Sometimes flying horses on cargo planes can get pretty crazy. This has been one of those times where a good sense of humor and flexibility that would rival Gumby and Pokey come in handy.
During the past month we had the privilege of preparing some adorable miniature donkeys to fly to South Africa, along with some beautiful Arabian horses to go to Saudi Arabia and a very nice mixed group of miniature donkeys, Quarter horses and a Missouri Fox Trotter to go to the EU this week. Everything was going along quite nicely ... until departure day.
The flight was scheduled for departure from Houston on Wednesday night - well, actually, a few minutes past midnight on Thursday morning. So, as is our fashion, we called the airline before leaving the ranch (All of you show people know the rule - call before you haul!) - and found out that the plane was delayed by a couple of hours. Oh, just a couple of hours. No problem. That just gave us a little more time to get everyone loaded.
The airline told us to call back in about 45 minutes for an update. So we did. And then we learned that the plane was going to be delayed by at least 5 hours - or maybe more. They really didn't know, because the plane hadn't even arrived at the hub airport in Europe yet - much less taken off for Houston.
Hmmm. This was turning into a long day. So we left the horses in their stalls and sat around for a few more hours, waiting to find out when we were really going to need to leave for the airport. We were getting a little anxious because the donkeys for South Africa had a connecting flight to catch. Were we going to make the connection? Could the airline delay the connection? What was going to happen if they couldn't make it? Would the quarantine in Jo'berg accept them if they arrived late? Anxiety started to creep into our otherwise happy little brains.
More time passed - and finally we got word that we would be loading the containers at about 3:00 a.m. The plane had left the airport in Europe so that was a good sign. So, Terry and Megan and Henry and all the equines headed out the gate and down the road to Houston.
When they got there, they learned that the crew had run out of duty time - so guess what? More delays. Loading time would be at 8:00 a.m. So ... horses and donkeys had a nice night's rest in the airport stalls and Terry, Henry and Megan had a less than comfortable night sleeping in the trucks!
This meant that the donkeys for South Africa would miss their connecting flight - and would have to stay in Europe til Sunday night, arriving in Jo'berg on Monday morning. This would be fine except for one little problem. Their import permit was set to expire at midnight Sunday! Thanks to his charming personality and positive attitude, Gert Vortser was able to get a one-day extension approved through the South African authorities. Whew! That was a worry off our minds.
Finally, at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, the plane took off. The horses to Saudi Arabia had also missed their connecting flight, but happily their import permits would still be valid for their arrival on Monday morning.
So, I am happy to report that our European-bound horses and donkey are at home with their owners now. Thank you, Renate Daub, Dirk Hendrickx and Veronique Placet for sharing your animals with us!
The donkeys and Arabian horses are safe and sound in Luxembourg, waiting for their flights tomorrow night. Thank you for your patience, Gert Vorster and Harry Moore in South Africa and Dhafer Al Qahtani, Majed Bokami, Abdurahman Alkafan, Yasser Al Hafenawi and Aiman Alshumrani in Saudi Arabia. Thank you also for allowing us to share in your animal's journey. It has been a pleasure working with each of you. And as they say, all is well that ends well!
An extra special thank you also to our friend and professional horse groom Hans Van Dyke for meeting the donkeys in Luxembourg and accompanying them to Johannesburg. We appreciate you more than you can ever know, Hans. And we can't wait for you and Els to visit us in November!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Horses to Riyadh and Dammam
We have just completed shipments of some more beautiful Arabian horses to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some went to Riyadh and others to Dammam. Thank you, Hatham, Mohammed, Ibrahim, Vidya and Ghassan for sharing your lovely horses with us. And, as always, a huge thank you to Dr. Mohammed Al Hamad for your assistance with ensuring that all went smoothly. We appreciate you all very much and look forward to the opportunity to work with you again in the near future.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Our first shipment to Iraq!
