Spanish Stallion in the UK

Spanish stallion in the UK, imported from Spain for dressage and breeding. Watch videos, see photos and read testimonials.

Recommended for bloodlines, temperament (see this page), conformation and dressage performance.

Who is Bambú?

When I commissioned a portrait of Bambú, the artist asked me to describe how I saw him, to help her to express him in her work

I sat down and wrote as the thoughts came, straight from the heart.

Progress of the painting, and the finished work.

December 2008 My view after nearly a year

Hmmm - Bambu is noble in spirit, kind and gentle, yet immensely strong and powerful. He knows this power and is grounded by the inner strength it gives him.

He has a strong sense of humour and likes to play. He likes to laugh with you but frowns if you laugh at him!

He is incredibly calm and compliant, yet he doesnt hesitate to voice his opinions. Loudly if he feels it important enough and nobody is listening, but never unfairly, and more often under his breath.

What grabs me the most? perhaps his dignified superiority. He is the most even-tempered, gentlemanly, dignified horse that I have ever met, yet without losing the childish joy of play.

It is amazing how many points line up with what Josephine has said in her Diary entries about Bambu, as she watched him growing up. (see Diary extracts below)

Jan 23, 2008 Gathering Smiles

My breakfast view this morning was the close-by village, framed by dark green hills, and lit by an amazing golden sunrise. Add to this a faded moon still hovering over the hills, and I was far from the white light and particular skies of my Andalusia.

My thoughts were there though, as it is today that Bambu begins his trip to England and to his new and exciting life with Sarah.

I said my private goodbye to him last Friday morning, before we drove to the airport. It was still dark, and when we turned the stable light on he blinked at me through a delicately straw-decorated forelock.

I went in to stand next to him, feeling his warmth as he moved his muzzle softly up my arm. He stopped to blow at my hair - it always tickles his nose - then he just stood while I rubbed him. There really was nothing to say, but there was a completeness, and I was truly glad that I had this, rather than the hustle and bustle of a public departure.

So I sat this morning with my coffee cup cradled in my hands, seeing Andres as I so often see him, out in the gentle winter morning mist, coffee steaming into the air in one hand, the other hand stretched out to rub a nose of one of the ladies, or of Bambu himself, as they take the early morning turnout.

He will say his own goodbye, have his last words with the Boy, then send him on his way.

Dec 2007 Closing and Opening

It lies in the nature of us to look on this season as a time of closing off, and to look forward to the New Year as an opening of freshness.

I have hesitated to write this because it makes it so final, but yes, Bambu is sold. The good news is that it is to Sarah, a member of the Group, who simply is the Right Person for him.

You have all shared his life over this year past - seen him grow from an absolute novice, an appealing fresh-faced baby, into a polished performer at his first shows. You have watched how Emilio brought the best out of him, step by progressive step, and shared our delight in his successes.

This is where the video diaries come into their own - I have five chapters about him - or six, if you count his encounter with the computer - that I will look at in years to come, reflecting on them as a fond mother smiles over the baby photos of her graduate sons.

As most of you know, I cannot ride (health issues,) and all my involvement is from the ground and through the cameras. But in a way it gives me a special link, and I certainly have had that with Bambu.

Now he must - to be clich’e-d, spread his wings. He can do so much - and he deserves someone who will both take him on, and give him the same deep affection he has had over the years. I believe Sarah is this person. I am confident that I can let Bambu go with a smile and with open arms, and with all my heart I wish her the very best with him.

Josephine in Spain - warning you Sarah, that I - and the Iberian Horse Worldwide Group - will be nagging you for regular updates!

Spanish Stallion Diary Jan 03 2008

As things are set, Bambu will leave remarkably sunny Spain for what I hear is a shivery, icy England on Jan 17th.

He was due to leave on the 6th, then on the 13th. There is saying about time and tide waiting for no man, but regrettably transporters have a tendency to make all men - and horses - wait, regardless of time or tide.

So I have just a little longer to imprint images, and as the days count down,I gather my smiles.

