Aztec Stud
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TESTIMONIALS
Aztec Azabache
I bought a filly from Aztec Stud several years ago and started on my journey with horses. I’d never had a horse before but I came across a picture of Missy on their website and I knew just from the picture that she was the one for me. I emailed Karen and arranged to go and see her with my brother. It was absolutely amazing, all the mares are kept in small herds with their foals and the stallions were always out with them, not hidden away. It was like a breath of fresh air. Anyway several years later I had to have missy put to sleep, there was nothing anyone could do and the absolute kindest thing to do was to let her go. It absolutely broke my heart, I was devastated – she was my horse of a lifetime and I swore I’d never have another. It’s funny though how life works out, I’d always kept in touch with Karen and Ray and I went to see them a couple of times at the end of last year and a young colt just caught my attention. He was just stunning with a super sparkly personality and I kept talking about him all over winter. I just couldn’t get him out of my head and I visited again in very early spring this year and somehow he was still for sale when I asked Karen (though I’ve no idea how nobody snapped him up sooner!). I’d already decided on the drive home that I had to find a way to give him a home. I made a super quick call to the yard owner where I’d kept Missy and she said she would find a space for us. That was it – I messaged Karen and she said I could buy him the next day!! I really wasn’t looking for another horse but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to give him a home. He’s absolutely another horse of a lifetime, he’s just so brave and gentle. A super sensitive boy and I can’t quite believe he’s mine – I feel like I’ve won the lottery!!! I can’t recommend Aztec Stud and Karen and Ray enough. There is never any pressure to buy, I even got to visit both Missy and Ash several times to get to know them before I bought them home and you can’t put a price on. They are always at the end of phone and have given me loads of advice over the years, as well as turning into great friends. They really care about each of the foals they breed and this really shows. If you’re ever looking for a foal to buy see Karen and Ray first!! You’ll never regret it.
Claire Stevens and Aztec Azabache
July 2020
Aztec Aventurero, Aztec Vespertino, Aztec Ebano & Aztec Campanilla!
In May 2014
I came across a post on facebook from
Aztec Andalusians, the picture was of a beautiful black mare and her gorgeous
black colt foal born only the day before,
Aztec Aventurero. My husband Paul and I along with our daughters Kirsty
and Katy had moved from Berkshire to East Sussex with our horses in December
2012 and sadly in September 2013 my mother passed away, Pauls father was also
very poorly and my own father was suffering with Alzheimer?s, with so much
sadness around us it dawned on me that in a few years I would be 50, and it was
about time I got my dream a beautiful black stallion and a Spanish one at that!
I had already fallen in love but already having 15 horses would Paul agree to
me having another which would be probably my last horse, (Ha ha famous last words) I messaged
Karen who told me that he was for sale, I texted Paul who was out with friends and
I think a bit worse for wear from drinking a bit too much, however this worked in
my favour as he agreed we could visit the stud to see him. Go and see him?! I
had already decided he was mine! We visited Aztec Stud when Ace was just 9 days
old, Karen and Ray were very welcoming and showed us around their wonderful
stud where the horses are kept as horses, in herds and all looking very relaxed,
we said hello to Ace and Paul took many pictures, not just of Ace but all of
the lovely horses at the stud. Karen made us tea and we sat around talking
about the horses, and after this Paul handed over some pictures of the Queen to
Karen our deposit for Ace!
Whilst being
shown around we met another rather nice youngster a bay yearling Colt Aztec
Vespertino, he was very friendly and we were quite taken by him, on the way
home Paul kept talking about him and I got the feeling he was quite smitten by
him. Over the next few weeks Karen would update me regularly on Ace?s progress
and would send lots of pictures and Paul? well he kept talking about Tino. He
was still a colt and if I?m honest I knew having a colt for Paul would be
impractical as it would be his first horse so he would need a gelding... Well
call it fate, a few weeks later Karen posted on Facebook that Tino had just
been gelded, I told Paul that evening and we decided that we would call Karen
and ask if we could buy him, Karen was overjoyed and we arranged to collect him
in July, this gave us another opportunity to visit Ace as well! We collected
Tino and again Karen and Ray gave us a warm welcome, although this time we brought
cake! We had cuddles with Ace and were taken around the stud again to meet the
new arrivals, one being a gorgeous month old PRE black colt Aztec Ebano who had
legs that any super model would be jealous of, it didn?t occur to me at that
point he also would later be joining us! Tino was loaded and we headed back to
East Sussex, Karen?s words to us were ?please let me know when you get home?
Karen cares so much for her babies and just would not sleep if she didn?t know
they were safely tucked up in their new home. Our journey didn?t go quite to
plan as the lorry suffered a blowout, after calling the breakdown services we
advised Karen what had happened just so she didn?t panic as we now would be
home much later. Tino?s arrival came just at the right time, only about a week
later Paul?s dad passed away, Tino gave Paul something else to think about and
as we all know horses can be very therapeutic in times of need and Tino gave
Paul this in his time of sadness. Unfortunately my own father also passed away
in the October and Karen agreed that I could collect Ace in November , I
collected him 2 days before my father?s funeral, a bitter sweet time and I?m
sure having Ace around kept me busy and looking forward to the future. Karen
always loves to see the youngsters growing up and loves to see pictures of them
and offers valuable advice when needed. Over the next few months there was some
banter between Karen and myself and equally my daughter Kirsty and Katy about
us purchasing the remaining 2014 foal Aztec Ebano. After a few months it was
decided that Ebano would join us, he would be great asset to our own stud which
was in its infancy, so we called Karen completely out of the blue and said we
would like to purchase him, she was thrilled and a few weeks later we collected
him and he was reunited with his half- brother Ace! July 2015 we took Ace and
Ebano to the breed show, Karen attended and there were a few tears when Ace won
his class and took the youngstock part bred championship, and Karen was clearly very proud when she
heard the judges remarks regarding Ebano who came 3rd in his
youngstock class, many pictures were taken and we presented her a drawing that
we had commissioned by her good friend Caroline, of Currante VI Karen?s lovely stallion, this was our way of
saying thank you for breeding beautiful horses and allowing us to own 3 of
them? Oh did I say 3??..Mmmmm in 2016 Karen and her good friend Caroline approached me regarding a mare they jointly
owned , Aztecs Campanilla a part
bred appaloosa mare that Karen had bred, sold, but then bought back by Karen
and Caroline. She needed to be brought back into work, so they asked me if this
was something my twin daughters Kirsty and Katy could do, Kirsty and Katy were
thrilled and we agreed and we collected ?Nina?
at the end of August. However, it wasn?t long that the whole family had
fallen for her and so we approached Karen and Caroline to see if we could
purchase her, they were both over the moon so Nina became our 4th
Aztec horse?. And there was me thinking Ace was going to be my last horse!!
Karen and
Ray have spent many years building their wonderful stud and in this time built
a reputation second to none, the horses are kept as ?horses first? and are
allowed to express natural horse behaviour with each other in small herd groups
and if you are ever fortunate to visit the stud you too will come away just as
chilled as the equine residents. Buying a youngster from The Aztec Stud
guarantees the prospective owner that it has been very well cared for from
conception to the day you collect and beyond, they love to follow every
hoofstep, sharing memories and will be with you the whole journey if need be,
they don?t forget their babies after they have sold them, proving their love
and passion for their stud and horses they breed is far from being just skin
deep.
Michelle
Snelling
Gablesoast
Stud, East Sussex
Aztec Eleodoro
Searching for my one and only youngster is a mine field, but a close friend spotted a picture of a handsome well put together PRE youngster on Facebook.
Having seen the photo, I promptly contacted the stud, had the pleasure of meeting Karen and Ray whom I have to say seemed to be and have proven to be professional, honest and genuine breeders showing true compassion for both their animals and potential owners.
So nervously I committed my life to Aztec Eleodoro whom I have to say is turning into a stunning superb example of the breed with a temperament to match. There was no pressure to take ownership and any advice offered then and now is done in a reassuring manner making owning my first foal a truly pleasurable experience.