We are very proud to announce that our first-ever shipment to the country of Iraq is happening today. Many thanks are due to Anwar Mangal and Amir Orders for their hard work in paving the way for this shipment on the arrival side. It was quite a learning experience as we worked through and overcame a number of interesting and sometimes frustrating challenges along the way. However, with patience and perseverence, we got through the difficulties and now this first group of Iraq-bound horses are at the airport, waiting for flight time. Many thanks to Abdur Rahman Mohammed for your faith and trust in our ability to make this happen. We look forward to shipping many more horses for you in the future!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
horses to the EU and Kuwait
Wow. September is here! And we have already had our first September shipment. Today horses left Amsterdam for Kuwait. Thank you Rashed, Ali and Khalid for sharing your lovely Arabian mares with us. It was a pleasure caring for them and we look forward to shipping horses for you again in the future.
Thank you also to Virginie of France, Gorill of Norway, Marije of the Netherlands and Christina from Germany for sharing your horses with us. They arrived in Amsterdam on August 30th.
We are currently gathering horses for our next quarantine groups for Amsterdam, Kuwait and Dammam, Saudi Arabia - so let us know if you are ready to book a space for your horse!
We also find ourselves in the unusual situation of having horses for sale. If you are looking for a nice Arabian stallion, a Half-Arabian mare or a weanling Paint Colt - send us an email. We have these horses for sale, and they are all very nice quality animals. The top photo is the stallion - MC Niitrous and the bottom photo is the mare, Sweet Lady Fames. Both photos were taken when the horses were on the show circuit. Email me for photos of the colt or for more information about any or all of these horses.
Thank you also to Virginie of France, Gorill of Norway, Marije of the Netherlands and Christina from Germany for sharing your horses with us. They arrived in Amsterdam on August 30th.
We are currently gathering horses for our next quarantine groups for Amsterdam, Kuwait and Dammam, Saudi Arabia - so let us know if you are ready to book a space for your horse!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Catching Up on August News
Wow, this has been such a busy month that I have not had a chance til now to sit down and post to our blog. So, here is a recap of what has been going on in our crazy world ...
August 1st - Terry and I had the great pleasure of traveling with our new friends, Mary and Mario Saenz to Amsterdam where we delivered two adorable shetland pony mares for Sharron Thomas of the UK, a Tennessee Walker gelding and a Spotted Saddle Horse gelding for Melina and Bettina Kuehne of Germany, a pretty little miniature mare for Eliane Jongbloed of Belgium and a precious miniature donkey jennet for Cate Weatherall of the UK.
We had a layover of a couple of days in Amsterdam and we took advantage of the amazing weather to visit with our dear friends, Els and Hans van Dyke. We had a delightful afternoon enjoying a meal and the view at Vollendam as we caught up with the latest news from our friends.
Then it was back on the airways for Terry and me, as we loaded six Arabian horses to take to Dammam, Saudi Arabia for our dear friend and client, Dhafer Al Qhatani and our new friend and client, Abdullah Al Mutairi. The horses traveled well and we enjoyed being treated to a delicious Bedoin style meal at Dhafer's farm. A highlight of our visit to the farm was going out to see the camels. There was a full moon shining over the desert and it was a simply lovely experience! To add to the treat, Abdullah Al Mutairi insisted on paying for our hotel where we spent the night in Dammam and Dhafer made us a wonderful gift of Saudi coffee - clearly the best tasting coffee in the world.
We spent another day in Dubai and then it was back to Amsterdam for the flight home. Planes were packed and, as flight crew, we always fly standby. We didn't get aboard the first day that we tried - so we made the best of it and took Mary and Mario to some of our favorite spots in Amsterdam that night. The next day the pilot took pity on us and, even though the plane was full again, we were allowed to ride in the crew rest and jump seats so we could get back home.
Thank you to all for sharing your lovely horses (and donkey) with us - and thank you to Mary and Mario for being such good sports!
August 6th - We started a new quarantine group for horses going to Riyadh and Dammam, Saudi Arabia and to Kuwait
August 8th - We were back in the USA for two days and then it was time to ship Hackney Ponies to Adam Majett of South Africa. Our friend and groom, Henry Quintanilla, accompanied the ponies on that flight. Many thanks to Henry and Adam.
