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TRIANA's MEXIBLOG |
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Getting Hereposted 11/21/04 I left Lopez Island on June 26th, after having sold everything and arranging for my three horses to be transported. The horses were definitely the most expensive to deal with! They had left Lopez for the trip south about a week before me. First I had to obtain an international certification of health for them, and our Lopez vet Jerry Scherzinger was stellar in this task. The horses needed their regular vaccinations, plus I had them vaccinated against Strangles. They also had to have a negative Coggins test. All went well and they were ready to go. I brought Star, my Percheron/Suffolk filly, Jake, my Belgian gelding (both 2 years old) and Galahad, my Welsh Mountain/Quarter Horse cross. The first adventure was loading Star into the trailer. My friend with the trailer arrived and another friend led Star to the trailer while I went to get Galahad. Star decided this was all not okay and she easily pulled out of my friends hands and went running back to the gate. Once we got her back to the trailer with Galahad, she loaded like a charm. This was not true for Jake. He didn't want to have any part of it and refused to load. Eventually, though, he got in, then came the trip to the mainland on the ferry. Galahad and Jake hadn't met yet and Jake, being a youngster, was looking to Galahad for comfort by resting his chin on Galahad's back. On the ferry we could feel Galahad bucking trying to get Jake to leave him alone, but eventually Galahad resigned himself to the task and settled down. Once we got to Mt. Vernon, the hauler arrived to take the horses to San Diego. We loaded Galahad first, then we were going to load Jake then Star. In the two or so hours that followed, Jake continued to refuse, Star got impatient and started pawing the ground and Galahad threw a tantrum, got out of his halter in the trailer stall and tried to throw himself on his back for a nice little screaming and kicking session. Fortunately the stall was too small for him to accomplish that feat. Long story short, we got everyone loaded (always load the mare first) and they were off and I burst into tears. San Diego was their next stop, so far away from me! The hauler was great, he kept in touch with me over the three day journey and the horses were all doing fine during the whole trip. They were eating and drinking normally and were quiet. A couple of days later I found out to my horror that the Mexican government had halted the import of horses from the U.S. because they wanted to have their own inspection station in Tijuana instead of San Diego. No one was sure how long the suspension was to be in effect. To say that this was stressful is an understatement. On the 26th, I put my 14 year old cat Merlin into his airline approved carrier and we flew to San Diego together. Merlin occupied the space under my seat and occasionally I held him in my lap. In the afternoon we arrived in San Diego, where my friend Zoila met my plane. She had been to PetSmart and bought all of Merlin's favorite things to help him settle into his new home. Our first stop was at the holdover ranch in San Diego to see the horses. They were very happy to see me!!! They all looked well and cared for, so I was very relieved. Next we stopped at the border on the Mexican side in order for me to get my visa. One never knows how much time the immigration people will grant a foreigner, but I got one for six months. I think the old man at the post just wanted to get back to his television show. Once settled in Ensenada, I bit my nails about the horses. I had arrived on a Saturday, and the horses finally arrived the following Thursday. I had told the man who arranged the hauling on the Mexican side that I had BIG horses and needed a BIG trailer. This was my first experience communicating with Mexicans. On Thursday, July 1, my horses arrived in an undersized tin can. They had been at the inspection station in Tijuana for five hours, then another two hours to Ensenada. When we got the horses out, the ranch manager and his workers grabbed my horses to take them to their pens and when they hesitated they were whipped. I have never allowed the ranch manager to touch my horses again, with one exception which will be told another day. My first impressions of the reality of Mexico were: lots of color, activity, laughter, music, the food is pretty decent, but if you ever want to curse someone and you believe in reincarnation, ask that they return as an animal in Mexico. - Triana Elan |
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