The Redheart Mares are carrying the 2023 Redheart Foals.

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Our four broodmares are in for the winter…

Talisman’s Redheart (Ghost) is confirmed in foal to Hevan’s EV Catorrius (Reus).

We store our stallion’s semen mainly as a backup, we are very realistic knowing anything can happen to horses within a blink of an eye.

It is an expensive way to breed and not always successful but using Hevans EV Catorrius frozen semen with Ghost will hopefully give us our Reus filly, one day!

Admitted to Three Counties Equine Hospital this year with her 2022 foal at foot she was as inseminated under the expert eye of Vicky Savage – BVSc MSc CertAVP DipECEIM MRCVS European Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine.

Ghosts first pregnancy scan was positive but showed a double ovulation had occurred, meaning she had twins, one embryo at 16mm and the other at 19mm. It’s not rare for a mare to double ovulated (we wouldn’t intentionally risk any mare to carry twins) but what is rare is she caught again 3 days after insemination. Frozen semen usually will only remain viable inside the mare for 6-12 (or perhaps even 18) hours.

 

Vicky “pinched” the smaller embryo and Ghost was re-scanned to ensure the embryo was still there, implanted into the uterus and developing, at 34 days another scan ensured a heartbeat was seen.

 

We are delighted Ghost has been confirmed with a healthy single pregnancy and carries the full sibling to Really.

 

We REALLY can’t wait to meet this foal!

 

 

 

 

 

Redheart Pascallius (Evee) crossed with DFR Patahas Redheart (Blu) can only produce black or smoky black foals, she is confirmed in foal for 2023.

We are very much looking forward to meeting the UK’s next GAP 6 foal.

Redheart Revelation 

Redheart Ricochet

Redheart Remembrance

Evee x Blu 2023 (Heartbeat Scan)

 

Peyres Catori Cat (Catori) is confirmed in foal to DFR Patahas Redheart for 2023.

 

Breeding Appaloosa’s is like choose a Random Revel, you just don’t know what you are going to get (although I can confidently say I can pick out the  chocolate buttons and Malteser’s but struggle with the orange cream, coffee cream, caramel and chocolate raisins).

This mare exceeds our expectations every delivery by what she produces, she is our least Foundation mare but her “get” will produce Foundation Appaloosa’s registered with FAHR if crossed to the right FAHR mare/stallion.

One of the most charismatic equines I have ever had the pleasure of owning.

 

Hevans EV Catorrius

Redheart Cateaster

Redheart Regal

Redheart Regent

Redheart Relentless

Redheart Raven

Redheart Raphiele

Catori x Blu 2023

 

Caricks Redheart (Myka) is confirmed in foal to DRF Patahas Redheart (Blu) for 2023.

The Appaloosa is a Breed not a colour and the non-Characteristic (lp/lp) horses like our Caricks Redheart is an absolute blessing for producing 100% characteristic Appaloosa foals (LP/lp) when mated with our homozygous (LP/LP) stallion Blu.

Here is Myka with her three foals by Blu, she can only produce spotted bay or buckskin foals.

We look forward to the safe arrival of her fourth full sibling in 2023.

 

 

Redheart Reflection 

Redheart River Run

Redheart Romance

2023 Myka x Blu

Everything crossed for the foal’s safe arrival – The Class of 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remy & Really Restrained via DuraCorral

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When mares give birth, their natural instinct is to protect their foals, we would never turn a mare and foal out within a herd from day one and what makes our situation worse in March 2022 is the wet weather and muddy ground. We dare not risk any infection via an umbilical chord with the mud, therefore we have decided to invest in yet more DuraCorral panels to split the ménage into two…

This means not only does our ménage serve as a riding arena (when the daylight hours permit after normal human working hours) and it also refrains our horses eating/chewing the wooden rails but the best benefit at the present time during this awful weather is, it has allowed us to turn the two mares and foals out each evening, whilst we clear out their stables.

We are so close to that extra hour of daylight and irrespective of daylight the mares and foals are turned out daily , providing their bodies and minds with what we consider only of a positive nature.

Here are some images when Remy met Really, well to be honest the mares didn’t allow them to meet but nearly…

Redheart Mares – Counting down the foaling days 2022

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The 5 Redheart broodmares are looking great, feeling fine and totally relaxed in their routine as we start to count down the days to foaling and pray for the safe arrival of our 2022 foals.

We are expecting two foals from Reus and three foals from Blu, all have full siblings except Reus x Ghost, this will be our first ever Foundation Appaloosa Horse Registry (FAHR) foal from our Catori line. It goes without saying, all we want is a healthy new-born but we would be blessed to see a filly delivered. A filly would be retained for our future breeding plan with Fire or Blu, continuing our path of the UK’s Foundation Appaloosa Stud.

