Redheart @ The Great Midlands Horse Show 2018

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Well, this is a new event for us and only found by chance whilst looking for details about another event at Only Equestrian Centre.

The schedule catered for showing (in-hand and under saddle), dressage and show jumping with a huge choice of classes. Much to my surprise, the event was not supported, maybe another event is held on the same weekend or lack of advertising? I’m not sure but it’s such a fantastic venue and the event was very well organised.

We took Reus to continue his education, entering the Ridden Foreign Breeds Class where we sat tight because Reus didn’t like the noise of the M45 behind the hedge, he’s not used to the noise of motorways or fast roads! With no competition, we qualified for the Evening performance under the Coloured Championships.

A few hours later, we entered the big indoor arena with the second and first place horses from the Ridden Coloured Plaited pony, the Ridden Coloured Native/Traditional pony, the Ridden Coloured Plaited Horse ant the Ridden Coloured Cob/Native Traditional Horses.

Absolutely delighted to be pulled in as Reserve Champion.

We didn’t stay for the Supreme due to commitments at home but I felt Reus made great progress, which is what it’s all about!

16 Months With Redheart Reality

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April 2017 – Redheart Reality imprinted at birth 27/04/17

May 2017 – Redheart Reality and his dam join the heard

June 2017 – Redheart Reality happily enjoying his own feed bowl

July 2017 – Redheart Reality poses for his passport photos

August 2017 – Redheart Reality loses his foal coat and we witness the huge colour change

 

September 2017 – Redheart Reality developing very nicely

October 2017 – Redheart Reality is weaned

November 2017 – Redheart Reality is castrated

December 2017 – Redheart Reality content to be stabled during the bad weather

January 2018 – Redheart Reality accepts restricted turn out during the winter months

February 2018 – Redheart Reality winters well and re-joins the herd

March 2018 – Redheart Reality experiences the first snowfall

April 2018 – Redheart Reality becomes 1 year old and loses his winter coat

May 2018 – Redheart Reality wins the In Hand Reserve Champion award at Royal Windsor

June 2018 – Redheart Reality is trained from the field and enjoys his rest

July 2018 – Redheart Reality learning the ways within a herd

August 2018 – Redheart Reality attends the ApHC UK National Show, taking Reserve Champion Most Colourful, Reserve Champion Gelding and Reserve Champion Youngstock.

August 2018 – Redheart Reality attends the BApS National Show, taking Reserve Champion Youngstock, Reserve Male Champion and the Reserve Supreme Champion.

September 2018 – Redheart Reality ?

Redheart Regal & Redheart Ru Images…

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When a person requires images and video’s of a horse, that is never a problem. Nothing better on a nice day waiting to capture that perfect stride with the ears forward. However, it’s rather difficult when you have an inquisitive 5-month-old foal who wanted to be in on the action!

We achieved a few shots of Redheart Regal and then snapped away at Baby Ru who got quite upset as I kept asking her to move out of my way but how could I not take pictures of this stunning filly.

Enjoy…

Redheart Owners…

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What a wonderful feeling, seeing owners with their Redhearts.

Wendy came to visit Ru and we delivered Regent to Jane.


After a nice shower, our journey with Regent was very easy, he loads and travels very well and we all were delighted to see how chilled he was at his new home.

Video link to Redheart Regent checking out his new boundary and meeting his new neighbours with his new owner Jane Tull.

HERE

Happy horses and happy owners!

The British Appaloosa Society National Show 2018

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None of our horses are perfect and I respect their individual imperfections, they all have different personalities and I treat them accordingly but one thing they all always do is make me smile!

Sunday 19th three of our Redhearts competed at the British Appaloosa Society (BApS) National Show, such a fabulous day, the weather was kind, the competition was strong and the competitors were great fun and in abundance. Thank you to BApS, we know the effort and organisation required to create and produce such an event, true to form, faultless.

The morning proceeded with the in hand classes, DFR Patahas Redheart had a warm up in the Hunter Class taking a fourth from strong competition and later a second in the Licensed Stallion Class, qualifying for the Male Championships but we decided to take our yearling, which proved to be the right decision.


Redheart Catorrius had a warm up in the in hand four years and over gelding, before asking him to parade around in our BApS coloured attire for Concours d’Elegance.

Later, we competed in two ridden classes and although he is still showing signs of greenness we can’t complain because his performance is in progress and delighted to be in the ribbons.

Yet again the day was stolen by Redheart Reality. Our yearling gelding’s performance at sixteen months old is just outstanding. Being placed in a few classes put him forward for the Championships. Taking the Reserve Champion Youngstock, the Reserve Male Championship and wait for it…the Reserve Supreme Champion of the Show.

 

What an awesome result for his first season in the ring.

The Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show 2018

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A flat-out week preparing three horses for the Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show and then the weekend was no different as we helped celebrate their 18th anniversary at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire.

