Redheart Owners…

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

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

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

Redheart Regent – New Home…

21st April 2017 we saw the birth of Redheart Regent, from this day he has been given the best possible start in life at Redheart Appaloosas. At 15 months, it is time for him to move on and start a new chapter in his life, an exciting loving home in Gloucestershire where he has already become one person’s dream horse!

It’s the prospective purchaser that vets the horse and it is us who vet the prospective purchaser.

It’s wonderful to see this new partnership already bonding, we are confident your journey in life together will be meaningful and fulfilling and Regent will give you everything you have ever wished for and more!

We shall keep his page open and follow his journey.

Redheart Ru’s Genetic Trait and DNA…

One of many factors involved in breeding is DNA, we submit to the Appaloosa Societies all our horses DNA, a  personal and unique form of genetic identification, a profile that establishes identity.

Animal genetics provide a quick and simple service, submitting a sample is very easy by pulling 30-40 mane and/or tail hairs from the horse, ensuring the actual root of the hair is attached.
Usually, within five working days, you will receive the DNA report.

There are many genetic marker profiles but the labs concentrate on 20.

This is our stallions DFR Patahas Redheart (Blu) DNA profile:

This is our mares Redheart Regal’s (Blanc) DNA profile

And this is Redheart Ru’s DNA profile, the offspring of Blanc x Blu.

All our foals are parentage tested, by cross-referencing the parents DNA. The foal will have one copy from each of its parent’s markers.

For simplicity, here is a copy of our own records for Ru, Blanc’s DNA in red and Ru’s copy from her dam in red. Blu’s DNA in black and Ru’s copy from her sire in black.

One thing Ru inherited from her dam was her white face markings. At the present time, there is no way you could tell that Blanc has/had white face markings because she has coloured out but here is a picture of Blanc as a foal.

 

Blanc         Ru 

The traits and DNA…

Redheart Yearling Wins Royal Windsor 2018

Let the show season begin…

Well not quite, our plans to spend the season with Redheart Regal certainly stopped a month ago when she gave birth to Ru. Our three-year-old stallion should be having his last year in-hand in the ring but is now otherwise occupied with the breeding season, more about that next week. So, although we will be concentrating on competing Reus under saddle, who will attend the next in-hand event? The first horse to the gate I guess!

For those that follow us, you will know we adore the County shows, a perfect opportunity for a family day out and this year our first event was Royal Windsor. The lucky horse chosen to come with us this year was our yearling Redheart Reality aka Tally.

Such a huge event for any horse never mind a yearling, Tally took the day in his stride, he gave an amazing performance in the ring taking the first place in the young stock class and then Reserve Champion to Megan Share and her gorgeous horse Desired Edition.

Redheart Reality

Redheart Reality

Redheart Reality

A fabulous day for us and an outstanding start to Tally’s future, whatever that might be?

He is for sale, please see his page HERE and contact us if he meets ALL of your requirements.

 

Redheart Rumours to Redheart RU Chubarry – Appaloosa Ru – SOLD

We are delighted to announce our 2018 purebred bay (Ee Aa) buckskin few spot filly Ru has found herself a 5* home here in the UK. After weaning she will head off to Chubarry Appaloosa Stud in Hertfordshire. www.chubarryappaloosas.co.uk.

Here, Ru will undertake her new registered name “Redheart RU Chubarry” under the ownership of Wendy Fitzgerald. Ru will commence her show career and eventually join the broodmares, awaiting the mating season with the resident stallion, Chubarry Charlie.

This breeding will be a superb addition to the Appaloosa world, combining excellent conformation, wonderful natured horses with proven show records and unique bloodline here in the UK.
The icing on the cake for Chubayy Appaloosas, their crossing of a bay (EE AA) non-characteristic (lp/lp) PATN1/PATN1 stallion with a homozygous mare (LP/LP) who carries PATN1 and the cream dilute gene will give the stud a superb opportunity to produce 50% bay or 50% bay buckskin characteristic foals 100% of the time.

We wish Ru, Charlie and Wendy all the very best of luck in their new and exciting venture and if anything should change we will have Ru back in a heartbeat! 💓

A picture by Sue Feast (one of the Directors of ApHC UK) Wendy and Charlie, winning one of their many Championship.

Welcome Redheart Rumours to the Stud…

Friday 13th..

As expected, Redheart Regal’s (Blanc) udder and vulva proved correct in their progress. There is no way these are typical pictures of a mare that is close to foaling never mind 6 hours away! I guess you know your mare and the changes that occur and these developments were huge in comparison to the previous days. Notice that one tiny bead of wax on the right nipple!

 

Although Blanc didn’t have a “baby belly”, hiding the foal so well the inevitable happened!

At 2.45pm, watching her on the camera, linked to my mobile seeing her looking anxious, walking the box and lying down ‘belly watching’, it was time to get in the car!

From work, I drove home, I really do have the most understanding and supportive employers. Arriving at 3 pm the head and front feet were out and Blanc laid quietly resting, allowing the foal to receive a good blood supply via the umbilical cord, textbook delivery!

From here, I sat quietly, intensively watching as Blanc bonded with her foal, she is a maiden mare and was quite scared/confused by the event, although she did all the right things a mother does, there remained that bit of “not sure”. I read the situation and decided not to interfere until I knew Blanc was content for me to do so! Blanc had cleansed and the placenta was all intact. Within 45 minutes, the foaling had taken place, the mare had cleansed and the foal was up, trying to nurse.

You can view the bonding process and the foal eventually standing here.

It proved a big deal for Blanc to allow her foal to nurse, trying many different avenues myself and a vet failed to get the foal to latch on and not through lack of patience! Ensuring a good start, we collected the colostrum and stomach tubed the foal, the foal knew exactly what to do but Blanc was having none of it. Persevering, During Friday night and all day Saturday, I held Blanc every two hours to allow the foal to nurse and then as my alarm went off Sunday morning at 4 am I saw on the camera Blanc standing allowing the foal to nurse….such a relief, job done!

A stunning homozygous (LP/LP) buckskin FILLY! Redheart Rumours AKA Ru.

Redheart Regal x DFR Patahas Redheart 100% FPD