Paint Horse Africa started its quest for Paint Horses in May 2004. After considering availability and logistical costs from various continents, it was decided to source from US breeders... all via the worldwide web.
Conformation and health were given top priority in the initial screening process, with a bias towards proven bloodlines, focused on horses 1-6yrs of age.
- Those with HERDA (Doc O Lena) bloodlines avoided completely as no testing was available for this genetic disease at this time. Impressive bloodlines were considered -- only if each parent had tested HYPP N/N (negative) and after the target horse was separately reconfirmed as HYPP N/N by the well-credentialed UC Davies Labs.
- The primary search was also limited to horses with potential to reach 15h to 16h+. Proven bloodlines and demonstrated propensity of the sire were preferentially considered.
- Colour and pattern genetics were only overlaid in the final assessment process. The preliminary goal was to bring in a loud overo Paint stallion and two striking Paint mares.
Literally dozens of websites and references, hundreds of candidates and thousands of photos, across North America were involved in selecting those for the first round of import in Aug04. All horses had at least veterinary exam + the perfunctory medical tests, in some cases, x-rays. Depending on level of schooling, separate discussions were held with their trainer(s).
Continuing with the same screening mandate, the second batch was chosen - though these ended up being horses that had passed the initial evaluation effort and were already on the original short-list first-time around.
Having already cleared the medical / conformation hurdles, the aspiration for Batch #2 was to pinpoint a homozygous for tobiano sport-horse stallion, a 16+h overo sport-horse filly and a palomino Paint filly. This, the second batch, was brought into South Africa in January 2005.
The Journey
After a pre-quarentine period, the horses were aggregated at LA International Airport, where they were air-shipped to Amsterdam; about a 12-hour journey. Here, they cleared EU quarantine.
From Amsterdam, the horses were trucked to Ousten, Belgium. Here, they joined a special chartered flight to Cape Town International Airport. The flight then took about another 12hrs.