We took three Redhearts, our Stallion Blu who excelled in his presence, standing quietly in the warm-up and ring even with the mares, such a sweet boy. Guilty as charged, he made an awful sound by grinding his teeth for his two first classes but this thankfully disappeared after he had a wee  He competed in a variety of classes, always in the ribbons but his highlight was winning the UK Stallion Class and taking the Championship, awarded the Tiptoe Stud Shield, this was the only class I managed to stop him grabbing his chain in the trot up which was very frustrating!!


The only Redheart under saddle is Reus, the Western classes were Trails and we progressed nicely. Reus was scared of the bridge and the blue sparkly rope to the gate but we completed the course…eventually! We then changed to English and although we need to work on our “up and down” transitions he rode willingly in our Equitation classes, winning his first class and being placed second in the Open. I really could not have asked any more from this chap.


But, the day was stolen by Reus’s son Redheart Reality. For his second show and the first time in an indoor arena, he didn’t disappoint us. Winning the Most Colourful UK and the USA being awarded the Rhodes Appaloosa Trophy, then taking Reserve Champion. He then won his age group in UK and USA gelding, taking the Reserve Champion and finally completing his day with Reserve Champion Youngstock. He’s such an awesome yearling, a delight to be around and so easy to deal with.

All three Redhearts excelled themselves, I couldn’t be more pleased.

   

A very special thank you to my neighbour Abbie Lovegrove, who was an A* groom for me on Saturday, so very much appreciated.

 

The National shows take months even a year to organise and I write on behalf of the ApCH UK members, thank you to ALL the hard-working stewards, supporting volunteers, the ApHC UK directors and the Judges for organising such a wonderful event x

WES and The Western Way…

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Returning from our family holiday, Reus and I endured an intensive week’s training after having 3 weeks off, no pain no gain…This put us on target for our first WES Area 6.
What an experience, we learned a lot, we sweated a lot, we achieved a lot and now I ache a lot!

Our first Western Equestrian Society (WES) Area 6 event held at Valley View Ranch and Equestrian Centre was a wonderful experience at the weekend.
Over the two days, Reus participated in a few Showmanship, Pleasure, Horsemanship and Trail events, he was never out of the ribbons.

 

We met some lovely people and made new friends, we made progress in our Western riding and to top off a fantastic weekend we gained an award for best non-Quarter Horse.

An excellent event run by a delightful WES committee in a perfect location with lovely WES members and hosts, what an awesome weekend we had.

Here is a link to Reus’s first Trail

What a superb discipline, to learn the Western way!

Redheart Appaloosa Stud – Behind The Scenes…

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So the morning begins at 6 am when the horses are tended to, in work at 8.30 and home by 6 pm.

After the horses are all tucked up its usually 9 pm but the weekends are so very precious, we aim to compete at about 10 – 12 shows a year, leaving the other weekends free to continue the works at the Stud.

We are so fortunate to have wonderful friends and family who always are here to lend a hand when needed and the village children are very helpful if the work repays in McDonald’s!

Here is the progress of the manège.

 

Redheart Mares – Sex Scanned…

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So last weekend, our repro vet Mark Georgetti gave us his time, his patience and his expertise by sex scanning our three mares at around 60 days. We would like two fillies to continue our breeding programme with the semen stored from Hevans EV Catorrius (Reus). The only mares unrelated to him are Princesse Pascale and Caricks Redheart. You cannot breed two non-characteristic Appaloosas’s, (maybe one day the rule will change) therefore our fillies need to be heterozygous or homozygous.

We have inseminated all our mares with fresh semen from DFR

Left to right, Princesse Pascale carrying a filly, Peyres Catori Cat carrying a colt and Caricks Redheart also carrying a colt.

PP – Filly

 

Catori – Colt

Myka – Colt

The 60-day ultrasound identified our mares are carrying single live fetuses. Mark was very patient to find the view required and eventually the genital tubercle was located.

We are grateful our mares are in foal and the foetuses are “single” and “alive”, we pray the gestation and births follow suit!

Peyres Catori Cat, who is Reus’ dam is carrying a colt and Caricks Redheart is also carrying a colt.

Princess Pascale is carrying the next future Redheart filly, how ecstatic are we?

We await Redheart Pascalius’s (Reu’s half-sister) sex scan at the end of the month, our GAP 6 foal is definitely a filly or a colt though!!!!

At 61 days gestation, our last mare Redheart Pascalius (Evee) has been sexed scanned.

The live scan definitely showed a filly but the picture I took looks like a colt, so time will tell.

Redheart’s first GAP 6 foal (six generation of Appaloosa x Appaloosa breeding).

The genital tubercle (which eventually will become the penis in a colt and the clitoris in a filly) develops on the midline of the fetuses, between the hind legs. The structure moves towards the umbilicus in a colt and toward the anus in a filly.

I wonder when DFR Patahas Redheart (Blu) was watching over his herd as a yearling did he think one day they will all be carrying his babies?