Turabo Segundo

        Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Stallion  

       Foaled 1995: Turabo (foaled in Puerto Rico) x Charlatana

 

This is 18-year-old Turabo Segundo photographed a few minutes after his arrival to our farm on July 2nd, 2013.  For years prior to his arrival, this stallion had been running with his band of mares and foals, and was not halter trained.

Before we could bring him home, his former owner took several days to lure Segundo into a small portable corral with oats and a favorite mare.  Once we got the call that he was corralled, we arrived at the owner's farm and drove across several large pastures and backed up to the catch-corral.  It took five of us to herd the reluctant stallion into the trailer with a squeeze panel.  Suffice to say, as we jumped into the pickup and headed back across the pastures--as soon as the trailer door was closed, Segundo let it be known to all within earshot that he was not a happy camper!

An hour later we arrived home and unloaded the new boy into an isolation corral, set up out of sight from our other horses.  After unloading the new stallion and observing him for a couple minutes, Dave decided that Segundo's demeanor suggested that this would be an opportune time to get a lead rope on him and start the process of acquainting him to being touch and led by a human.

In the weeks that followed, Dave spent time with Segundo daily and the two bonded.  When Dave came into view and called out the stallion's name, Segundo nickered and waited by the gate.

Turabo Segundo in late August, 2013-- 8 weeks after his arrival.  This photo was taken in evening light which accentuates the rich colors of his brilliant summer coat.  To our delight, Segundo has proven to be highly intelligent and, now that he has learned both to trust and respect us, an easy stallion to handle. 

 Two reasons we originally chose Segundo for our pure Puerto Rican conservation herd--despite the fact that he was untrained and semi-feral--was due to the athleticism and exceptional personality of his offspring.  We can now see where their inquisitive and friendly personalities come from.

January 2014 and Segundo has grown a winter coat.  His basic training is progressing step-by-step without rushing.  He is now solid with giving to soft pressure and to being haltered, led, tied, groomed, bathed and working circles on a line.  He has gone from being extremely protective of his legs (to be expected with his long history of being a band stallion) to having his feet picked daily while standing ground-tied.  Hoof trims have become routine.

For the past few days he's made great progress in backing through narrow gates while being sent from a lead line.  This is always a humbling--but important lesson--for a proud stallion.  The bareback pad is a gentle way to accustom him to the sensations of having something strapped around his mid-section.

 

Royalty's Prince Vaho

Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Stallion

Foaled 2008: Royalty's Vaho de Cumbre x Contessa de Ballou

Prince Vaho, pictured a few weeks after his arrival to our farm, is the friendliest, most personable stallion we have ever encountered.  Prior to weaning, his breeder had described him as being a "Stallion prospect, yet a sweetheart temperament".  As a 5-year-old, this description is still true.  He is a handsome red bay with a star and no white on his legs.  Vaho's bloodlines are a fine complement to those of our senior stallion, Turabo Segundo.

To see more of Vaho, now that he is under saddle, visit this page.

Royalty's Muchacha

Muchacha--about a month after her arrival to our farm.

       Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Mare  

        Foaled 2009:  Turabo Segundo x Royalty's Angel d'Alicante

Muchacha has the friendly personality and athleticism typical of Turabo Segundo's progeny.   To see a more recent photo of her, click here.

      

Princess --about 5 months after arriving to our farm.

   Royalty's Princess d'Alicante
      Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Mare

        Foaled 2010: Turabo Segundo x Alicante's Imperial Princess

Princess d'Alicante is another Turabo Segundo daughter with an exceptionally friendly personality and abundant athleticism.

         

          For a more recent photo, click here.

