Appaloosa Horse Club UK – Spring Show 2017

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After Amelie’s trial run last week with Caricks Redheart (Myka), today they put it into practice and represented the Redheart Appaloosa Stud proudly. They have created a lovely bond and today we were at the ApHC UK Spring Show held at Merrist Woods Equestrian Centre.

With Myka and DRF Patahas Redheart (Blu) on the lorry, we set off for Surrey at stupid O’clock as do most equine enthusiasts! Our early arrival enabled me to give Amelie and the horses a tour of the showground whilst allowing the horses to stretch their legs.

Our first class was the Most Colourful (open to ApHC UK A, B & NC) Myka took at 3rd place with Blu taking the first place, a great start to our morning.

Blu then won his Stallion class followed by the Championship. Next on the list was Myka and I, in the fillies class, being awarded a first place, followed by a Reserve Champion Female. This filly does not put a foot wrong, I am sure she will make a splendid broodmare here at the Stud.

Both young stock went forward for the Youngstock Championship, Blu went Champion and finished his English classes as Supreme Champion. Later he went forward for his USA classes, taking a first in the ApHC USA registered Colts, Stallions and Geldings any age.  Such a wonderful day, it couldn’t get any better then he won his class and went Male Champion USA.

Amelie and Myka continued their partnership in the Potential Sports Horse Youngstock and the Open Sports Horse Type, taking a 3rd and 4th retrospectively.

It was a humid day and very warm indoors, the atmosphere was delightful as always and the horses really fulfilled my dreams. One thing I will always remember this show for….the day when the Judge, Julia Ryde-Rodgers request we all complete our shows, off the cuff. I have never been presented with this situation and quickly reverted to a basic dressage test. Allowing the Judge to see the horse under control at walk, trot and halt on both reins, we added a few tight circles along with a few steps back, it went well. Such good humor and a twist to our day which made the class very, very enjoyable, thanks to a creative Judge.

Here are a few pictures but we have loaded more on the individual horse’s page.

 

 

 

A Trial Run…..

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It’s easy to teach a person if they want to learn….meet Amelie, a young horse enthusiast who has helped us behind the scenes at the shows over the past year. She is a confident young lady and owns her own horse, so we are three-quarters of the way to in hand performance.

In the ring it’s a different world, you put on your show hat on and it becomes somewhat serious, competitive and nerve-racking and nine years later I still feel the same!

We have practiced our “ring craft” at home and Amelie has bonded very nicely with Myka. Today I took Amelie and Myka for a trial run in the ring. We had a lovely day at the South Staffs Open Show near Kidderminster.

Amelie showed Myka perfectly, I can not fault Myka, considering it’s her second show they complimented each other nicely.

We are now ready after our Trial Run…..

Redheart APPALOOSA @ The May Festival 2017……

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Our second outing this year, Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex, Rugby. The event was held by the United Saddlebred Association-UK and Foreign Breed Society, a European Championship Show with a programme packed with classes to suit ALL Foreign Breeds.

Todays Redheart was DFR Patahas Redheart aka Blu, our two-year-old licensed stallion. After a winter out and the Spring grass just recently, he is looking mighty fine.

The first class was Home Produced, open to pure or partbred Foreign Breeds. This class was indoors and very well supported. Blu was very settled and gave a great performance taking the second place to a beautiful Fjord.

Our second class, open Foreign Breed Youngstock, another well-supported class that resulted in a first place!

These placings qualified us for the Open Foreign Breed In Hand Championship.



Our next two classes were outside, a glorious sunny day and the testosterone certainly kicked in. With two rings running next to each other, Blu was quite interested in the goings on in the next ring? Quite a distraction for him but these things he must get used to and get over…

Our third class, Foreign Breeds with broken coats, what a mixture of beautiful horses, a fantastic second place, and our last class, Appaloosa with a free win as we were the only competitor. Disappointing but we made it our advantage, giving Blu an opportunity to have a proper good look at the ring next door!!!

These placings qualified us for the World Breeds In Hand Championships.

The Open Foreign Breed In Hand Championship & the World Breeds In Hand Championships.

These two Championships consisted of the first and second placed horses in over 16 classes.

Honored, with Reserve Champion in both classes!

Our Reserve Champion positions put us forward to the Supreme In Hand Championship.

We took the Reserve Supreme In Hand, absolutely overwhelmed!

A Redheart APPALOOSA @ The May Festival 2017……

 

 

Redheart 2017 Show Season Begins At Royal Windsor…

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Our first outing in 2017, a British Appaloosa Society in hand affiliated class at Royal Windsor.

Caricks Redheart début outing was a huge ask! We would normally take our young stock to a smaller local show first time out but our attempt failed, due to life!

Nerves and or anxiety were witnessed, playing with her bit and her reluctance to trot “with me”. Two things she has not done in six months! Despite this, her trot was straight, she stood for the judge and patiently waited in the lineup, with many distractions around her. I can not fault this filly.

A massive thank you to Mr & Mrs. Wood (Myka’s breeders) who not only came to support BApS and Myka but who helped me at the show.

Myka won her young stock class with a straight entry into the Championship, where she became Reserve In-Hand Champion.

Redheart 2017 Show Season..….Has Begun!

The Apron Strings – Between Mare & Foal……

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A mare and foal have a very strong bond. Princesse Pascale and Peyres Catori Cat have both displayed the normal reactions to their foals and kept them close.

BUT…..

It’s also very normal for the foals to venture away from their dams, not too far, generally running around them. Regent and Reality have passed close to each other a few times and today they met!

As each day passes, the foals start to socialize, it’s a beautiful sight. One minute Regent is playing the dominant foal and the next minute its Reality’s turn.

Here are a few pictures, when they met for the first time.

I’m not sure if it’s the mare or the foal who “release” The Apron String?

Reus Meets The Girls……

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Princesse Pascale and Peyres Catori Cat are now in their own paddock, bonding with their newborns. This has left Caricks Redheart (Myka), Redheart Regal (Blanc) and Redheart Pascalius (Evee) alone. This has meant a new pecking order, of course, it would be Evee!

Since Reus’s castration, he has been in his own paddock next to Blu. We have left it a month ensuring any semen left in him, has died. It will be a while before he loses the stallion mentality but this weekend we have moved him parallel to the girls.

His fear of the electric fence is far greater than the real strength of the fence and sure enough, he greeted the girls with a few “screams” before they ignored him.

Reus meets Myka

Reus meets Evee

Reus meets Blanc

Reus meets the girls but prefers the grass…….