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.
Happy horses and happy owners!
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?
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.
The traits and DNA…
April 21st,2013, Redheart Pascalius (aka Evee) was born, from this day her destiny was planned, to be proven in the ring and then to join our broodmares. Over the past five years, we have witnessed the amazing colour and pattern change as she’s matured and today we announce she is confirmed in foal to our stallion DFR Patahas Redheart (aka Blu).
Evee 2013
The BREEDING
Evee 2014
Evee and Blu are on the American “A” register with the Appaloosa Horse Club UK.
The foal will be “A” register
Both horses are registered with the British Appaloosa Society, Evee GRADE A and Blu GRADE B.
The foal will be registered as GRADE A
Evee 2015
Evee is 100% Foundation Pedigree Designation (FPD), 5 generations of pure Appaloosa x Appaloosa blood lines, Blu is also 100% FPD, therefore the foal will be 100% FPD. Because you cannot get higher than 100%, the Appaloosa Horse Club introduced the Generation Advancement Programme (GAP) which allows the foal of two 100% FPD parents to enter the first level, GAP 5. Evee and Blu are both GAP 5, therefore this foal will be the UK’s first GAP 6.
Evee 2016
Evee is not eligible (75% required) with the Foundation Appaloosa Horse Register, she is
72.0215% but Blu is registered at 92.9687%.
The resulting foal will be registered, with foundation lines traced back to the first 8 Stud Books of the ApHC at 82.4951%.
The GENETICS
Evee is genetically black (EE aa) and Blu is (EE aa) so the resulting foal will be definitely (EE aa). Blu carries the cream gene, so there is a 50% chance of a smokey black foal.
Evee has one copy of the Leopard Complex gene, LP/lp and Blu is LP/LP. The resulting foal will definitely inherit Appaloosa Characteristics from the LP gene with the result being 50% heterozygous (LP/lp) or (LP/LP) homozygous.
Evee 2017
Evee didn’t inherit the PATTN1 gene (patn1/patn1) and Blu has two copies (PATN1/PATN1), therefore the foal will 100% inherit one copy from Blu and be PATN1/patn1.
Both horses are negative for the 5-panel test and grey gene, by default the foal will also be negative by parentage.
The PERFORMANCE
Evee and Blu have excelled in the ring, both have won at County and National level. Between them, they have won Championships and Register of Merit (ROM) certificates with ApHC, Highest Grade Awards with BApS and Performance Awards with ApHC UK.
Evee 2018
X
Blu
History in the making, one reason why we breed forward!
You don’t see the change every day but a picture every four weeks…beautiful.
Redheart Regent with her foal Redheart RU Chubarry by DFR Patahas Redheart.
April 2018
May 2018
June 2018
To be continued!
Our ten-year plan is now well underway, we have imported new Appaloosa blood into the UK, we have shown in-hand all our “foundation” breeding stock and strongly believe our stock have earned their merits to breed, now we begin competing under saddle.
We have tested all the stock’s genes to clarify breeding forward with clear genetics. By definition, breeding negative mares to negative stallions can only result in negative foals. HERDA – Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia, GBED – Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency, HYPP – Equine Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis Disease and MH – Malignant Hyperthermia and of course the two most important here in the UK as Appaloosa registration default, the Grey gene, and PSSM1 – Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy.
For our own interest, we have tested the “foundation” stock for their colour and Appaloosa genetic makeup. It’s good to know what percentage of chance you have for specific color and coat patterns. One definite result we will never know is the gender, although saying that, our 2016 sex scans were correct.
The British Appaloosa Society (BApS) and the Appaloosa Horse Club UK (ApHC UK) have very strict guidelines for breeding registered purebred Appaloosas. We make sure our paperwork is fault free with DNA on file, genetic tests, stallion licensing and of course pedigree percentages. Redheart Appaloosa Stud pride themselves on not only ensuring completed registration certificates but the highest of the grades possible from each mating, being 100% Foundation Pedigree Designation (FPD), Generation Advancement Programme (GAP 5 or GAP 6) with Appaloosa Horse Club and GRADE A or STUD BOOK with the British Appaloosa Society. Our horses are overstamped with the Sports Horse Society and all foals are eligible.
We treat our mares like “princesses”, they are very important and are not breeding machines. We believe in quality, not quantity. The current supply of “Appaloosa’s” is high and the demand is low and if you’re looking for a spotty horse, then the market is plentiful, it is only through education will people understand the history of a Purebred Appaloosa, albeit BApS or ApHC UK registered. The current market offers some wonderful spotty horses, but beware and ask the right questions, not every spotty horse is an Appaloosa. The realisation that the purebred Appaloosa is a rare breed in the UK with less than twelve 100% FPD horses, less than six GAP 5 horses, not one GAP 6 and there are less than ten British Appaloosa Society Stud Book registered horses. (These figures might have increased to date).
We treasure our stallion, DFR Patahas Redheart, his age is a huge advantage to the longevity of the stud and his colour test confirmed homozygous black with a cream gene and homozygous PATN1 with foundation lines traced back to the first 8 Stud Books of the ApHC at 92.9687%. We know we have something quite unique, a very rare find in the Appaloosa world and one of a kind here in the UK.
Many studs and stallion owners allow their stallion to run with mares, some cover in hand and it works perfectly fine. On the other hand, some owners have seen and experienced detrimental damage to their stallions and mares under these conditions. Trying to limit the damage of such accidents we have stored frozen semen from our stallion Reus before castrating him, allowing him to have a rich life among his relations. Planning ahead with our stallion Blu, we have established a small AI unit, consisting of stocks, a basic lab, and a dummy mare. Certified by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a UK AI technician I have the certificate of competence in AI of equines.
We are delighted to announce Princess Pascale, Caricks Redheart and Peyres Catori Cat are scanned in foal, due early April 2019.
We await Redheart Pascalius to come into season, looks like we will be busy next year!.
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.
After a long winter, the ground has certainly dried and the spring grass is coming through.
Over the last week, our mares have joined our two yearlings, Regent and Reality in the pasture. Slowly increasing the amount of time spent grazing, they haven’t come up for air!
And then…waking up to this view!
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.
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
Blanc
Ru