Geographical situation:             The stud farm is situated in the South of France at Vic la Gardiole, half way between Montpellier and Sete and at a stones throw from the sea.  

Historic :      The stud farm was created in 1965 with an Arab Barb Palomino stallion called "Le Kaikou"   "Kiki" for short, and chestnut Arab and Arab Barb mares.
          In 1980 we imported from England "HIGHLEES GRAF SPEE" a superb Palomino stallion of arab Quarter blood, already multichampion as a 4 year old in England before becoming Champion of France two years running in 1980 et 1981 in Paris and Marseille.

 
 "HIGHLEES GRAF SPEE"

        His son "OSLO" and grand son "CHAMPAGNE GRAF SPEE" are the two stallions that are now used in the stud with the daughters of "Le Kaikou" (Kiki).

Stallions and Mares :

     a)     Our selection :
     Our aim is to breed well made horses with lovely caracters, that are polyvalent under saddle, that can please even the most exigent of riders, beginners and confirmed alike, riders who ride all the time or just the weekends. Our order of priority for the selection is the caracter, the ridden ability, the conformation, the gaits and the colour.

      b)     Stallions :
              "OSLO" Cremello Stallion, 9 Mai 1990, by "Highlees Graf Spee"and "Malika".
              "CHAMPAGNE GRAF SPEE" Palomino Stallion, 3 Mai 1993, by "Lotus" and "Garance".

       c)    Mares :

        Our mares for these two stallions are Creme, Palomino, Buckskin and Chestnut of Arab, Arab Barb and Quarter Horse blood.

"OSLO"'                   x   Creme mares                    =     100 %    Creme
                                    x   Palomino  mares              =     50 %    Creme    +    50%    Palomino
                                    x   Buckskin mares               =     50 %    Cremello ou Perlino  50 %   Isabelle ou Palomino
                                    x   Chestnut mares                =     100 %    Palomino

"CHAMPAGNE"      x   Creme mares                   =      50 %   Crème     +    50%    Palomino
                                      x   Palomino  mares             =      50 %    Palomino    +    25 %    Crème   +   25 %  Alezan
                                      x   Buckskin mares               =     50 %    Isabelle ou Palomino   +    25 %  Crème ou Perlino
                                                                                        +    25 %  Bai ou Alezan
                                      x   Chestnut  mares               =     50 %    Palomino  +   50 %  Alezan

                                      

A few of our foals.

 

                  

Our Stud :

     Most of the horses live out all year round and have hard food when necessary. The stallions are in boxes the night and paddocks during the day.
     The mares repoduce one year in two and the foals stay with their mothers till 10 months old. The mares see the stallions after the foal is weaned.
     During the first winter the foals come in every day for 1 hour to be handled and fed. In spring they are weaned and put into groupes, the colts in one group and the fillies in another in big fields that reproduce the naturel conditions as much as possible. In each group there are one or two old horses to keep the young in check.
     The stress of weaning is not as great at that age, for the mare or the foal.
     The young have complimentary food in the fields and stay out till it is time for breaking in, at around three years old. They are then fetched into boxes.

     The breaking in is done slowly and calmely, normally taking 3 months, they are trained 4 or 5 times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes a time.
     At first we teach the horse to respect his owner. This is ground work, we are firm with the horses but never use force, we are gentle but never let the horse have the upper hand.
     We think we have won when we have an attentive horse, one who is afraid of no-one and nothing. Now all that is left is to continue his training and to merit and keep his confidence.