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OUR MISSION is to produce a few high quality purebred Andalusians, Aztecas, and Iberian horses each year. By limiting the number of foals each year we can devote the time necessary to handle each foal and give them the individual attention that they need. They are well socialized with humans and horses and are prepared for their new life with their new owners. We will always have a variety of horses available for sale at all times. Our herd is diverse to produce a variety of foals for different disciples: dressage, halter showing, competition, and general riding - family horses. Each year we research and carefully select stallions that will compliment each mare with an end goal in mind for each foal. Visitors are always welcome, appointments are encouraged. Please give us a call or an e-mail even if you are just browsing. If we do not have the right horse for you we can usually refer you to someone who may have what you are looking for. We also IMPORT HORSES from SPAIN through our other website PRE-Imports. We started importing horses in 2003 and offer FULL Import service door-to-door so you don't have to do any of the work. It's our pleasure to help find your dream horse!

I truly delight in breeding horses. I love that almost more than riding. I eagerly await each spring and count the days until our first foals of the season arrive. I love the soft muzzles, shaky newborn legs, and curious eyes that will arrive in the spring time. If I am lucky I am able to catch the mare at the right moment and attend the birth. I spend hours each day handling the new babies and watching them frolic and play in the pasture while their mothers keep careful eyes on their antics. I love the bonds that develop with each new foal and the little nickers they give as they see me coming in the morning and evening with their dinner and the pitiful cries as they see that I am leaving. I know that my foals are secure in their friendship and desire for human attention.

We carefully select our breeding stock for conformation and movement and temperament. Each mare is analyzed and a stallion is carefully evaluated and selected to compliment and improve upon her attributes to produce a superior quality offspring that has correct conformation and movement.

Our breeding program offers a variety of type from dressage to halter prospects. We have imported mares from Spain for our breeding program: Faborita, Coliza, Manzanilla. Our favorite color is black/bay but we have imported a beautiful buckskin filly Manzanilla to add some dilute colors to the breeding program.

I have tried diligently to educate myself. I have taken every judge's clinic and conformation clinic that I could as well as studied the various Andalusian breed books available and watched countless hours of SCIAB and IALHA National's on VHS tape to study the breed and develop and eye for what is correct. I have taken every opportunity to learn from knowledgeable dressage people (that are not breeding Andalusians and are unbiased) what is correct conformation and movement for dressage so that I can breed a horse that is very functional for that arena as well since it differs from the "traditional" Spanish horse. Although the classic Spanish Andalusian holds a special place in my heart. I love the fact that people can see that my horses are different just by looking at them in the pasture. I love the round toplines, beautiful necks and flashy movement - as long as the horse is moving forward with implusion.

We have made countless trips to Spain to look at horses to buy for ourselves and to sell on our PRE-Imports website. n the process I have been able to take a close look at other people's breeding programs and what types of horses they have used to get the look and movement that they wanted. It has influenced my decision to import mares from Spain. I want to breed from strong lines that produce consistently from years and years of selective breeding. I want to know that the mares will produce foals that move and look just like them. When you can spot a horse anywhere and know what the pedigree is just by looking at it - that is consistency. Also, when every horse on the farm has the same look and movement (cookie cutter look). I feel that many of the people breeding in the USA don't actually have a "breeding program" and make decisions based on who is winning at the shows or who is conveniently located near to them so they don't have to ship semen. They don't evaluate the strengths and flaws in the mare that they are trying to breed and consider the strengths of the stallion that may be able to improve on their mare.

Even though the horse you buy may look and move fabulous there is not always the consistency for generations of breeding like you have on Spain. That fabulous mover may have been a fluke that can not pass on the movement to the foal. Or worse yet - it was a result of training techniques where the trainers put weights on the hooves like they do with the Tennessee Walking horses so that when they weights are removed just prior to the show the horse lifts it's feet way up in the air. You can usually spot this by noticing that the movement is all in front and there is not a lateral mirror movement in the hind legs. Personally, I think that too many people in the USA are breeding horses that should not be used as breeding stock. It is common in Spain to have stallions that have never bred. They use only their best horses for breeding. Here, if it is not a gelding then most likely it has produced offspring.

We carefully select the stallions that we used - based on what characteristics they have that will improve on our mares. A lot of thought and research goes into every decision that we make. Producing top quality foals is our number one goal. We also take the personality into consideration. Who wants to struggle with an ornery, stubborn foal when you can choose a stallion that producing sweet, willing, easy to train foals?

My husband is always asking my why I breed the Aztecas when it costs the same to raise a purebred foal and you can sell them for more money? I want to offer something in everyone's budget. Not everyone can afford a $10k horse. I know that I could not have afforded one 15 years ago. I really like how our half-Andalusian mare Alina turned out and now we are able to offer 3/4 Andalusian foals. At some point I hope that she will have a "paint marked" foal. So far, they have all been solid colored. Her Overo markings are recessive. So, her foals could pass on the color. I think it would be really cool to eventually produce a 7/8 Andalusian with the paint markings. First, we have to get that elusive 3/4 with the markings first.

