Hereby I like to share a day - life expirience with all of you. It's a story about how totally unprodictable horses can be, even if you think you know them in and out! Further its a story of great - I would say amazing courage with an ending of pure pure luck and a lot of blessings from above.

We started our day at 4h00 driving to a location at the otherside of Qatar called Zekreet. It's an amazing place with white cliffs and dramatic black stone beaches. We wanted to be their before sun rise.

The film we are doing by the hand of the talented Gigi Grasso had to be a promotion movie for Ashhal Al Rayyan. Today we were planning to make some shots of mares on the beach pransing arround.

We arrived at our location 6h45 and started straight away, by seven everything was in possition camera rolling. The set up was that we placed Ansata Sharifa with some carrots on a small sandbank between black stones about 25 m away from the beach. Gigi was located on the beach. As soon as the mare would finish her carrots and looking arround she would be walking over to her friends - three more mares on the beach. We would halter her - end of take! At least that was what I was convinced by her doing!!!

Everything went well - great pose and as tought she walk over in the 1 feet high water to her friends but as she was about to arrive she turned around walked relax over to the deep side. We tought she would return but no she took off and started swimming. All of us in panic, me in boxers trying to catch up but she kept going and soon she was very far away, I had to return. By now it was 7h15.

In panic I phoned coast guards for a boat and army for a helicopter and a lot more friends. Mr. Saeed Al Kuwari (manager racing and Equestrian club) was an amazing support and soon turned up, organising all the officials for their support and rescue. But by that time the horse was desapeared in the sea!!!

The boot seached and the chopper searched, then after almost FOUR HOURS they found her swimming about 2.5 - 3 km away from the coast direction Bahrein - actually she was almost in Bahreini waters! By that time she must have covered a distance from more then 10-12km.

My vet jumped in and safe guarded her back to the Qatari coast!!!

Now its 6h30 evening she returned home, in her box eating her hey and doing if nothing happened!

Wel I can't tell you how I feld today but imagine any possible feeling from anger - astonishment - happiness - sadness - despair - .... do it times three and your likely to come close.

Gigi the footage you made is unbelievable - amazing beautifull but as it seems I have horses under my managment who really like swimming a bid to much, I think I will pass for another beach visit with them!!!!

Pfffffff, of to make a little thank you prayer!

bart.

Dear Bart,
I am reading your story and.....believe I can just imagine all these mixed up of
feeling s you had before having your mare safely back home....How much incredible are these fantastic Creatures... You never
stop learning about their ''potentiality'' and now.....we have to say that they can
fly without wings and. ALSO....swim like ''dolphins'''......???? Just incredible...!!!
Please give to Ansata Sharifa a big hug and kiss on my behalf, and as far a you
are concerned...I think you need a couple of days of complete...relax.....to recover
from the stress you got because of this experience.
But ''Thanks God'', this story had a good end, and nothing bad happened...and this
is the most important factor...sure Gigi's fotos and footage are GREAT, and hope
to have the chance to see some, here, or perhaps to see the video when ready,

Thanks for sharingwith us this ..incredible and unusual...story

Paola

Dear Bart,

Amazing story! I am thankful for the happy ending! You must have been frantic with her out in the Arabian Gulf. You also should mention, that the Arabian Gulf does have sharks in it as well. While they don't come too close to shore, there would certainly be sharks in the water at 1 to 2 km from the shore! Someone was watching for her safe return!

Having spent many a day, swimming in the Arabian Gulf, off the shore of Jubail, and with great memories of the beauty of the sand and water, I can understand how Sharifa was seduced into the joy of taking such a swim! She had no doubt of her ability!

Thank God for her safe return!

Majid

What a horrible story but thank God she returned and is now home again with you. Perhaps she has seen "Baywatch" on the TV at the stable and thought she is as talented and sexy as those swimmers in their red bikinis? Indeed she is!!!

well i know swimming horses is good exercise but get real.

the other thing i would like to ad who keeps on saying that modern day show arabs are good for nothing else.

i would like to know how you got her back to dry land though?

chris

© Rik van Lent

What a brave heart!
Would also like to know how you got her back?

i'm sure it was a harrowing experience. but i haven't laughed so hard in about 3 days. i can just see this mare saying, bye bye, i'm going for a swim now, see you in Bahrein! and all the commotion going on, on the beach.

i'm happy tho, that she is home safe and all is well. i bet she is in her stall telling all her horse friends about her wonderful swim and wondering what all the fuss was about with us humans.

héhé what a story, happy she save now.... did she went for a new visa in Bahrein Bart?