The work the team put into him to allow safe vetting, handling and travelling has stood as an excellent basis and regular comments of how well he was on arrival and still is , I am sure started with Karen and Ray.
I would not hesitate to recommend these beautiful well-mannered examples that come from a herd to match.
Sara and Aztec Eleodoro
Leicestershire
July 2016
Aztec Unico
What a refreshing change to find a Stud with the knowledge and skills to keep horses together in a herd, as nature intended. You won't find any solitary confinement for Stallions here.
Happy, healthy horses with confident, well handled foals. Our handsome new baby is beautifully put together and a real pleasure to own.
We have kept performance horses for many years and meeting Karen and Ray at Aztec Stud truly was a breath of fresh air. Their knowledge of bloodlines and genetics was quite extraordinary!
Mike and Helen Howells
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
Feb 2016
Aztec Recorte
I bought Aztec Recorte from Aztec Stud in December 2015, however I had spotted him and put a deposit down on him a couple of months prior. I have ALWAYS wanted an Andalusian; ever since I was very young and I knew about different horse breeds, this breed was always ear marked in my books.
Karen and Ray were both keen for me to get to know Recorte before he came to his new home with me so he could familiarise himself with someone before hitting a new herd. They were incredibly flexible and supportive with my visits to see him and have been so supportive ever since.
Recorte has settled amazingly well and is taking to everything so brilliantly. He is so brave and intelligent and just takes everything in his stride. I truly believe this is due to Karen and Ray giving him the best start and how they nurture their foals, expose them to new situations etc, as well as allowing me to visit as often as I could. He is an absolute dream and I am so very happy we found each other and also made fabulous friends in Karen and Ray on the way. Will definitely be keeping in touch.
Sophie
Jan 16
Aztec Amistosa
I started looking for a horse a few years ago, but after my brother got a foal, the idea of raising a youngster just kind of stuck with me. I kept coming back to the website last year and I thought I would keep checking the website for the pictures of this year?s foals. There was something about the picture of Missy that I kept looking at and I decided to email Karen to see if she was still for sale. Amazingly she was so I visited with my brother and his fiancé, and Karen and Ray were so welcoming and happy to answer all our questions and they showed us all the horses. We were very impressed with all the horses, and even more so that the stallions were with their mares and foals in a herd environment and they all so chilled out and very friendly. Somehow nobody had been to see Missy (I still don?t know how) and we went into the field and she came over and I think she choose me that day and when Karen said I could buy her I couldn?t believe it. I was even able to visit every couple of weeks as both Karen and myself thought it was important and it really helped both me and Missy to get to know each other before I collected her.
I think everyone else has missed out on the most amazing little foal in the world. I can?t explain how much of a star she has been and she is a real credit to Karen and Ray and how they bring up the foals, Missy has had just the best start in life. She has only been with me just over a week and I can?t believe how well she has settled in and how calm and trusting she is. I couldn?t recommend Aztec Stud and Karen and Ray enough to anyone who was looking for a youngster. They really care about each foal and want the best homes for them.
Claire Stevens and Aztec Amistosa aka Missy
Nov 13
I was looking for a new horse to join my herd of two and came across a picture of a yearling gelding while scanning the internet. I wanted a PRE but wanted a 3 year old ideally. Despite this, there was something about the photo of this yearling that made me stop and read his details. Liking what I saw I gave his owner a ring and had a talk to her about what I was looking for. Karen was great and I took to her immediately. She is very genuine and straight forward and she definitely breeds her horses out of love and enjoyment rather than financial motivation. I went to visit Aztec Ultimo (Timo) and he was just lovely. I was really impressed that Karen and her husband keep the stallions integrated with the herd and I was able to see Timo?s dam and sire. I have had Timo for a little over a month now and what a fabulous horse he is. He is loving and well balanced, and loves learning new things. His mind is active and curious which makes teaching him lots of fun. Karen has stayed in touch as have owners of Timo?s siblings through Facebook. I am very excited about mine and Timo?s partnership for the future. As a natural horsemanship instructor, my relationship with horses is not only my hobby, it is my living too so having the right horse in my life and bringing out the best in them is very important to me. Anyone considering buying a horse from Karen can do so in the knowledge that she is honest and trustworthy and her young stock are just beautiful. When we move to a larger place in a couple of years I can definitely see myself going back to Karen for a new member of the family.
