Gill Cure tells the touching tale of a trans-European rescue.
R osemary and Richard Bolton’s first visit to Los Romeros in Costa de la Luz in south-west Spain was in 1991. The “Andaluz Adventure” proved to be just that for the Rowney Green couple.
Richard was an inexperienced horse rider on that first holiday. He found he rapidly gained confidence on his chosen mount, a bay gelding called Domingo, a former vaqueno’s (mounted bullfighter) horse. Domingo even knelt down to help his riders mount. Richard and Domingo had much in common; they both loved their food, doing their own thing and preferred to be at the back of the ride.
After the first holiday Rosie and Richard were smitten; they visited Los Romeros every year, twice a year if possible, for the next eight years. They loved the culture, food and climate, but mostly the horses.
While they were on holiday in 1997, Domingo came down with colic and was very ill. Richard and Rosie were very concerned, and on returning home they kept in contact with Penny, the stables’ owner. Domingo, already in his late teens, was also showing signs of liver problems.
No sooner had he recovered than he caught equine flu, along with his companion Gitano (one of Rosie’s favourites, who was already off work with repeated lameness). Pneumonia followed the flu and both horses were in a very poor way, but due to good care they pulled through – although they were left with chronic respiratory problems.
By the Boltons’ 1998 holiday, Domingo had retired from work. Neither he nor Gitano would ever be fit to work in the dry, dusty Spanish climate. Rosie and Richard were devastated. Spain is not a suitable country for retiring horses due to the shortage of grazing.
In June 1999 the couple returned to Los Romeros to find a considerable deterioration in Domingo’s condition. They led him daily to the forest to hand-graze him on the precious grass, taking Gitano for company.
At this point the horses’ future looked very bleak. Rosie and Richard discussed the possibilities of bringing Domingo and Gitano home to England’s green grass and less dusty climate.
It was a huge decision, but would be worth all the expense and effort to give the horses a chance. They realised that the trip alone would be very risky because of the horses’ poor health.
After discussions with Penny, the decision was made. Arrangements were made in August to transport the horses to England; a 1,300-mile journey. This trip should only have taken four days. But after only one day’s travel in the centre of Spain, Domingo developed colic and the lorry had to make an emergency stop.
After 24 hours of attention, the vet was still not happy for Domingo to travel, but the lorry needed to continue with its full cargo of horses. Richard, 1,000 miles away, made the decision: they would take the risk and continue. Domingo and Gitano finally arrived at their new home one whole week after leaving Los Romeros.
A very sorry Domingo staggered out of the lorry. He was painfully thin, cut and bruised from his colicing, had sore feet from pawing the ground, and was weak and dehydrated. Meanwhile, Gitano stepped out with his shiny coat, bright and alert, ready for his new life.
Now the hard work began, rehydrating and building up Domingo’s condition. Much love and dedication pulled him through the next months when he suffered more colic and 65 per cent live failure.
But after those early months in England his health and condition stabilised. Now, 10 years on, Domingo has given hours of pleasure, being ridden by a disabled girl and giving confidence to young children.
He did manage to fracture his pelvis in the field playing with the other horses and made a full recovery. Still today he is exercised regularly and can be seen being led from another horse around the lanes of Rowney Green.
Gitano conquered his lameness and has taken part in pleasure rides, trec competitions, local dressage and gymkhanas. Unbelievable, considering both horses are now approximately 30 years old. Until recent weeks, Gitano has been ridden by a lady in her 70s – a real veteran combination!
With Christmas around the corner, Rosie and Richard will be looking forward to the cards and messages they always receive from friends of the Spanish horses who gave so much pleasure over the years in Los Romeros.