Bart,

I know your heart must have sunk to your knees when she went out of reach, and you must have been terrified for her, but I must tell you thta this is one of the funniest stories I've heard lately.

If mares could giggle (I'm she would have been helpless with laughter)......

maybe she just wanted to see if her Bart would rescue her

or perhaps payback for a conditioning session? <_<

Bart,

Wow now this is one hell of a story, here in Egypt during the show jumping nationals they have a couple of events in an area known for it's beautiful beach, and everybody rides their horses in the water and lets them splash around, but never have I heard of a swimmer in that sense, well I would agree with Dennis on watching baywatch ha ha ha !!! You will probably be in a state of shock for the coming couple of days with mixed emotions. Thank God.

Dina

Oh, Bart!

I could not believe what I was reading! An amazing story.
Rest assured, Allah was watching over that beautiful mare.

You must ask tell her that Olympic equestrian events do not yet include swimming!!!

Ha!

I'm so glad it ended well!

--Susan

Zeepaardje??? Geen snorkelen-voor-gevorderden-cursus meer voor Sharifa!
Instead of ''Finding Nemo'' (great movie btw), this was ''Finding Sharifa'' .
Thank god everything went Ok, but you must have been in a state of panic.

Next time, do bring some tastier carrots.

Incredible!!!!!!$%??**&&>>>>….
Can’t wait to sea the photos and the video .I am sure that Gigi will never let a horse free next to water again for a photo session.
Glad she is safe .
I m sure that she will be the star of the next gathering in Doha for the show and ECAHO meeting next month. See you then Bart.
Nasr

found this picture maybe bart you have performed a rescue like this before?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Oh Lordy: I am still laughing though if it had been me, who can't swim, I would have been beside myself. These horses can think of all kind of stuff to entertain us. And almost to Bahrain? Well maybe she wanted to go visiting relatives. hahahahahahaha

OMG! I can't believe it! I just can't believe she just went full throttle! I would have thought the minute her feet left the ground she would have paniced and turned around...but to just keep going like the Energizer bunny, MAN! And from the sounds of it, she wasn't interested in even finding land! She said to heck with this show! I'm OUTA HERE! WOOO EEEEE!!! Bart, I hope you went out and took some blood pressure pills! I would have busted a coronary!
I'd say she's had her conditioning for the YEAR My husband was in Qatar and Bahrain, he was laughing while reading this because he knew the waters...he agreed, this mare had an angel with her!

I know it must of been horrifying at the time, but I still could not help laughing!! This beautiful "beach babe" is obviously more than just a pretty face... she has ENDURANCE!!!

She is a wonder! So much for lacking athletic ability! the Straight Egyptians really rock!

Well it may sound funny but for me it is very strange: the behaviour of a herd animal like a horse that is not under the protection of her herd is in a danger situation - for her instict she left security and her reaction is more or less like a suicide.

Why she felt so unconfortable not to come back to security place ?

I'm happy for you Bart and your team I wouldn't have been in your situation

Christina

WOW Bart,

I am glad everything ended safely and the mare arrived back safe at the farm.
Remind me never to try it with my horses lol. I am not as good a swimmer as you.

See you soon

Maria

I'm glad all is well and your mare is fine and you can laugh now.

From the story I gather its only a couple of kilometers to swim to Bahrain? Perhaps the mare smelt horses and land in that direction, couldn't see/smell her friends and decided that she'd better go in the direction she could smell other horses? Who knows - but a cute story.

Bart,

How you didn't have heart failure is the miracle. Thank heavens she is safe at home. What is so stunning is that my horses have near heart failure crossing water...one the only way I could get her across a puddle was to back her over it. Indeed, an amazing story. Can't wait to see the photos. Bet you learned you had a few reservoirs of courage you'd never before tapped into!

Gari

This story brought a smile to my face this morning as i just got into work. So glad for her safe return..... but if there ever was a time to wonder 'what was she thinking' or 'i wish they could talk' it would be now!

What a funny horse, i bet she has a great personality at home.

all the best

Michelle

Ha !

that´s the proof !

That is what happens if you try to breed sea horse heads .... you will get a sea horse !!!!!

Just returned from the farm. We had Sharifa out for a very happy graze in the paddock. She was totally happy with herself, very content I would say.

Believe me I have still not rest a proper bid my heart is still pounding like drum and if I would have the answer to why she did not return back to the herd I would be a very happy man. But I can't say that it was not a halter training lesson, that mare hasn't had any since I was here. She's extreamly good and kind with poeple and besides horses and food and her well known grooms their wasn't anything on that beach that could have frightened her off. I'm still in total disbelieve. I can't get it!

Anyhow, shes fine now and safe - has a little pulls still and a running noose but I think she will be over by that in a few days.

I'll keep you posted. As for horses and beaches - thank you I really got a salty taste of it!

Dr. Michiel, my vet who was on the boot that found her jumped in the water and swim her all the way back a shore. Her first steps on land were not very impressive, she was under cooled and exhausted. Really its amazing how strong these horses are and what an endurances they have. Astonishing.

bart

Bart, you are very lucky, after 4 hours you must have thought that surely she would be drowned.

Maybe you should build her a horsey swimming pool, if you don't already have one that is!

Michelle

Hey Bart,

May be she is camera shy ?? Saw them and decided it was not for her ?
It is mighty funny now, but boy it is to get a heart attack when you are there I am sure.

So glad that she is back and well !
Jacqueline

Oh my, I could just imagine the faces of all people standing there, astonished, wondering what Sharifa was thinking of... if only these horses could speak our language...what stories would we hear...

I am absolutely sure that the video and pictures of Gigi will show extreme beauty, and if Gigi kept the tape rolling, maybe even of endurance of the toughest kind.

Give her a hug Bart, from all of us but especially from you and your team. She's earned the greatest respect, even though we wonder why...maybe she fancied a boy in Bahrein!!!

Greetz,
Stephanie

Well, this is one of the most spectacular stories I have ever heard on Arabian horses! Glad to hear that everything turned out o.k. and nobody got hurt or worse. The crazy thing is that I just started a sculpture of a swimming horse last week that I want to call "Daughter of the Sea", maybe you should consider renaming the mare: Bint Al Bahr!(correct translated?) I will try to have it finished for photos soon.
Take care and best wishes to all two- and fourlegged,

Sven

Bart,
Thank God for a happy ending! This story is an illustrious example of the flavor of our forum. We can always count on a wonderful bit of news from every corner of the world.
Debbie

Very, very scarey, Bart! I'll bet the water just felt good at first, then she didn't know how to find her way back. Someone was definitely watching over her! I am sure you will look back on this and see some humor in it - in about ten years, when your heart rate has returned to normal!

The Arab Horse-

they can do all for you
-Flying!
-Running faster like storm!
- now they are like a carrier!
- ...

A new Sports maybe, don´t Distanz- or Runninghorses
Swimming-long-Distanz-race,
or
Swimming-fast-distanz-race!

I will say -thats a Story!
Thank you- and all -they helped to "swimming-home"

Best wishes

Sven Derr

dear Bart,

amanzing story!!
by the way...but I can´t help me-just I had the idea for your perfect outfit for the next photo shot
maybe you try this

but I think you be in safety hands with this

After two days everybody in Qatar can laugh or at least smile about this story. Everybody? Well, maybe Bart not really. It took me two days of hot bath, hours of massage, dozends of bottles of red wine (hey Chris, thanks alot for the support out of your wine shelf!) to calm him down a little bit.
But Bart is still completly confused about the question: What came into the head of Sharifa!?! Perhaps we should hire a kind of Horsewhisperer or a Dr. Doolittle to figure this out.