Sam Bolam
Nov 2013
www.flowhorsemanship.com
Aztec Ultimo
'A good friend had put me in touch with Karen when I was looking for a youngster this summer. We went to Aztec stud to have a look at Aztec Dakota and I was smitten from the first moment I saw her! Karen and Ray are so lovely and calm with their horses and this attitude shines through when meeting all their beautiful horses. Little Dakota was only a couple of months old when I first met her and was out in the field with her Mum (Belle) and Dad (Spirit). It was lovely to meet her parents and see them in one natural group. Even at that age Dakota was bold, curious and loved attention! Not being familiar with Aztecas, it was nice to meet Dakota's big sister Montana who is absolutely stunning. Karen and Ray were great about letting me visit every month so I could have cuddles and take pictures which meant I got to know Dakota better for when time came for her to be weaned. She is now called Diva as she is a real poser and loves being groomed and fussed over! Karen and Ray have done a brilliant job getting her used to being led, have her feet picked up and being handled. Lots of people have been amazed at how well settled and behaved she is for a 7 month old baby. Diva has now been with me for a week and is living with her big brother Silverio (Rio) and a PRE filly called Coco. It is lovely watching them play together! I can't recommend Aztec Stud highly enough for their care and expertise, in fact in my next life I want to come back as one of their horses!!' Rhoda Burdett Jan 2013
" Purchasing a youngster from the Aztec Stud has been an excellent experience right from the initial contact through to going home and the aftercare. The stud is warm, friendly and relaxed and the horses are all happy and inquisitive and of fantastic quality and temperament. It is a fantastic opportunity to be able to see not only dam and sire but siblings too. It is a joy to be able to spend time in the field or stable with the young stock to experience how friendly and well handled they are. Karen and Ray are warm and welcoming, no question or information too much, having ongoing contact after getting home has also been wonderful and helpful. Since coming home I have had many compliments not only what a stunning attractive colt I have but also what a superb temperament he has, inquisitive, well handled and intelligent. I am looking forward to spending many long, fun and happy years together. I cannot recommend this stud enough and if only I had more money to purchase another one! Catherine Legg owner of Aztec Silverio" Jan 2013
I came across the site for the Aztec stud while looking at all things Andalusian..
I really enjoyed looking at Karens beautiful Horses, then I came across Quiza a 2 year old filly with the rare pearl gene, her mother is a granddaughter of the famous dressage stallion Gaucho who is now in America.
We are a new small PRE Andalusian stud in France, hoping to breed some rare colours, Quiza will be perfect for our breeding programme.
Karen from Aztec Stud was a joy to talk to, giving me lots of tips and guidance from her many knowledgable years as a PRE breeder.
Quiza arrived after her long journey, and is just perfect, a real sweetie and a credit to Karen.
We would not hesitate to buy from Karen again.
Thanks Karen for everything, speak soon.
Allison (France)
Sept 2012
Sometimes it takes a sad situation for an amazing one to appear. After my youngster didn?t grow to the height I needed him to, I decided after owning him for the first 4 years of his life, it was time to sell him. I knew the next one I bought would be for life and having always wanted an appaloosa I decided I would go hunting for one. I could count the amount of appaloosas on the
Katie & Aztec?s Pascua Dominga (aka Ava)
I always dreamed of owning a black, chunky Andalusian and over the last couple of years I spent many an hour looking through Spanish Stud websites drooling over their foals while slowly saving up some pennies ready for the day when I could afford to import one of my own. Then I stumbled upon the advert for Dante. A ¾ Andalusian born in this country with a sire who equalled those from my dreams. I kept going back to the advert, drawn to it, even though I thought I was at least 3 years away from being able to buy. I decided to enquire and began email correspondence with Karen. She was honest and helpful and made me feel that I could go and see him without being pressured into buying.
