Balatara Santana was plucked from obscurity and burst onto the show scene at the age of 14, becoming a champion. But this extraordinary New Forest Pony stallion had far greater challenges to overcome.

A 13.0 ½ hh bay stallion, by Danewood Partisan, from Timberly Sprite, bred by Barry Storer, Santana was shown in hand as a two-year-old, achieving Reserve Champion New Forest Colt or Stallion at the APSB Vic Stud Show in 1992. He did not see another show ring during the next 12 years.

Barry didn't do too much formal riding with Santana, but took him everywhere he went as he didn’t trust him enough to leave him at home unsupervised due to his ability to escape from literally any enclosure. They did stock work, endurance riding and anything else that came along. Santana also had a good grounding for dressage, being regularly ridden and handled by Barry's daughter. Over the years Barry and Santana developed a relationship based on understanding and working around each other’s quirks.

Jaccy and Ruth Kennedy first met Santana on a Thoroughbred stud where Barry was working for the season and Santana was being used as a teaser. He was the only Forester Barry had left from his stud, as Barry felt he was way too good to consider gelding. The Kennedys were met with a scruffy looking bay pony with a mane down to his shoulders and sections that had been rubbed out where as he was in the teasing yard between all the Thoroughbred mares. As Ruth remembers it, ‘Barry brought him out and ran him out for us, it was amazing the way this little pony's trot elevated and he covered the ground. Mum made her mind up on the spot, she definitely wanted this pony’. Santana still had a job to do on the Thoroughbred stud until the end of the season, but on 9 January 2001 he made the move to Arnwood where he was to stand alongside Forestway Rhythm.

Santana served his first New Forest mares that season, with his first foals arriving at the end of the year. He was given the task of serving some of the more difficult mares, a challenge he faced head-on. He even succeeded where his sire had failed 14 years previously when he served Darsirla Countessa, a 17-year-old maiden mare! Despite being a late starter, Santana took on his new job of breeding stallion with gusto.

In January 2004, at the age of 14, Santana made his comeback to the show ring. He started his campaign by winning the New Forest Pony Stallion class at the Melbourne Summer Royal. He then went on to the APSB Vic Stud Show where he was unbeaten in his led classes, taking out Led New Forest Pony Stallion, Champion NF Stallion or Colt, The Applewitch Cup for Supreme NF Pony, Supreme Mountain and Moorland Pony and the Rare Breeds sash. The judge, Gill Wright, who had come all the way from the UK, saw fit to present him with the New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society Award for Supreme New Forest Exhibit, an award that is presented at the judge’s discretion if he or she considers the pony who is awarded championship to be of sufficient quality to be competitive in the UK. He also made his ridden debut, placing second in the Ridden Mountain and Moorland Stallion class. A few weeks later at the Barastoc Horse of the Year Show he topped off his season by winning the Led Male New Forest Pony class and being sashed Champion New Forest Pony.

The Barastoc HOY sash was barely hung on the wall when Santana contracted a viral infection that led to impaction colic from a blockage of the caecum. He was operated on at Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital, where top vet Jim Vasey gave him a 10% chance of survival. But survive he did, and went home to Arnwood where Jaccy and Ruth began the long process of nursing him back to health.

Ruth says, ‘I think the hardest time was when he first came back from GVEH as he had to be kept stabled on straw, and he was not the easiest to keep quiet, he was only allowed limited time out to be lead around and graze. To try to explain to him he wasn't allowed to do his stallion dance in front of HIS mares, and he should refrain from roaring as he left the stable, was a very difficult thing to get across’. For many weeks he was only allowed out on a lead for as long as it took for Jaccy to clean his stable.

After a second operation to repair a hernia, Santana was sent to equine trainer Liz Alexander at Healesville who, along with vet Chris Heislers and physiotherapist Kate Sagar, nursed him through his recovery from the surgery and anaesthetic. Some time later another hernia was found but as this did not pose the risk of rupture that the first hernia had it was decided to leave it rather than risk more surgery. This turned out to be a good decision as almost a year after his first surgery Santana was back at GVEH for surgery to repair adhesions. By this time he was well known by the staff at the hospital. On arrival it was obvious to staff who knew him just how sick he was, although renowned equine reproduction vet Angus McKinnon argued that Santana looked too well to be there for surgery and should visit the AI centre instead.

Santana returned to Liz Alexander’s stables for his ongoing rehabilitation, with Chris Heislers again overseeing his care and Kate Sagar continuing the physiotherapy required to assist the recovery of a horse who has been laid on his back during surgery.
Finally in November 2005 Santana came home to Arnwood Pony Stud following the construction of the indoor school and stable complex.

May 2006 saw Santana step out in a new discipline. His first ever dressage test was at an associate EFA dressage competition at Glenbrae Equestrian Club, where he placed third in a preliminary test. At his next outing he placed fifth at novice level, both times against big horses.

Santana has made many friends over the years. He is a pony who has touched the hearts of everyone ever had the pleasure to spend time with him. From those lucky enough to own his progeny, to the people who looked after him during his treatment and recovery, his current and previous owners and their friends who have got to know this remarkable little stallion. He is a true character who has left a legacy not only through his progeny but also through the story of his survival against the odds.