That's what you should

Many horses do enjoy swimming. I think she probably started out and then lost sight of her friens and in panic just kept going.
Thank goodness it had a happy ending, I can imagine how you felt seeing her disappearing. As the other posters said, so much for the show Arabs who are nothing but a pretty face, your mare certainly isn't. Is she in foal? If so I am sure her baby will be a real athlete.

regards

Barbara

Bart!

So amazing this story is, that it is unbelievable. Like the kind of stories people say to each other, over a few beers and a few laughs. You know the kind of stories, that end like "then when I went to grab her, she turned around in the water and pulled on my leg, like I am pulling yours!" I am happy that it all worked out in the end. She is an awfully good mare. But I don't think you need me to say that...you know it already.

Ralph

Dear Bart,
I am still thinking continuously of that unusual incident.and try to make since of the whole thing. After so many years around the horses one should expect a certain behavioral pattern .This one.!!!???..................................No one could have predicted the unfolding of this bizarre behavior.
I CAN PREDICT your reaction and also Gig's ,though when Sherifa was illegally trying to slip into Bahrain !!
Now .... Did any of that was captured on film or video by Gigi or he was just too flabbergasted to continue rolling ?
I will love o hear more details when I am in Doha next month.See you then.
Nasr Marei

...

Dear Nasr,

Its indeed all on tape. Only after the mare desapeared in the fog Gigi realized this wasn't just all set up for him and it was real what was happening! He's a bid slow by times!

Anyhow I must say she is doing better then ever, this mare keeps surpricing me.

I figuered a few things out! Maybe just options. She was the oldest of the group, the leader maybe therefor she tought to take a few liberties. Further the sun was rising up over land. Maybe ones she start swimming it blinded her and therefor she didn't see the land and her friends anymore! Thirthly I think when she realised she was to far she might have taken up by the current. I'm sure that a bid farther in sea between those ilands their is a strong current, besides their was also a reasonable strong wind.

Still its pretty amazing she went of swimming by her self knowing very well were the other horses were and the land was!

I think we can only geuss. For know I'm going to ask my boss in my next budget for a boot! or water scooter!

I think you will like what we did so far. Today we took Ashhal out in the desert, he looks stunning and the images are truly amazing. Gigi (today - Hysterica!!! as we renamed him) was on top of the world from happiness.

Take good care,

All the Best, Bart.

Hello Bart,

Well I've had horses wander off into a wheat paddock during a photo shoot & also into a paddock of canola, I've had them race off with kangaroo's & emu's over some sand dunes & have seen them disappear into mallee scrub but have never seen them swim off into the sea!! But I guess this will never happen as I am a long long way from the sea!!

I could imagine the panic going on until she was back on dry land & you were able to check her over to ensure that she was OK.

I hope that both humans & mare have recovered from their day on the beach!!

All the best from Australia............Debbie.

Found this picture on the new Al Rayyan website...

A very tired Sharifa

This is a truly amazing and uncanny story of vitality and strength.
I can't believe the emotions and turmoil that must have been going through your minds that day. An amazing Arabian mare that had the wind in her mane and the fins between her legs!! lol.
This is book material!!

I hope to be able to share in the photos of this courageous mare.
Pats for Sharifa - she is a true gem.

I think this happened well over a year ago and someone has place an old thread here.

If I remember correctly I believe she swam some 20 miles or it was 20 miles before they caught up with her, either way she took one heck of a swim.. you can tell by her ears she was exhusted.

I believe she felt her homeland pulling her to come home.

Dear Bart, Oh my goodness the emotions and stress you must have suffered that day. Thank God that all turned out well in the end. Simply amazing creatures these Arabian horses of ours! Have a rest for a few days to recover. Regards, Dot Brandie. Templar Croft Arabians, Scotland.

Yes that is very strange behavior. Sounds like she wanted to go see something alot more than being with her friends. Perhaps she was stabled before to where she was headed? I think horses have a very strong memory. Or call it selective memory.

Once some friends and I trailered to a park. A friends horse tossed her and ran away. We found him many hours later only because some of the searchers went home. There he was.

Maybe she was looking for Ansata! Candace Callegari

oh my goodness what a picture i'm glad she made it home safely. BARB