Issue date: June 17, 1998
By BARBARA WOOD
Galaxy may look like just another gangly long-legged colt, but this is one special foal.
For one thing, when Galaxy was born on May 19 he became the first survivor of a rare breed of Russian horses to be born in the United States this year, say his owners, Ursula and Wolfgang Eisenhut of Woodside.
Only about 400 of the Orlov Rostopchin, or Russian Warmblood, breed exist in Russia, and fewer than 20 in the United States, Mrs. Eisenhut says. There were seven Russian Warmblood foals born in this country before Galaxy this winter and spring, but all were stillborn or died soon after birth of various causes, she says.
Until the fall of communism, the Russian Warmblood horses were bred by the Russian government and shown in exclusive equestrian competitions, including the Olympics. The horses are known for their performance in dressage, jumping, eventing and steeplechase competitions, Mrs. Eisenhut says.
The breed is prized for its beautiful lines, size, strong constitution, great working ability, energetic temperament and submissiveness to the rider.
Galaxy's parents, Glagol (who is called the easier-to-pronounce Chaika when he is shown) and Izhitsa, were imported from Russia by the Eisenhuts in January 1994.
Glagol may soon have quite a few more offspring. Six mares, in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington and Auburn, San Diego and Sacramento, are also pregnant with foals he has sired.
Galaxy, who is called "Alex" for short, was so named because he was born on the night the Galaxy 4 satellite went out of service, meaning his vet couldn't be paged. Not to worry, though; the vet was contacted through the Woodside Patrol and was on hand when Izhitsa delivered her first foal after only a 12-minute labor.
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