Read on a mailing list about two connected, scary incidents that really make you feel uneasy as a breeder, human being and horse lover.
The manager of one of the two Akhal-Teke Associations here in the USA have decided, this is announced by his spokesperson on a mailing list, to annect Canada, Central America, Mexico and the Carribean Islands by naming themselves The Akhal-Teke Association of North America (ATANA), this is after the manager returned from having judged the World Championships in Moscow, Russia. Obviously ATANA will now be able to arrange the World Championships in the USA. If horse from USA, Canada and Mexico enter a show, it should, in analogy with the Moscow show be considered the World Championship?
Well, without democracy, communication and transparency everything is much more simple and efficient, isn't it?
Why even ask the Canadian or the Mexican and other North American teke owners if they would be interested, that would only take too much time when you build your big and mighty association.
You certainly do get inspired when you visit other cultures!
The manager's spokes person continues to tell us about the horrors of the manager had to go through when he bought a mentally defect stallion from one of the most prominent breeders and Akhal-Teke promotors in France. The stallion had, according to the manager's spokes person, attacked not only the manager but also the staff and caused casualties.
The manager had, according to the spokesperson given the stallion away as he, out of his love to the breed, wouldn't breed such a horse to his mares.
At this point some list members starts to react as the stallion has not only a breeding record but also have been competing successfully in France.
I myself investigated the stallion for a prospective buyer in 2000 and could find no indications that he would have any mental defects.
Reading the accusations made me confused, why import a defect stallion from France, it is very costly to import stallions from Europe. Or could it be that the US buyer was fooled by the French seller? Knowing all the work the French seller has done for the breed in France and the way their horses are trained and shown I was really confused. And why publish such grave accusations towards a serious breeder, breed promotor on the mailing list at the same time as the news about the foundation of the ATANA?
Well, it didn't take long until a former business partner to the manager gave her (she did not use a spokes person) version of the mental health of the stallion.
According to her the stress after a long trip and quaranteen as well as a not so suitable environment was the reason to the aggressive behaviour of the stallion. The stallion was now with her, and had according to her recovered and was getting back to his normal nice behaviour.
My heart goes out to the stallion owner that had this stallion for many years and sold him to a country far away, I know how it feels to sell your beloved horses to far away places, they trust you to the second they enter the truck that will take them to the airplane, and you will have to let them go and can only hope that they will be as loved in their new home.
My heart goes out to the stallion that was so misunderstood and so stressed that he had to take to the last resort and fight because no one understood what he was trying to communicate.
My many, many thanks to the person that took care of the stallion and stood up for him and his former owner on the mailing list.
The incident about this poor stallion and his former owner will give me nightmares for a long time ahead.
Sellers beware.
International relations 08/31/2005 03:41 PM
), "because he is a stallion and he is to crazy to be outside, freely !
.... At the end in july 2003, i left this breeding because for many other reasons, I didn't agree with there way of thinking horses and horse riding, and horse care.... That's it !