 Contessa de Ballou

          Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Mare

            Foaled 2004:  Carreyto de CdC x Mañana Sonrisa

Contessa is a laid-back mare that can be seen smoothly gaiting when she moves about the pastures.  The first time we saw Contessa more than six years ago, our then 11-year-old niece identified "Tessa" as her personal favorite out of dozens of horses in the herd.  Contessa's pedigree includes some truly wonderful Island horses such as Kofresi, Papyrus, Huapango, Media Noche, Volare, Faeton La Ce and Turabo.  Contessa is the dam of Prince Vaho (above) and Cometa (below).  We purchased Contessa when her last foal , Comet, was 2 months old and she was already pregnant again.

    

 

Royalty's Bésame  Mucho    

Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Colt                                

Foaled 2013:  Royalty's Storm de Turabo x Contessa de Ballou

The small comet-shaped star on his forehead provided this colt's original name. Comet was 2 months old and wild when we brought he and his dam to our farm.  Within two days after his arrival, he figured out that if he walked up to us and stood still, a soothing body rub was his reward!    

                     

 

Royalty's Suave     

Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Colt                                

Foaled 2014:  Royalty's Storm de Turabo x Contessa de Ballou

Suave (AKA Suavecito) earned his name the day he was foaled--he arrived as debonair as only a newborn colt can:   cool and collected and lots of "look at how cool I am" attitude. 

                 

 

Carrissa de CdC

        Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Mare

          Foaled 2003: Carreyto de CdC x Mañana Sonrisa

The first time we visited the Pure Puerto Rican Royality's farm in 2007, I (Dave) went home afterwards and made a list of my favorites of the horses we had just seen.  Carrissa was at the top of my mare list.  I liked everything about her, even before seeing her pedigree.  Her look, demeanor and way of moving reminded me of horses I had known when I lived in Puerto Rico in the 1950a and 1970s.  I had a hard time getting her out of my mind.  It wasn't until 2013 and I saw her pedigree for the first time that the reason why she seemed familiar hit home--many of the individuals in the earlier generation of her pedigree were related to horses I had been familiar with in Puerto Rico.  Being able to interact with this lovely mare on a daily basis now is a special gift.

               

 

Royalty's Estrella de David

  Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Colt

 Foaled 2013:  Royalty's Storm de Turabo x Carrissa de CdC

The first horse I (Dave) remember riding as a 4-year-old lad in Puerto Rico was a dark bay stallion with a white star named Estrella.  When Carrissa birthed a frisky dark bay colt with a large star two months after she came to our farm, we decided Estrella was an appropriate name for the first Puerto Rican foal born here.  He is very curious and displays a great deal of confidence when presented with new activities such as rolling and bouncing 30" balls and twirling ropes.  His favorite activity is "horsing around" with his older half-brother Cometa, and half-sister Lily.

        

Royalty's Belle de Fleco

Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Mare

 Foaled 2003:  Carredo x Angeleah de Calidad

 

Belle is an extra smooth bodied mare that is, like all of these Puerto Rican horses, extremely easy to handle and such a joy to be round.  She has a fascinating pedigree, with many wonderful island horses appearing in the first four generations, including Bolero LaCE, Sofia La Negra, Papyrus, Cupido, Miss Puerto Rico, Mr. Puerto Rico, Volare, Batalla and the best known of them all, Dulce Sueño.

 

Royalty's Lirio de Las Valles

 Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Filly

  Foaled 2013:  Royalty's Storm de Turabo x Royalty's Belle de Fleco

Lily was three weeks old--wild and jumpy as a hare when we brought her home.  We placed dam and foal in a large stall for the first 12 hours, and Maggie would reach across Belle and pat Lily on the withers as she hid and nursed on the far side.  By the next day, out in a pasture, Maggie was able to approach and pet Lily. The boldest of the three foals, she is almost always the leader of the pack as they go exploring new territory away from their dams.  The first time we introduced the foals to a 30" ball, Lily approached, sniffed it and then pawed it alternately with both front legs, sending it careening about as she followed in hot pursuit.

On the day that Lily's half-brother Star was born, our nephew Demario was petting her as she rested on the ground.  She laid her head on his lap and promptly fell asleep for a half hour!