I was right. When I viewed Dante for the first time (at 6 weeks old) I felt totally at ease and spent a lovely few hours at the stud. Karen and Ray were great and the horses? calm and friendly behaviour spoke for itself. I knew I had to have him. Although I bought him in the July, it was mid December before Dante was weaned and ready to come to his new home. Karen kept me up to date with his progress and sent me pictures of him. I was also welcome to visit him at any time which we managed to do on a couple of occasions.
I now own the Spanish horse I have always dreamed of without all the import costs and added difficulties of buying from another country. The whole process of buying him was a joy not a stress thanks to the lovely nature of the horses and owners of Aztec Stud.
Debbie & Aztec Principe Dante (Lancs)
Jan 2012
Siempremio has won loads of trophies with her new owner Laura for jumping and showing, and even jumps with Laura's niece round the smaller classes, just goes to show what a versatile horse she. I wish I could have kept her :( but she's doing so well in her new home and they love her so much. Thanks for breeding such a lovely horse xxxx Happy Xmas xx
Heather (Leics)
Dec 2011
When I went to visit Sierra for the first time I was very impressed with Aztec Stud, all the horses were so calm and relaxed, Sierra and her mum came straight over to meet us when we walked into their field.
I decided to purchase Sierra 6 weeks before she was weaned so Karen invited me to go and spend some time with her and it was a great opportunity for us to get to know each other before I brought her home.
I am so glad I found Aztec Stud as I have also found such a good friend in Karen who I will always keep in touch with.
I'm looking forward to my natural horsemanship journey with Sierra.
Jessie and Aztec Sierra
2011
I was really impressed with Aztec stud. Espiritu has a superb kind nature with fantastic movement, looks and conformation. The facilities at the Stud were first class and my mare was extremely well looked after during her stay. Karen offered excellent advice and assistance throughout my mare?s pregnancy & beyond. I felt confident that any horse in their care would be happy and well looked after. My mare will certainly be returning to Aztec next year.
Thanks again
Kerrie
The whole experience of buying a young foal can be quite daunting, you want to be sure you get it right from conformation to character. Aztec stud ticked all the boxes for me. All the horses are kept as natural as possible with the Stallions out grazing with the mares and foals just as they would in the wild which Im sure makes for a much more sound temperament and better foundation from which to start working with a foal, from leading to trailer loading.
Id decided to purchase Ero two months before he was to be weaned from his mum and in that time Karen allowed me to visit as often as I liked as we both felt it was important for me to build a relationship with him before taking him to his new home. Karen also allowed me to park my trailer up a week before collecting him and we spent a good amount of time getting him used to it which was then followed up by Karen in the week. When it came to taking him to his new home on a dark and very frosty morning he loaded into the trailer in 5 minutes.
Ero has received compliments from Her Majestys vet not only for his fantastic conformation, but also on his relaxed and intriguing attitude to being handled at only 7 months of age.
I am absolutely thrilled with Ero and am looking forward to what the future holds for us as we progress through our Natural Horsemanship journey together.
I wouldnt hesitate to recommend Aztec Stud to anyone. Karens knowledge and friendship has and will continue to be invaluable for many years to come!
Rachel & Aztec Bandolero
Windsor
Karen runs one of the nicest yards I've ever been to, all her horses are calm, beautiful and happy. Karen's a really lovely person she's doesn't push you into buying (she wants to keep all the babies for herself!)
When I went she had four superb foals, I could have bought them all, but fell in love with a PRE filly called Mariposa. Mariposa is everything and more that I could have asked for and this is down to Karen's ability to select fabulous breeding stock and the time and commitment she spends nurturing the foals.
Thanks again Karen for selling Mariposa to me so we can now both live the dream.
Regards
Jill & Aztec Mariposa