August 15th - Seems that we barely had time to blink and it was time to say goodbye to six more Arabian horses. Three went to Dammam, Saudi Arabia for Khalid Ali Alhemaid of Taiba Arabians and three went to Sharjah for Suliman Al Saqran. There were some challenges with the import permits, as it is Ramadan and many offices are closed these days - but with diligence and help from some very special people, we managed to get everything done. The horses are traveling now and will arrive in their new homes this weekend. Thank you to David and Jennifer Notman for flying with them to Amsterdam and to our new friend of Krooshof International for providing grooms from Amsterdam on to their final destinations.
August 20th - We will be starting a new quarantine group for horses going to Dammam, Saudi Arabia and to Luxembourg.
August 21st and 22nd - Its time to break out the birthday cake and candles. Terry and I will be celebrating our birthdays with our daughter, Kris, at our second home in Rockport, TX. I will be 62 on the 21st and Terry will be 64 on the 22nd. So if we don't answer the phone right away or respond to an email immediately, please bear with us. We'll be back hard at work on the 23rd.
August 28th - We are looking forward to Quinten Weirsma's arrival. Quinten is a young man from Holland who is coming to work with us for three months. We are very excited about his visit and look forward to sharing our Texas culture with him.
August 29th - It's flight day for horses going to Amsterdam and on to Kuwait. Our dear friends of the Wurschy Groom Squad - Lori and Tom Cochran and Peter Wurschy will fly with the horses to Amsterdam and Krooshof grooms will take the Kuwait horses on to their final destination.
So ... that's the news from EZ 2 Spot Ranch. We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment or send us an email. We also invite you to like us on Facebook!
Regards to you all,
Dianne
August 1st - Terry and I had the great pleasure of traveling with our new friends, Mary and Mario Saenz to Amsterdam where we delivered two adorable shetland pony mares for Sharron Thomas of the UK, a Tennessee Walker gelding and a Spotted Saddle Horse gelding for Melina and Bettina Kuehne of Germany, a pretty little miniature mare for Eliane Jongbloed of Belgium and a precious miniature donkey jennet for Cate Weatherall of the UK.
We had a layover of a couple of days in Amsterdam and we took advantage of the amazing weather to visit with our dear friends, Els and Hans van Dyke. We had a delightful afternoon enjoying a meal and the view at Vollendam as we caught up with the latest news from our friends.
Then it was back on the airways for Terry and me, as we loaded six Arabian horses to take to Dammam, Saudi Arabia for our dear friend and client, Dhafer Al Qhatani and our new friend and client, Abdullah Al Mutairi. The horses traveled well and we enjoyed being treated to a delicious Bedoin style meal at Dhafer's farm. A highlight of our visit to the farm was going out to see the camels. There was a full moon shining over the desert and it was a simply lovely experience! To add to the treat, Abdullah Al Mutairi insisted on paying for our hotel where we spent the night in Dammam and Dhafer made us a wonderful gift of Saudi coffee - clearly the best tasting coffee in the world.
We spent another day in Dubai and then it was back to Amsterdam for the flight home. Planes were packed and, as flight crew, we always fly standby. We didn't get aboard the first day that we tried - so we made the best of it and took Mary and Mario to some of our favorite spots in Amsterdam that night. The next day the pilot took pity on us and, even though the plane was full again, we were allowed to ride in the crew rest and jump seats so we could get back home.
Thank you to all for sharing your lovely horses (and donkey) with us - and thank you to Mary and Mario for being such good sports!
August 6th - We started a new quarantine group for horses going to Riyadh and Dammam, Saudi Arabia and to Kuwait
August 8th - We were back in the USA for two days and then it was time to ship Hackney Ponies to Adam Majett of South Africa. Our friend and groom, Henry Quintanilla, accompanied the ponies on that flight. Many thanks to Henry and Adam.
