue to be committed to their health and well-being, regardless of the owners' attitudes.
And for every hateful client that we meet, we have at least 100 others who are kind, intelligent and caring people who appreciate the services that we provide. We take a lot of pride and get a great deal of joy from being able to bring horses and owners together all over the world. I guess we can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch - but this experience certainly has left a sour taste in our mouths.
When we went to pick up these horses from the seller's farm, it took four hours to load them. They had not been trailer trained and were as wild as March hares. Several of them were underweight and had various scratches and minor injuries. One mare had an abscess on her foot that looked pretty bad. The seller said that it had just appeared that morning.
They traveled very badly, with lots of kicking and carrying on in the trailer and when we received them here at the ranch we wondered what kind of miracles we were going to be able to perform by flight date. Luckily, we had about 6 weeks to work with them, as the buyer hadn't paid for them yet and we agreed with the seller to board them for two extra weeks (at no charge to her) before starting quarantine.
We got them into stalls and started working with them, hoping for the best. The abscess went from bad to worse. We had the farrier and the vet out to look at it. The first course of treatment that the veterinarian recommended (soaking in epsom salts) didn't help. By the next week, the mare was actually in danger of losing her foot ... and her life.
We contacted the seller (who insisted on doing all the communication with us, rather than putting us in touch with the buyer directly) and she said to take the mare to the vet's clinic for 3 days of intensive care. The vet had recommended two weeks, but the seller didn't want to pay for more than three days. She actually expected us to pay for the veterinary care, but our contract is clear about whose responsibility that is!
We took the mare(and her nursing foal) to the clinic and picked them up after three days(transport was at our own expense - 100 mile round trip twice). The vet said that she had responded well to the treatment and he was cautiously optimistic that she might live. The key to saving her life was in the daily care that needed to be provided from that point in time. Following the vet's instructions, we carefully and thoroughly cleaned her foot and changed the dressings every other day for the entire time she was with us, making sure that the foot stayed completely dry at all times. We also administered medication every day for a period of time after her return to the ranch. This took a lot of staff time and commitment (at no extra charge). The mare's foot improved such that she was actually able to ship on schedule. The vet said it was a miracle and we agreed!
Meanwhile, we continued working daily with the others in the group, trailer training, worming, having the farrier out to trim their hooves and feeding them extra feed and weight building supplements ... all at our own expense. We didn't charge an extra penny for the extra care and expense that this particular group of mares needed.
By flight day, they were all significantly improved. They walked into the trailer and the flight containers like old pros, with no challenges whatsover (thanks the the time and effort spent trailer training them!) We were really happy to be able to put them on the plane and deliver them to their new owner. They all were dressed up in new halters( also provided at our own expense) and Terry accompanied them across the ocean.
There was a lot of turbulence on the flight and Terry was in the containers with these mares throughout, keeping them calm and risking his own safety. He was slammed up against the side of the container at one point in the flight and has the bruises to show for it. But this is all part of what we do ... all in a day's work ... all part of the service we provide.
So, here's where the disappointment comes in. After all the extraordinary care that we provided, we got a nasty email from the buyer saying that the horses arrived in France in terrible condition and that we did not care for them properly.
She said they were underweight. I sent her "before and after" photos and she didn't mention that again. When a horse arrives at quarantine underweight, there is only so much that can be done before flight time. We did the best we could do, and the before and after photos clearly showed significant improvement in their weight.
She said they were wormy. We have records showing that they were wormed on August 1st. We always worm horses when they begin quarantine, as a normal course of action.
She said their feet were in poor condition. We have the bill from the farrier showing that he trimmed their hooves on August 25th. We always have the farrier out to assess hooves and provide trims if needed, again, just a normal course of action at our facility.
The biggest blow of all was that she said we had nothing to do with saving the mare's life. She said that she is thankful to the veterinarian, but that we had no part in it and she owes us no thanks at all. After all the hours and hours and hours that we spent providing care for that mare - at no cost to her - and she says that we deserve no credit for saving her life.
Wow. It is times like this that make us wonder why we continue being so generous and providing so many extra services at our own expense - both physically and financially. But then we reflect and we know why we do it. Its because we care about the horses and we will continue to be committed to their health and well-being, regardless of the owners' attitudes.
