Liz Taylor

Falaina Bint Chatanz is retired by Liz Taylor

It has been all change for me this last couple of months, after starting a new job with Stonegate on the Farms Liaison team on June 1st.

On June 28th we took Falaia to Euston Park for a 160km FEI***.  She went really well, enthusiastic and keen which is so pleasing in a horse that has done so much - she really does love her job.  Unfortunately when going really well, up with the pace she went lame on her right fore at 130km.  It was only slight but enough for us not to continue.  This is the leg that we had a lameness issue with last year which prevented us from going to the Europeans in Portugal.  So with regret I have decided it is time to retire Falaina from competition.

She is a cracking little mare who I will miss racing tremendously.  She was the type of horse that you jumped out of bed in the mornings with a grin on your face knowing you were going to ride her.  She has an attitude - that is for sure.  She can be a right little miss at home and I'm not sure she is going to enjoy her retirement but it is selfish of me to keep asking her to race forever with the amount of enthusiasm she puts into it.  I wanted to stop before she got injured or became sour.  It may sound arrogant but I was at a loss as to what else she needed to do competition wise - she has got nothing left to prove and as the right fore was starting to niggle I think it is the right decision.  Now instead of racing she will be having babies!

I brought her as a broken and turned away 6 year old - I dragged Dad all the way up to Skegness (she was sold by Warrens Hill to another lady - but she did not get on with her).  Our relationship was a bumpy ride...she bit Mum in the trailer on the way home then was such a sharp little miss I think I fell off her once a week for the first year!  But I love her to pieces.  She has taken me places I only ever dreamed of, her first time in Abu Dhabi was phenominal.  We were 18th out of 110 starters having had no idea about flying horses or training for desert races.  We were also the first European combination to make it home!

The second time this year when she went to Dubai we were given just 3 weeks warning.  The tough little mare was put straight back into work and she went fantastically, unfortunately we were eliminated at the finish having been 26th - again out of 110 starters.

She was picked for the senior team twice, although she did not get to go on either occasion - might be just as well as she is not really a team player - a bit of a "let me get on with it" type.  She excelled at 160kms, riding her over this distance was a pleasure.  You hang on for dear life for the first 80km, enjoy the next 60km, then hang on again for the final 20km when she realises there is a race on!  Her heart rates are to die for - the quickest we ever presented her was 11 seconds in Ermelo, Holland.  Don't ask how we did it as I don't know - we just walked her whilst we untacked her!

Her competition record speaks for itself with her achieving a ranking of 12th in the FEI Endurance Horse World Rankings in 2006. 

We have wasted no time in getting her covered.  She went to Sambist last week of Gadebrook Arabians who has been Arabian Racehorse Sire of the year for 4 years.  So we are waiting with baited breath to find out whether she has taken or not.  Fingers crossed!

The news has also been broken to Karaanza that she is now first string horse and will be rapidly stepping into Falaina's shoes.  Kara proved herself to be more than up for the challenge having won over 80km (and best condition) and completed her first FEI 120km*** last year at a very impressive speed.  Unfortunately she suffered a set back this last year, picking up and struggling to recover from a virus.  We are now hoping she is over this and we have commenced work again - whether or not she will race seriously for the remainder of the year I don't know but I would rather give her an easy-ish year this year so that she can pull out all the stops for next year as I have a lot of confidence in this mare.  Kara is also on Alfa-A Oil and Natural Vitality Performance Vits & Mins to ensure she has everything she needs to help her recover quickly.

Other news - we have finally named Enigmatika's colt foal "EST Miyaz Baha" (Miyaz for short).  He is turning into a really nice strong cheeky chap - full of personality and he is giving his poor Mum some grief!  Claire from Dengie came out last month to advise on the correct feed for them - so we have now upped the feed to Alfa-A Oil and Natural Vitality Performance Vits & Mins to ensure that they are getting everything that they need.

As she will be 5 in 2009, SG Enigmatika will be broken in after Christmas and start her early training for Endurance.  I am aiming to do some novice rides with her next year.  She is a lovely confident and strong mare who I have high hopes for - one of her siblings has been sold to the UAE Endurance team so we are hopeful that we have a good one here!

Until next time,

Liz