Counting down the foaling days 2022 

 

 

The Class of 2021 – The Window of opportunity…

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We initially rely on our mares to help teach the foals to lead and stand.
We take full advantage of a small window of opportunity when the foals only want to follow their dams, when the apron’s strings are broken they are happy to be lead alone.

The Class 2021 – THE FIRST 48 HOURS

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In conjunction with Farm & Stable Supplies for supporting the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) UK 2021 Photo Competition. Thank you 🙂

Can you imagine being born within 4 walls and then the door is opened, a new environment awaits you but also the realisation of what your legs are for…

Our post foaling check list is quite extensive, but only then can we relax and enjoy our foals knowing we have done our best to ensure their well-being.

Here are some clips from The Class of 2021, showing their characters within in the first 48hrs of life outside the stable.

Here is a little video:

The Class of 2021 – STAGE 3 – Passing The Placenta

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In conjunction with Farm & Stable Supplies for supporting the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) UK 2021 Photo Competition. Thank you 🙂

STAGE 3 of foaling is known as delivery of the placenta. The mare’s uterus continues to contract after foaling which causes the placenta to be expelled BUT so much more happens before the placenta is expelled.

So, the foals are safely out, either our mares get up or our foals crawl to their dam’s head but either way the umbilical cord breaks and the foals begin their first mission, to get to their feet. Their second mission is to find the milk bar, both missions are challenging, we only intervene if required to do so.

Our mares’ bond with their foals by licking, nuzzling, and nickering to them, it is wonderful to watch.

During the processes of the foals’ natural instincts, to stand and feed, the mare’s body is constantly experiencing the pain of contractions, the ultimate result we wait for is a placenta that is completely intact.

Once we are satisfied the foal has properly latched on and nursed, the foal has urinated and passed the meconium and most of all the placenta is intact, only then do we leave them, knowing we have done everything possible to ensure a great start to their new life.

Here’s a little video:

The Class 2021 – STAGE 2 FOALING

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In conjunction with Farm & Stable Supplies for supporting the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) UK  2021 Photo Competition. Thank you 🙂

As the contraction persist, we witness the bulge of the white fluid-filled amniotic sac from the vulva followed by every breeder’s delight, two front feet and a nose. We wait and watch and talk to our mares, we know our mares well and they need to know I am there.

As the contraction persist, the feet and nose pop in and out of their vulvas, it is common for a mare to get up and back down as she repositions her foal for ease of delivery. The head and front feet are now out… Then, a few hard pushes that result in the shoulders passing through the birth canal and eventually the foal is out!

Telling them how well they have done and keeping everything calm, they whinny and look at their new-born and stay lying down which is beneficial for the foal to receive as much blood as possible to pass through the umbilical cord.

Right or wrong, we always pull out the back feet out, we know too many stories of foals trying to crawl whilst the feet are inside the mare whilst she is led down, the result can be detrimental to the mare, so we take no risks.

Whilst the foal is out, we gently clear the nasal passage of any fluid, imprint them before the mares get up or the foal crawl to the mares head and allow the bonding process to begin.

Either the mare will stay down, and the foal will start to crawl towards her, or the mare will get up and their first meet is just beautiful. This is their first bond, all our mares are great mothers, they are kind and do their foals well, we leave them bond.

Here’s a little video:

The Class of 2021 – STAGE 1 – Signs of imminent FOALING

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In conjunction with Farm & Stable Supplies for supporting the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) UK  2021 Photo Competition. Thank you 🙂

The Redheart Mare’s – Stage ONE of foaling and the imminent signs!

We keep our mares in a strict routine and when the doors are shut and a loud “night night” is yelled down the barn, the horses know it is quiet time and safe to foal.

Before foaling begins the mares must go through STAGE ONE of labour, a point prior to foaling when the mares look like they are showing signs of colic, box walking, kicking their bellies, rubbing their rear ends, lying down and getting up repeatedly, holding their tails up, looking at the flanks, nipping or kicking at the abdomen, sweating, frequently urinate and pass droppings, walking around, picking at bits of hay, pawing the ground, some show signs of yawning, chewing and generally looking restless with an obvious change in behaviour and generally looking uncomfortable.

We watch them closely as we wait for them to settle and not get worse…this is due to a hormone released which creates uterine contractions and the foal rotates from its back, onto its belly with its forelegs and head extended towards the mare’s vagina, it moves into position for ready for delivery.

It can last for hours with “breaks” in between or it can be consistent before foaling commences, either way, all mares are different, their pain thresh hold levels are different and all will show some of the signs mentioned. We watch them with a careful eye especially the maiden, she really has no idea what’s going on!

Here is a little video: