Waching daily Jun 28 2017

"Stallion Depot" in Dumbrava was established in 1903 as remount farm for the army

We see two minibuses with children from other counties, coming to visit

On the way to the stables, we pass beside the administrative building and then beside the riding house (manège)

The manege and the 6 stables are unchanged, as they were built over 100 years ago

On the left is the hipic base for training and competition

The hipic base

The farm is open to all tourists for sightseeing, horse riding and or carriage rides

Visitors are met by Mr. Leonard Grădinaru, coach, who gives the first explanations

"- These three horse are the same. They are Romanian Sport Horse breed from the Jegalia Stud Farm" (Calarasi County)

Romanian Sport Horse breed

On the left, "Arabian" horse, Shagya breed

Shagya is a breed created from Pure Arabian stallion with European mares

The Gaman II horse, Bucovina Horse breed, encountered by us at Lucina Stud Farm, specialized on Hutsul breed

On the left we see Pilot horse, also from Bucovina Horse breed

The Gazal stallion, Shagya breed

The Gazal line comes from Radauti Stud Farm, specialized in the Shagya breed

The labels include the horse's name, progeny number, brand, breed, date of birth and origin

In order: Romanian Sport Horse, Shagya and Pure Arab (last horsebox)

Here at Dumbrava this is the only Pure Arab breed specimen

We are visiting another stable

Children love animals very much .... and especially horses

Neapoletano horse, no. 31, Lipizzaner breed, born in 2008 at Beclean Stud Farm

Horses have just received a meal and are less interested in visitors

The main role of the stallions at Dumbrava is to improve the livestock horse in Moldova

Raising and improving horse breeds is subsidized by the State through Romsilva - National Forest Administration

Romsilva administers 12 stud farms and 4 stallions depots

Mister coach Leonte Gradinaru has just prepared a horse for a novice child

The stallion is Romanian Sport Horse breed from Jegalia Stud Farm

The horse seems a little agitated, but it calms very quickly until it reaches the manege

Alongside, a worker prepares hay for horses

The Italian builders who built the stables and manege in the years 1900-1904 did a very good job

The manege, having an opening of 36 x 24 m, is in the original state with wooden arches supporting the roof

Mr. Leonte Gradinaru prepares horse for riding

A brave little girl receives the first notions of horseback riding

The Dumbrava Stallion Depot also has a sports team that has achieved very good results over time

Contests are made through the Romsilva Equestrian Club, which is affiliated with the Romanian Equestrian Federation

From the manege building we head to the next stable

The Dumbrava Stallion Depot owns about 75 horses belonging to 8 breeds:

English Thoroughbred, Pure Arab, Gidran, Romanian Sport Horse,

Lipizzaner, Romanian Half Heavy Horse, Hutsul and Trotter

Unlike the stud farms, stallion depots do not grow horses, but only use them for public breeding horses

Horses see the worker who brings them the "breakfast" and suddenly they become cheerful

The worker presents us a Hutsul breed horse, the Gaman line, from Lucina Stud Farm

Hutsuls are small horses, the only Romanian native breed

Hutsul breed was created at Lucina Stud Farm (in Bucovina), by the Austrian army at the end of the 19th century

The Hutsul horse is very resistant and has an exceptional ability to climb the mountain

The next horse presented is a English Thoroughbred, coming from Cislau Stud Farm

The following presented horses have a great size, Romanian Sports Horse breed

It is a breed that has particular abilities for jumping over obstacles

The base of the breed were laid in 1962 at Sambata de Sus Stud Farm

Since 1970 the horses have been moved to the Jegalia Stud Farm, specially created for this breed

The breed, currently homologated, comes from English Thoroughbred stallions and preponderant Anglo-Arabian mares

We see the champion stallion named Ogica, also from the Romanian Sport Horse breed

Unfortunately Ogica is not good with his toilet at the moment

Cristian, competition stallion, also Romanian Sport Horse breed, coming from Jegalia Stud Farm

The fodder base of the farm is made up of 234 hectares of agricultural land, warehouses, tractors, machinery

We're going to visit another stable

"Smile, smile ..... because you're to a photographer"

The following horses are from the Romanian Half Heavy Horse breed

It is an homologated breed, created at the stud farms of Rusetu (Buzau) and Bontida (Cluj), for agriculture and heavy transport

In the legendary aura that envelops the Dumbrava Stallion Depot, there is the magic horse of Stephen the Great

Catalan, the magic horse of the great Moldavian ruler, was a Pure Arabian white horse

Catalan is presented by Mihail Sadoveanu in his historical novel "Jderi Brothers"

In time of peace, the Catalan was in the royal stables of "Timis" (from Timisesti, the commune of which is the village of Dumbrava)

Stallion Gidran breed

Romanian Half Heavy Horse breed

The Catalan was thoroughly guarded by soldiers, quacks, and magicians, Jder brothers even defeating a tentative to kill the horse

Legend has it that Stephen the Great will be victorious as long as he ride on Catalan or his descendants,

Something that was respected by the Moldavian voivode who at ceremonies and war only went with such horses

"- And your name is Tabac (Tobacco). Are you smoker "

"- Do not do good!"

"- Are you sighing? "

"- It is difficult ..."

"- You should to have your hair cut ! Look, your hair gets in your eye. "

"- You beautiful !"