The B’s and Q’s are being turned out this week in the sand arena. Because it isn’t their usual grazing, they get added lucerne tossed out, with which they are quite content. They meander, nibble, stare over the rails, and come across to talk to anyone who passes.

Of course, for Barquillera, the parisienne artista, this is too peaceful a scenario.

Yesterday there was rain, and this morning, when the ladies came out, Barquillera soon discovered that when she played with this Wet Sand she could Dig a Hole.

I am currently checking her genealogy to see if it includes jabali - a spanish sort of a warthog.

Then she exercised her hidden talent as a rabble rouser, and prompted all four of the ladies to Roll in this Very Large, Very Sandy Hole.

Later in the afternon, enter Bambu. Andres has him in hand, and will be giving him a light lunge. As the session is about to start, the phone rings. It’s a vet, wanting to discuss a case they are working on, and Andres has to leave the arena to consult with some notes.

No problem - Bambu is easy to work with, easy to catch, so Andres looses the line, and leaves him in the halter. I am standing at the ringside.

Bambu looks around, ears up, not perturbed. He is interested in his surroundings, looks beyond the far fence, sees something that catches his attention, and begins a casual walk across the arena. He is not in the least hurried.

Picture a confident businessman, walking a city street he knows well, attention fixed on his thoughts of stock exchange movements.

He approaches the Very Big Hole, attention still on far horisons. His foot reaches out, hovers, finds no terra firma - and freezes. He looks down, looks at the Hole, looks at his foot, then - foot still suspended - looks at me.

Well what would you do: Of course, I was convulsing with unsympathetic laughter, which only made his look more reproachful.

I don’t know how long he stood there with his preview to spanish walk, but when Andres returned, Bambu took a deep breath, performed a new movement - now christened the Sandy-Half-Pirouette-Recovery, - and walked to the gate with injured dignity oozing from his pores.

I don’t know if any of you have ever been given the cold shoulder by a horse, but I have to say that Bambu pointedly ignored me for the next half hour!

About Bambú Diary October 2007

Bambu is turning more and more grey - his face has now lost the 'mule look' and is mostly white. His coat is gaining definition with the grey hairs to the point of showing dapples. His father, Alvaro Domecq’s Duque, from ancient lines, is pure white.

The Young Caballero is due for a video update, but looking at my desk, my deadlines and the edit queue, it will have to be a text brag for now.

SIDEBAR 1
Caballero literally means gentleman, and derives from the Spanish word caballo - horse. It parallels the French 'chevalier' (from cheval - also horse), and carries the same intonation of a gentleman of courtesy, bearing and manners. That’s the Bambu.

Today I was in the passage at the barn -as seen in ch1 of the video A Day in the Life.., murmuring ridiculities (can’t find a better word) to Bambu.

Tied to his right was Hallado, Quijotita’s 4 year old brother. He is tall, as she is, and quite a powerful stallion. On Bambu’s left was a youngster just back in from work.

José was getting on to a new horse in the yard - a black 4 year old, who arrived last week from Barcelona.

SIDEBAR 2
These horses are mounted in the passage inside the barn, and ridden right back to there before dismounting.

The black decided he did not like the passage, did not like Hallado, and did not like the idea of having to go and work.

He half-reared, plunged and squealed, striking sparks from the floor and making a lot of noise. Hallado and the youngster were both startled and also threw minor skittish-fits. For just a moment it looked as though Hallado and the black would have a confrontation. And I was in the middle.

I could not cross the passage to relative safety - there were too many feet flying.

Bambu never moved. I tucked in behind his neck and flattened myself against the bars. He stood absolutely rock solid, even when the black was looming over us.

It was over in less time that it takes to write - and a minute later I was laughing with José over the fact that his horse had yet to learn what it meant to be in Andalucia, as opposed to the big city rush of Barcelona.

Bambu doesn’t care what blood he has running in his veins. He simply IS. And I love him for it.

Josephine is a film maker and writer who diarises the progress of all the horses they breed, train - and eventually sell. Her comments appear here unedited.