Registrations: International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association Cria Caballar PRE Mundial Statistics: Foaled: 2/13/84 Color: Heterozygous grey over chestnut sabino, DNA eeAA Offspring: Augusta, Rosina, Pamina. Not born at Tintagel: Junco, Karima, Lidia, Incendio III

Encina started my whole breeding program. I never meant to buy a mare, Encina found me. I went looking for colts and saw Encina. I got goose bumps and chills and simply said "load her".

Encina came home with me that day. I have never had that experience when looking at horses and I'm so grateful Encina and I came together. She has such a peaceful energy about her all who come in contact with her can feel it. But, she wasn’t always that way…

When Encina came home with me she had just been newly imported and was barely broke. In fact when I went to the farm where she was it took two people 30 minutes to corner her in the foot deep muck. And yes, I still bought her. They were so happy to be rid of her I actually put her in the trailer with no sales agreement and no money changing hands. They just said, “If you want to keep her send the money.”Encina came home and in her fluffy deeply bedded stall with good food and loving people around her and rocked back and forth for hours on end like an autistic child. Anytime she was inside, her upper lip would wiggle non-stop while she just rocked and rocked. She neither misbehaved nor responded in anyway to any type of attention. She was shut down and closed off. Eyes dead to the world. It was the guidance of my old Appaloosa gelding Auggie that helped opened Encina’s heart and turned her into the most loving gentle momma in all the world. It was Encina’s first foal for me that changed my breeding program and my world. Something guided me to buy Encina that day all those years ago and it seems something special was destined from the start.

Years later Encina now spends her days in her private “palace”. She has a walk out to her own paddock where she sunbathes in her personal sand rolling pit and keeps an eye on all the new babies. She is queen of the property and can send her wishes with a glance. Even a new employee knows in a flash what Encina wants from them. “My water is too cold, warm it up - NOW, I need more hay -NOW, I have an itch, you will scratch it – NOW.”

One thing that does always please the queen is small children. I think it’s the innocent and open loving energy around them that make Encina love to be around them. We bring up a big box and put it next to her so kids can climb up and brush her. She even lets little kids drag her around on a lead line taking her for unneeded walks.

Retired from breeding we tried to get an embryo from Encina for many years and it just never happened. So we have her daughters and grandchildren her to carry on her legacy.

We love our Encina, Queen of all she surveys.