In 2003 we were amazed with our half Andalusian colt be Remate. He is an amazing colt, that has the signature stamp of his sire's strong bone, neck, wonderful over-strides, great extension, build and presence, with his dam's huge hip and powerful muscling. Amante is everything that you could want in a half Andalusian. Our very first American Azteca filly has turned out wonderfully as well. She has the much in demand paint markings with the Azteca combination of the Quarter horse/Andalusian head, the short coupled and round Andalusian top-line as well as the movement. Amante was sold to a dressage home and I have become friends with his owner who is kind enough to send frequent updates on how he is doing. We actually stay in contact with almost all of our buyers and LOVE to see photos and get updates on how their horses are doing.

Our Foals

Our horses are raised on 15 acres and are allowed the outdoor freedom to play and exercise to their heart's delight. I believe that horses develop a better, more healthy mind if they are allowed this freedom to be themselves. All of our babies are kept in a 14X18 stall with their dam for at least the first few days of their lives. They are handled as much as possible in the first 3 days. This allows imprinting on their mother and humans. They are petted all over and scratched and have their feet handled. I restrain them by holding them from behind the rump and in front of their chests with my arms. This prepares the for future lead training. They learn to look forward to my twice daily visits and learn that people are pleasurable and interesting to be around but nothing to be scared of. After the first day the foals are always eager to be handled and follow me around the stall while I clean it. I love to watch their inquisitive reactions when they are introduced to something new - like a bag of shavings or a bucket left for a moment where they can inspect it. They even sneak into the feed room and tromp around past the bales of shavings and hay to see what is new in there too. After a few days they have learned what "Mom" looks like and are ready to join the herd for part of the day. They are turned out 12 hours a day to run and play with the other foals while Mom grazes in the pasture. At night they are stalled again to make sure that they stay warm, dry, and safe. After several weeks of daily handling they learn their names, follow you around, and look forward to feeding time when they get lots of attention lavished on them.

The foals are introduced to the trailer as we take them to the vet for check ups and also to the stud farm to be rebred. When they are 1 to 2 months old we start halter training them. Halter training progresses very fast. They already have the basics from being restrained by hand and are used to following me around to be petted and scratched. It is an easy transition from following with out a halter to following me with a lead rope. I spend a lot of time from birth handling their ears and legs and gently guiding them around with my hands and body. After 1 or 2 sessions they usually have the hang of being led with a rope. They never do stupid things like flip over because they totally trust me and want to follow me around anyway to get more attention. Their feet are handled daily for the first few months and then occasionally after that. They learn that it is pleasant to be petted all over and not to jump when they are touched.

All of our horses are on an individualized feeding program with vitamin and mineral supplements, and regular worming to be sure that they grow to their full potential. We feed coastal hay (grass hay) and occasionally will supplement with alfalfa. We carefully monitor their feed intake and nutrition to prevent damaging over-feeding which can result in drastic growth spurts and cause bone developmental problems - a.k.a. Growth and Developmental Orthopedic Disease (DOD). During the year we make many grain formulation changes to adjust to the growth patterns and nutritional needs of our herd. We strive to maintain healthy weights on our horses and keep up with the ever changing needs of the broodmares in their different stages of pregnancies. During the 3rd trimester 60-65% of fetal growth occurs.

Our foals are born large and usually out grow their mothers within the first year to year and half. I believe that properly feeding the mare during her pregnancy leads to large, fully developed foals. Foals are born at Proper nutrition makes all the difference in allowing them to reach their maximum height at maturity. A good feeding program through out the foal's entire growth phase is also essential. At birth a foal is approx. 60% of it's mature height, at 6 months 83% of it's mature height, at 12 months 90% of it's mature height, and at 18 months they are 95% of their mature height. So, you can see just how important a good head start really is.

Exercise is important to us and well as for bone and mental development for foals. I for one, do not enjoy shoveling out stalls every day. Once the foals are a few weeks old and the weather is nice we let Mom and the babies stay outside all the time. They are always able to come in out of the rain and during storms and bad weather we will stall them. Fresh air and exercise are best for all. It promotes healthy bones and an active mind. Too much stall time leads to boredom and bad habits like weaving, cribbing, and wind sucking. Stale air can also lead to a stable cough caused by dust and sawdust particles. We try to have the mares foal close together so that the babies have someone their age to romp and play with as they grow up. Our mare pasture is 5 acres with a 3 stall barn with large stalls. See photo album below. 2 stalls are approx. 14 X 18 and the outside "shed" end of the barn is about 16' x 24' and is open on 2 sides to allow a cool breeze and a nice view of the outside so they can see what is going on. The foals enjoy all of the open space to run and play in. The 2004 foals have managed to explore every inch of the property and have created little trails all over between the trees and bushes.

Mineral supplements, shade, quality hay, and fresh water are always available.

Farm Photos

Click to enlarge.