Our Animal Team

Dayan, a gray thoroughbred Egyptian Arab gelding, born 2005.

The Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. Also it is one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses that resemble modern Arabians dating back 4,500 years. Throughout history, Arabian horses spread around the world by both war and trade, used to improve other breeds by adding speed, refinement, endurance and strong bone. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse .

Dayan was bred by Willy Luder in Creda (BO), Italy, where he spent his first three years. Francesco Pilati at that time in the stable of Torre Burchio (PG), Italy, worked with Dayan using the Monty Roberts method. Later we brought him to the stable "La Nevera" in Lanzo d' Intelvi (CO), then back to Umbria to the stables "Montione" of Francesco Pilati, located in our neighborhood, where hedefinitely was in good hands. He then joined our team at Ermitage Macchiabella.

Dayan was the first horse in our team.

Karim, a Shagya Arab thoroughbred, gelding, born 2007.

The Shagya Arabian was developed in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the 19th century at the Bábolna, Mezőhegyes, Radautz, Piber, and Topolcianky studs. Today it is most often seen in the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Germany, and Hungary, but has been exported to other nations and is bred around the world. A purebred Shagya Arabian bloodlines has today, which can be traced in all lines to the studbooks of Radautz, Babolna, and Topolcianky.

Born in Hungary, we first brought Karim to the stable "La Nevera" in Lanzo d'Intelvi (CO), Italy, then to the nearby stable "Montione" of Francesco Pilati, where he was trained for endurance races. He had his First 30 km race in Torgiano (PG) on July 14, 2013, followed by some other races, among which a 60 km race in Arezzo (AR). Since time he also is a teammate at Ermitage Macchiabella.

Karim is the junior of our team.

Rudy, Maremma (improved), gelding, born 1995.

The first few Maremma horses were pure, but, after a good deal of out-crossing involving English horses like the Norfolk Roadster, the horses became more a mixture than a pure breed. The Maremmanos are not the best-looking breed or the fastest, but they are good, sturdy workers, using strength and toughness with their calm temperament.

Before joining the team, Rudy worked as a trekking horse at the stable of Torre Burchio (PG), of Francesco Pilati for several years. In November 2010 he was taken along with Karim to the stable "La Nevera" in Lanzo d'Intelvi (CO). Since time Rudy's home is at Ermitage Macchiabella. He is a correct and good worker, strong and sometimes a bit rude. That is the reason he was named Rudy!

Rudy is the senior of the team and he knows this perfectly well.

Kouskann, a thoroughbred Arabian gelding, born 2003, the last entry in our team.

Born and raised in France, he participated in some endurance races. We met him at "La Nevera" of Lanzo d'Intelvi (CO) and from February 2012, he joined our team.

Kouskann has a balanced and calm character. He does not like stress and he is not very competitive, this is the reason we found him so cute - a thoroughbred Arabian who is easy going - fantastic! It is unbelievable how he stands still also with noise and movements around him.

Before joining us he used to work with a girl, then nine years old. It was cute to see them together: whenever she wanted to put the holster, he lowered his head to make it happen. Kouskann is also since time with us at Ermitage Macchiabella.

We are happy to have Kouskann with us. 

Lupo, a wolf-dog foundling, born 2013, has been part of the Ermitage Macchiabella team for some time now.

He was found injured and abandoned on a motorway in Argentina, operated on a leg, cured and prepared for his long trip to Europe. Mylène organized all of this and brought him to us directly from Buenos Aires. Lupo is so cute and affectionate.

Considering his destiny he virtually made a 6 in the lottery.

And this is our Arianne, a puppy born in late March 2021.

Among the members of the Ermitage Macchiabella team she is the only Umbrian-DOC, having been born in Panicale (PG), where she spent the first months of her life with seven brothers and sisters.

Arianne, active and playful, has brought a breath of energy to our whole team. 

This is Minu, 2017, our red mascot.

He was abandoned when he was about two months old and we were asked if we would take him home.

Minu is a kind of aristocat, when he roams, he moves elegantly. He doesn't show up when there are people in the house.

It's always nice to see him playing with Arianne and when we walk the dogs, he follows us.

In every respect, he makes himself a bit of the master of the house.

And this is Tappo (little one in Italian).

We gave him that name because when we received him in 2019, he was only a few weeks old - tiny and hungry.

Since then, however, he has evolved to become a kind of gladiator who often returns to show us his prey.

He is very curious and can be very affectionate.