August 15th - Seems that we barely had time to blink and it was time to say goodbye to six more Arabian horses. Three went to Dammam, Saudi Arabia for Khalid Ali Alhemaid of Taiba Arabians and three went to Sharjah for Suliman Al Saqran. There were some challenges with the import permits, as it is Ramadan and many offices are closed these days - but with diligence and help from some very special people, we managed to get everything done. The horses are traveling now and will arrive in their new homes this weekend. Thank you to David and Jennifer Notman for flying with them to Amsterdam and to our new friend of Krooshof International for providing grooms from Amsterdam on to their final destinations.
August 20th - We will be starting a new quarantine group for horses going to Dammam, Saudi Arabia and to Luxembourg.
August 21st and 22nd - Its time to break out the birthday cake and candles. Terry and I will be celebrating our birthdays with our daughter, Kris, at our second home in Rockport, TX. I will be 62 on the 21st and Terry will be 64 on the 22nd. So if we don't answer the phone right away or respond to an email immediately, please bear with us. We'll be back hard at work on the 23rd.
August 28th - We are looking forward to Quinten Weirsma's arrival. Quinten is a young man from Holland who is coming to work with us for three months. We are very excited about his visit and look forward to sharing our Texas culture with him.
August 29th - It's flight day for horses going to Amsterdam and on to Kuwait. Our dear friends of the Wurschy Groom Squad - Lori and Tom Cochran and Peter Wurschy will fly with the horses to Amsterdam and Krooshof grooms will take the Kuwait horses on to their final destination.
So ... that's the news from EZ 2 Spot Ranch. We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment or send us an email. We also invite you to like us on Facebook!
Regards to you all,
Dianne
Friday, July 27, 2012
Move Away from that Needle!
Most horse owners want to do the best that they can to protect their animals from disease, so they believe in regular vaccinations. This is common practice and it is usually a good idea.
However, if you are in the USA and you are thinking about the possibility of selling your horse or donkey to a buyer overseas, please ask an export facility's advice before you vaccinate. Certain vaccinations can cause inconclusive (aka "toxic") results for some of the blood tests that are required for export. Some vaccinations can cause a delay of six months. And some can keep your horse from ever being exported.
Your quarantine station is responsible for all required vaccinations - usually given a day or two prior to the beginning of quarantine. Some are given during quarantine. Let the professional export facility take care of this. They know which vaccinations to give - and which ones to avoid.
Vaccinations to avoid are:
1) Rabies. Rabies and Vesicular Stomatitis have some similiarities - and as such, they can give similar results on blood tests. Right now, because there was an incident of Vesicular Stomatitis in the USA earlier this year, every animal that is being exported to just about any country in the world must be tested for this disease while in pre-export quarantine. So when a horse comes into quarantine after receiving a recent rabies vaccination, it is likely that the test results are going to come back inconclusive or worse - with a false positive reading. This means that the horse cannot ship on schedule - and may not be ever able to ship. It can also create huge problems for the quarantine station and all the other horse owners who have animals in quarantine, because false positive readings automatically shut down the quarantine facility's operation until the state and federal veterinarians have determined that the horse is disease free. We have seen this happen on more than one occasion - and it is never a pleasant surprise to the buyer when he or she is told that her horse or donkey cannot be shipped.
2) West Nile. Some countries want horses to be vaccinated for this disease. Some do not. If your horse is going to a country that does not require this, it creates special challenges for shipping. It is best just to avoid it and let your quarantine station give it, if needed.
3) Venezuelan Equine Encephalomylitis (VEE). For many places in the world, horses that have been vaccinated for VEE cannot be shipped for at least six months after the date of the vaccination. Some countries require this vaccination. Again, ask your quarantine station before you vaccinate so that you can prevent needless delays.
4) Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA): Sometimes people think that vaccinating their stallions for EVA is a good idea. If this is you, please be aware of the fact that there are very specific requirements regarding when and how this vaccine is given if the horse is going to be exported. If the specific requirements for the importing country were not met when the horse was vaccinated, the horse will be unshippable. Not delayed, but unshippable at any time, under any circumstances. If you have a stallion and you are considering exporting him at some time in his life, ask a quarantine station for guidance. They can help you avoid a mistake that will have a lifelong impact on where your stallion can and can't go.
