DELIGHT FILLY OURS HAS ARRIVED !!!

Delight Filly Ours, the newest Tennessee Walking Horse import to the UK, arrived in Wales on the 13th of June, 2007 after a very long journey from Tennessee. She came off the truck like a trooper, calm and pleasant and introducing herself all around.

In completely strange surroundings, including a herd of sheep in the next pasture, she delighted her very excited audience by demonstrating a lovely park. I must say, this was 'love at first sight'!!  She is a beautiful, elegant, gentle mare with all the manners of a true southern belle. 

Despite having just completed the journey from the Netherlands to Wales, Didi was pleased to demonstrate her wonderful gaits to her new owner, the haulers, and her new vet.  This vet, renown for his taciturn manner and serious demeanour, burst into the classic smile that wreaths the face of anyone who has just been exposed to a Tennessee Walking Horse for the first time.   The phone lines were buzzing about THIS event as well..  "Guess What!!!  Our vet can SMILE!!"

Didi was shipped barefoot, and had just travelled hundreds of miles when these photos were taken, but she exhibited a lovely smooth running walk, willingly and spectacularly.   She is an absolute joy to handle and a credit to her trainer, Shelly Herman in Tennessee. She is very friendly and personable and quickly won the hearts of everybody who saw her.  The haulers were strutting and preening like they had given birth to her themselves on the way over from the Netherlands.  : ) They appeared quite infected with the pride that comes of being associated with a truly special horse.

Although her journey took three and a half months to complete, Didi arrived looking sleek and relaxed, and still safe in foal!!  (That's your old, overweight and out-of-shape webmaster, Judy Handel, handling her in these photos...  ; )

She seems quite content with the quality of pasture in Wales, but prefers the company of humans to even the most luxurious grazing. She is so calm and quiet, and curious about everything, but absolutely fearless. She will make a great ambassador for the breed over here in the UK.

Typical of a Tennessee Walking Horse, Didi prefers to hang out with her new owner, Jenni Miller, even though she will be on crutches for a few more weeks, and cannot ride her wonderful new horse yet.  Didi is very sympathetic and handles her new, but injured owner with utmost care.  Jenni can't even lead her yet, but Didi stays with her like a big dog, and is very careful not to crowd or bump her. (This photo was taken less than a half hour after Didi came off the transport truck. She is already bonded with her new owner.  Aren't Tennessee Walking Horses grand?)

A very special Thank You to

• Kate and Lucy Morton of Southern Tradition in Georgia who found her for us in Tennessee; to

• Mary Ellen Areaux of Walkers West who got her bred, and arranged all her documents, and delivered her to the quarantine facilities in Oklahoma; to

• Nedpoint Quarter Horses who handled the quarantine and shipped her to the Netherlands; to

• Maryan Zyderveld of Little America who met her in Amsterdam and hosted her for a brief rest stop in the Netherlands, and then delivered her to the haulers to complete her journey; and to

• Gelissen Paardentransport Beek who brought her to Wales and handled her like she was their very own.

----- Original Message -----
From: Equine Ramblers UK
To: Bansidhe Graphics
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 10:43 PM
Subject: Delight Filly Ours

David and I would like to thank you for the assistance given in the process of bringing Didi (Delight Filly Ours) to North Wales UK.  Thanks also for coming to assist when she arrived, it was a boon. 
Jenni M