The sweet relief of finally seeing a cargo plane fly overhead with your three horses inside very quickly turns into gut-wrenching fear. I was extremely relieved that we were finally going to enter South America after months fighting Latin American bureaucracy, but the thought of having my three kids at 40,000 feet, landing and taking off several times, was very disturbing. Especially since I was not allowed to be there next to them.
After watching the Avianca plane fade into the darkness of the night Emma and I were left in San Jose waiting for our flight the next day. Time seemed to stand still as we waited for the boarding time to arrive. I kept imagining where in the world my ponies were and wondering if they were okay. After leaving San Jose their flight took them to Guatemala City, Miami, Barranquilla – Colombia, Bogota – Colombia, and finally Lima – Peru.
During a 24 hour period Frenchie, Bruiser and Dude would have to land and take off 10 times. If you have flown before, you know how much noise a plane makes during the beginning and end of a flight. It can be a nightmare for even the most experienced passengers. Imagine how it must feel for a mustang and two quarter horses who have never flown before!
Feeling sick to my stomach, and with no news of the horses’ flight, Emma and I boarded our flight for Lima. It was the worst experience of my life. I couldn’t sleep, and I couldn’t stop worrying about my ponies.
“I’m sure they are doing fine, Dr. Solorzano is a great vet and I know he is taking good care of them” Emma said to try to comfort me as we waited at the Bogota airport for a connecting flight.
Finally, just after 1am we landed in Lima, Peru. My heart was in my throat as I scrambled for my bags. If everything went to plan the cargo plane would have arrived two hours prior. Fortunately I had hired a logistics company that only works with horses – it was one of the Peruvian government’s prerequisites. Robin Ponse, a member of the Purivian Paso Horse Association, heads up the company and assured me when the horses landed he would have everything under control.
Immediately after going through customs I called Don Robin, not knowing what news he would have for me.
“Hello Don Robin, this is Filipe, we have just landed. Are my horses here?” I asked.
“Great to hear from you Filipe, I am here with your horses and they are doing great, don’t worry” he told me.
It was like my body had been levitating all day and at that moment my feet filled with weights and my body was grounded once again.
“Thank you so much for the amazing news Don Robin” I yelled back into the phone.
“Wait outside the airport and I will come to get you so you can see them” he said.
As we arrived at the airport’s cargo building with Don Robin I could see the truck they had been loaded on. I jumped out of the car and ran up a loading ramp towards the truck. First I saw Bruiser who was at the back eating alfalfa. I jumped in and gave him a big hug. I couldn’t believe it. Here we were, finally in South America! My beautiful ponies who started out in the great white north were finally on the continent they will live on for the rest of their lives.
“Filipe, I just spoke to the border officials and I’m afraid the horses will have to stay here for a few days as we complete all of the paperwork necessary to clear them” Don Robin told me.
And just like that, the euphoria of seeing my ponies was put to an abrupt end. My horses have to stand in the back of this truck for days until the Peruvian officials feel we have given them enough pieces paper. To make matters worse, we have to leave a deposit with them that will only be returned when the horses leave the country in the specified amount of time. Seems like our nightmare continues…
