"The color black has fascinated me ever since I was old enough to think." As we talk, Raimund's eyes are fixed on his herd grazing at the far end of the pasture. "My father began breeding horses." In the late '80s, the son took over from his father, supported by sister Karola.
The first step in breeding black Arabians was the 1988 purchase of the Gharib daughter Sama. Initially bred were purebred Arabians of Polish-Russian-Egyptian lines. Only after several years did the Hardyna stud convert to Straight Egyptians.
The farm is named - despite the fascination of the color black - for the liver chestnut mare Hardyna, which belongs to Karola Wöhr. Raimund relates what the mare means to them both: "Hardyna father broke a leg under me during a hunt, and I vowed to keep his last foal - whatever it would be."
The breeding objective, in addition to the fascinating color, was an easy-to-handle purebred horse - an excellent ride with that gentle disposition and affinity to people typical of the Arabians.
"I ventured to the shows more or less out of curiosity." Nevertheleß one can see his pride when speaking of his yearling filly Har Mahy Nour being chosen the 2007 Reserve Champion in Frankfurt. And pride that his horses have long been found in international Arabian studs - in Egypt, for instance.
"But this is where I personally feel most at home," Raimund says, gesturing toward the pasture. Thoroughly understandable. And one can easily feel a touch of envy when viewing this peaceful, relaxed herd of beautiful mares with their foals and also their stallion running together in the herd. Here they live as horses want to live - which, unfortunately, is still not always the case.
Before departing this "happy isle", I watch Karola and Raimund lead the stallion Pasha Sharim to a visiting dam, and how - held on a long rein - he covers her. I am truly impressed by how all this transpires calmly, quietly and naturally. I've seen it done quite otherwise.
A fitting ambience for the inception of "black beauty".
By Sabine Heimen