And for every hateful client that we meet, we have at least 100 others who are kind, intelligent and caring people who appreciate the services that we provide. We take a lot of pride and get a great deal of joy from being able to bring horses and owners together all over the world. I guess we can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch - but this experience certainly has left a sour taste in our mouths.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tropical Storm Hermine
There's an old saying in South Texas ... If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute.
We are flying horses and donkeys this week ... and we've been blessed with some interesting weather, courtesy of Tropical Storm Hermine.
Some of the animals flew to Amsterdam on Tuesday afternoon. Terry and Megan drove them to Houston and loaded them into the shipping containers in the midst of heavy rains, thunder and lightning. All went well, however, and they have now arrived safe and sound in Europe. Thank you, Hans and Laurence, for sharing your animals with us. And thanks also to our groom, Bob Riley, for doing such a great job of caring for them on the flight.
Last night Tropical Storm Hermine dumped 4.75 inches of rain on the ranch within an hour's time, along with a magnificent light show that was accompanied by dramatic thunder rolls and claps. At midnight, as Salem, our resident ranch cat, and I were sitting up in bed watching the lightning and listening to the pounding rain on the roof, I was thinking about the 10 horses that we needed to load for the trip to the airport this morning. Loading horses in a thunderstorm is not much fun ... not for for people nor for horses.
I was so thankful that when the light of day dawned, the rain had stopped and we were able to load the horses in the sunshine. Ron and Tanner drove them to the airport without incident and they are all safe and sound in Houston, just waiting for time to load into the containers and fly out on their CargoLux plane. Terry and our groom, Henry Quintanilla, are flying with them ... some to Luxembourg and some to Kuwait. Thank you, Mercy, Isabelle and Ayman, for sharing your horses with us. They will be in their new homes soon.
Now that its evening, the storms are beginning to pop up again at the ranch. Who knows? If we're lucky, Salem and I will be treated to another midnight show!
We are flying horses and donkeys this week ... and we've been blessed with some interesting weather, courtesy of Tropical Storm Hermine.
Some of the animals flew to Amsterdam on Tuesday afternoon. Terry and Megan drove them to Houston and loaded them into the shipping containers in the midst of heavy rains, thunder and lightning. All went well, however, and they have now arrived safe and sound in Europe. Thank you, Hans and Laurence, for sharing your animals with us. And thanks also to our groom, Bob Riley, for doing such a great job of caring for them on the flight.
Last night Tropical Storm Hermine dumped 4.75 inches of rain on the ranch within an hour's time, along with a magnificent light show that was accompanied by dramatic thunder rolls and claps. At midnight, as Salem, our resident ranch cat, and I were sitting up in bed watching the lightning and listening to the pounding rain on the roof, I was thinking about the 10 horses that we needed to load for the trip to the airport this morning. Loading horses in a thunderstorm is not much fun ... not for for people nor for horses.
I was so thankful that when the light of day dawned, the rain had stopped and we were able to load the horses in the sunshine. Ron and Tanner drove them to the airport without incident and they are all safe and sound in Houston, just waiting for time to load into the containers and fly out on their CargoLux plane. Terry and our groom, Henry Quintanilla, are flying with them ... some to Luxembourg and some to Kuwait. Thank you, Mercy, Isabelle and Ayman, for sharing your horses with us. They will be in their new homes soon.
Now that its evening, the storms are beginning to pop up again at the ranch. Who knows? If we're lucky, Salem and I will be treated to another midnight show!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Vesicular Stomatitis
There's an equine disease called Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) that occurs from time to time in the USA. It is also called "False Hoof and Mouth Disease", as the symptoms mimic Hoof and Mouth Disease.
Some importing countries require testing for VS for six months after a case of VS has been reported in the USA. Others require the test for every shipment, irregardless of how long it has been since the USA had a case of the disease.
At the current time, all horses being exported from the USA to or through the European Union must be tested for VS, as there were some cases of the disease that were reported at a ranch on the Arizona/Mexico border in the Spring of 2010.
The testing medium that is used for VS for horses being exported is, unfortunately, not a very reliable test and it is fairly common to get "inconclusive" results. Another term for this type of result is "toxic". On rare occasions there will even be a false positive result. Usually the animal in question will test negative with a new blood draw.
However, there are times when the toxic or false positive results come back again and again for the same animal. When that happens, the animal cannot be shipped to a country requiring VS testing.
We've asked a number of veterinarians what could cause the toxic or false positive results and, while no one knows for sure, there are several theories. The most commonly held observation that veterinarians have shared with us is that there may be a correlation between certain vaccinations and toxic or false positive VS results.
In particular, Rabies vaccinations may play a role. VS is a "rabido virus", as is Rabies, so the testing medium may pick up the Rabies vaccine in the blood and mistake it for VS.
If you plan to ship an equine from the USA, it is probably wise to postpone giving any vaccinations before sending the animal to quarantine. Any and all vaccinations that are required by the importing country will be given after the horse or donkey arrives at our facility.
Some importing countries require testing for VS for six months after a case of VS has been reported in the USA. Others require the test for every shipment, irregardless of how long it has been since the USA had a case of the disease.
At the current time, all horses being exported from the USA to or through the European Union must be tested for VS, as there were some cases of the disease that were reported at a ranch on the Arizona/Mexico border in the Spring of 2010.
The testing medium that is used for VS for horses being exported is, unfortunately, not a very reliable test and it is fairly common to get "inconclusive" results. Another term for this type of result is "toxic". On rare occasions there will even be a false positive result. Usually the animal in question will test negative with a new blood draw.
However, there are times when the toxic or false positive results come back again and again for the same animal. When that happens, the animal cannot be shipped to a country requiring VS testing.
We've asked a number of veterinarians what could cause the toxic or false positive results and, while no one knows for sure, there are several theories. The most commonly held observation that veterinarians have shared with us is that there may be a correlation between certain vaccinations and toxic or false positive VS results.
In particular, Rabies vaccinations may play a role. VS is a "rabido virus", as is Rabies, so the testing medium may pick up the Rabies vaccine in the blood and mistake it for VS.
If you plan to ship an equine from the USA, it is probably wise to postpone giving any vaccinations before sending the animal to quarantine. Any and all vaccinations that are required by the importing country will be given after the horse or donkey arrives at our facility.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Update from Luxembourg
It is a beautiful sunny day in Luxembourg. I'm here for the weekend, wsiting for my "ride" back home. I had the pleasure of delivering a group of mini donkeys and horses to Prestwick, Scotland on Thursday. It was a great flight on CargoLux and a smooth landing in Prestwick. Sometimes those cross wind landings can be challenging ... but this one was really nice.
Our groom, Annet, delivered horses to Amsterdam on Friday and everything went very well on that trip, as well. She is enjoying some time visiting family and friends in Germany before she returns to the USA.
Thank you to Sarah, Lisa, Peter and Danielle for sharing your equines with us.
Terry stayed at the ranch to oversee everything there this weekend. We are apart for our birthdays, but we'll celebrate them a little late this year. I turn 60 today and Terry will be 62 tomorrow.
We're starting a new quarantine group for Saudi Arabia on Monday and will start our next EU quarantine group on August 30th.
Terry and I look forward to delivering horses to Luxembourg and then on to Johannesburg, South Africa in early September.
In case you haven't heard, there will be a rate increase effective September 1st. For the EU, mares and geldings will be $4650.00 each. Stallions will be $4700.00. Please contact us at ez2spot@hotmail.com for the rates for other destinations.
Our groom, Annet, delivered horses to Amsterdam on Friday and everything went very well on that trip, as well. She is enjoying some time visiting family and friends in Germany before she returns to the USA.
Thank you to Sarah, Lisa, Peter and Danielle for sharing your equines with us.
Terry stayed at the ranch to oversee everything there this weekend. We are apart for our birthdays, but we'll celebrate them a little late this year. I turn 60 today and Terry will be 62 tomorrow.
We're starting a new quarantine group for Saudi Arabia on Monday and will start our next EU quarantine group on August 30th.
Terry and I look forward to delivering horses to Luxembourg and then on to Johannesburg, South Africa in early September.
In case you haven't heard, there will be a rate increase effective September 1st. For the EU, mares and geldings will be $4650.00 each. Stallions will be $4700.00. Please contact us at ez2spot@hotmail.com for the rates for other destinations.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Welcoming New Staff
We are delighted to welcome Megan Moos to the EZ 2 Spot Ranch staff. Megan comes to us with a B.S. in Equine Sciences and a number of years of experience as a trainer and manager at high-quality equine facilities. We look forward to Megan becoming an integral part of our program and we know that she is going to be a valuable asset as we continue to grow.
Another new member of our staff is Nancy Harrop. Nancy helps us out part-time. Her cheerful, upbeat attitude keeps everyone smiling.