Other vaccines can also impact test results - so the best course of action for all prospective overseas sales is to simply move away from that needle until you know what impact the vaccinations might have on your horse's ability to be shipped overseas!
However, if you are in the USA and you are thinking about the possibility of selling your horse or donkey to a buyer overseas, please ask an export facility's advice before you vaccinate. Certain vaccinations can cause inconclusive (aka "toxic") results for some of the blood tests that are required for export. Some vaccinations can cause a delay of six months. And some can keep your horse from ever being exported.
Your quarantine station is responsible for all required vaccinations - usually given a day or two prior to the beginning of quarantine. Some are given during quarantine. Let the professional export facility take care of this. They know which vaccinations to give - and which ones to avoid.
Vaccinations to avoid are:
1) Rabies. Rabies and Vesicular Stomatitis have some similiarities - and as such, they can give similar results on blood tests. Right now, because there was an incident of Vesicular Stomatitis in the USA earlier this year, every animal that is being exported to just about any country in the world must be tested for this disease while in pre-export quarantine. So when a horse comes into quarantine after receiving a recent rabies vaccination, it is likely that the test results are going to come back inconclusive or worse - with a false positive reading. This means that the horse cannot ship on schedule - and may not be ever able to ship. It can also create huge problems for the quarantine station and all the other horse owners who have animals in quarantine, because false positive readings automatically shut down the quarantine facility's operation until the state and federal veterinarians have determined that the horse is disease free. We have seen this happen on more than one occasion - and it is never a pleasant surprise to the buyer when he or she is told that her horse or donkey cannot be shipped.
2) West Nile. Some countries want horses to be vaccinated for this disease. Some do not. If your horse is going to a country that does not require this, it creates special challenges for shipping. It is best just to avoid it and let your quarantine station give it, if needed.
3) Venezuelan Equine Encephalomylitis (VEE). For many places in the world, horses that have been vaccinated for VEE cannot be shipped for at least six months after the date of the vaccination. Some countries require this vaccination. Again, ask your quarantine station before you vaccinate so that you can prevent needless delays.
4) Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA): Sometimes people think that vaccinating their stallions for EVA is a good idea. If this is you, please be aware of the fact that there are very specific requirements regarding when and how this vaccine is given if the horse is going to be exported. If the specific requirements for the importing country were not met when the horse was vaccinated, the horse will be unshippable. Not delayed, but unshippable at any time, under any circumstances. If you have a stallion and you are considering exporting him at some time in his life, ask a quarantine station for guidance. They can help you avoid a mistake that will have a lifelong impact on where your stallion can and can't go.
Other vaccines can also impact test results - so the best course of action for all prospective overseas sales is to simply move away from that needle until you know what impact the vaccinations might have on your horse's ability to be shipped overseas!
Friday, July 20, 2012
On the way to Kuwait
Terry is on his way to Kuwait today, accompanying 3 beautiful Arabian horses to their new homes. They are overnighting in Luxembourg tonight and will leave for Kuwait City late tomorrow, arriving early Sunday morning. All are traveling well and the flights are on schedule.
Thank you Abdulaziz Al Shammari, Jasim Al Mesbah and Sheikh Hamad Khaled Al- Sabah for sharing your horses with us. Terry is looking forward to seeing you at the airport!
Our next quarantine group for Amsterdam begins on Monday, July 23rd and we are gathering horses now for the following groups for Amsterdam, Dammam and Riyadh that will begin on August 6th for a mid-September flight. We are also starting a quarantine group for Kuwait for an early September flight. We have spaces available, so let us know how we can help you.
Thank you Abdulaziz Al Shammari, Jasim Al Mesbah and Sheikh Hamad Khaled Al- Sabah for sharing your horses with us. Terry is looking forward to seeing you at the airport!
Our next quarantine group for Amsterdam begins on Monday, July 23rd and we are gathering horses now for the following groups for Amsterdam, Dammam and Riyadh that will begin on August 6th for a mid-September flight. We are also starting a quarantine group for Kuwait for an early September flight. We have spaces available, so let us know how we can help you.
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