It is our goal to provide the highest quality care possible for our clients' horses. We believe that the key to accomplishing that goal does not lie in high-dollar, fancy barns. The key to success is having a competent, professional staff who care about each and every animal and who share a common bond of commitment to excellence.
Another new member of our staff is Nancy Harrop. Nancy helps us out part-time. Her cheerful, upbeat attitude keeps everyone smiling.
It is our goal to provide the highest quality care possible for our clients' horses. We believe that the key to accomplishing that goal does not lie in high-dollar, fancy barns. The key to success is having a competent, professional staff who care about each and every animal and who share a common bond of commitment to excellence.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Lost Luggage
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Terry is on the last leg of his trip home from Jeddah. He flew Turkish Air for the first time and had a great experience ... until he got to Chicago and his checked bag did not. There seems to be some confusion about how to file a claim for lost luggage, so tracking it down may be an interesting process.
The good news is that horses arrived safe and sound and Terry will have a few days of R & R here at the ranch. Then its off to Amsterdam! I'll write more about that later.
Terry is on the last leg of his trip home from Jeddah. He flew Turkish Air for the first time and had a great experience ... until he got to Chicago and his checked bag did not. There seems to be some confusion about how to file a claim for lost luggage, so tracking it down may be an interesting process.
The good news is that horses arrived safe and sound and Terry will have a few days of R & R here at the ranch. Then its off to Amsterdam! I'll write more about that later.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Veterinarian and farrier visits today
Monday, July 26th.
We have a busy day at the ranch today. Our veterinarian, Dr. John Clader of Chaparral Veterinary Center, will be here to draw blood and perform health checks on a group of horses that will be going to the EU in early August.
And our farrier, Mike Paschall, is also coming out to have a look at this group. One of the services that we provide to our clients (at no extra charge!) is to have our farrier assess their feet and provide trims, if needed. It is really important to us that the horses be as comfortable and healthy as they can be while they're in quarantine and during their flight.
Terry and the Arabian horses arrived safely in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this morning and all is well. He is looking forward to spending a couple of days visiting our clients' stables there and shopping for kebab spices!
We have a busy day at the ranch today. Our veterinarian, Dr. John Clader of Chaparral Veterinary Center, will be here to draw blood and perform health checks on a group of horses that will be going to the EU in early August.
And our farrier, Mike Paschall, is also coming out to have a look at this group. One of the services that we provide to our clients (at no extra charge!) is to have our farrier assess their feet and provide trims, if needed. It is really important to us that the horses be as comfortable and healthy as they can be while they're in quarantine and during their flight.
Terry and the Arabian horses arrived safely in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this morning and all is well. He is looking forward to spending a couple of days visiting our clients' stables there and shopping for kebab spices!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Horses to Jeddah
Today is Sunday, July 25th, 2010.
Terry and six beautiful Arabian horses are up in the air at the moment, somewhere between Brussels, Belgium and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They'll land in Jeddah early tomorrow morning. So far, it has been a nice,quiet and uneventful flight. We are so happy to have the opportunities that are presented to us to live our lives out of two things that we both love - horses and traveling the world. What a great adventure!
Terry's current mission is to learn, first hand, what spices are needed to make authentic beef and lamb kebabs. Hopefully he will return from this trip with some new information!
Meanwhile, I've stayed back in Bigfoot, TX to oversee the ranch operations. We're finishing up a new barn - Barn # 7, so that we can continue to provide excellent service to our ever- growing list of clients. Visit our website if you'd like more information about us and our services. It is http://www.ez2spotranch.com/.
Dianne
Terry and six beautiful Arabian horses are up in the air at the moment, somewhere between Brussels, Belgium and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They'll land in Jeddah early tomorrow morning. So far, it has been a nice,quiet and uneventful flight. We are so happy to have the opportunities that are presented to us to live our lives out of two things that we both love - horses and traveling the world. What a great adventure!
Terry's current mission is to learn, first hand, what spices are needed to make authentic beef and lamb kebabs. Hopefully he will return from this trip with some new information!
Meanwhile, I've stayed back in Bigfoot, TX to oversee the ranch operations. We're finishing up a new barn - Barn # 7, so that we can continue to provide excellent service to our ever- growing list of clients. Visit our website if you'd like more information about us and our services. It is http://www.ez2spotranch.com/.
Dianne
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