Artificial Insemination & Semen Collection @ Redheart Appaloosa Stud

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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!.

 

Welcome Redheart Rumours to the Stud…

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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

Rumour Has It – A foal is due April 2018

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May 2017 the contractors arrived here at the stud to erect a fence creating two paddocks. Once the fence was up Blu our stallion enjoyed his new paddock parallel with the mare’s field.

Then came that dreaded phone call, “Mum, Blu’s in with the girls”…. My first worry was for the safety of the horses, my daughter Jasmin gave me an exact account of the events she saw which did include Blu jumping on Blanc’s head!!! Despite Evee taking charge and keeping Blu away from all the mares and foals, I guess she didn’t look after Blanc!!!!

I was home within minutes, caught one very sweaty Blu and checked him all over, all OK, returning to the paddock I found no damage to any of the mares or foals, just Evee slightly out of breath and a bit sweaty. Then checking the fence I realised no electric on,  for whatever reason? I was very relieved of the situation and never thought about it again.

During the last six months, Blanc has been looking good for the show season ahead.

Then, Saturday 21st March Blanc changed shape, worrying so. Her topline and hindquarters had sunk and her belly enlarged. No temperature, eating, drinking and a stable with plenty of droppings not to bring about a concern for a Vet to visit. I examined her all over and nothing to note, just confusion. A few days later a very slight change in her vulva and a slightly filled udder, surely this could only mean one thing?

I had completely forgotten about Blu jumping into the mare’s field and I’m positive I’ve seen Blanc showing to Blu over the fence? As a process of elimination, I scanned back through the stud info to find the date the contractors came, 18th May 2017. The estimated foaling date should be anything from 14th to the 29th April 2018, this fits with what I’m seeing at the moment. Would be bizarre, very bizarre if we see our 5th foal arrive on the 21st April?

As a maiden, it’s always difficult to witness normal gestation signs especially because Blanc doesn’t have a “baby belly” but all the other signs are 100% convincing. The foaling box is ready, the camera is up and we’re looking forward to meeting the result of this new mating.

So for those who have messaged me “do you have any foals due this year” the answer is now YES!

We are expecting a black or bay, homozygous LP/LP foal with 5 generations of pure Appaloosa bloodline, 100% Foundation Pedigree Designation with 79.78515% foundation lines traced back to the first 8 Stud Books of the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Most definitely a breeding prospect and will be FOR SALE £3,500

Winter 2017/18 At Redheart Appaloosa Stud

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The Winter With The Redheart Appaloosas

At 6 am the stable lights go on and at 6 pm I’ll straighten the bed

Without a doubt, come rain or snow, out in the corral they must go

Stretching their legs and keeping their head, it’s never long before they’re fed

Our stallion likes to smell the air and our broodmares like to stand and stare

The yearlings love to buck and run, they really have so much fun

The rest are easily pleased as we wait for spring it seems

There’s always one that loves to roll, the one by the gate see’s the feed bowel

The night-blind horses can see in the day but in the dark, only the light shows the way

They follow me with never a doubt, they trust me when they go out

The days are stolen and I want them back, never time for cleaning tack

I used the camera and as you can see, the horses are posers, just like thee

Peyres Catori Cat

Redheart Catorrius / Hevans EV Catorrius
 

Redheart Regal

Redheart Regent

Princesse Pascale

Redheart Pascalius

Redheart Reality

DFR Patahas Redheart

Caricks Redheart

The British Appaloosa Society National Show 2017….

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Back at the wonderful equestrian venue of Hartpury Equestrian College, we see DFR Patahas Redheart our two-year-old colt and Caricks Redheart our three-year-old filly finish their 2017 showing campaign.

We have a huge commitment to build a stable barn before the winter so our 2017 showing season must end!

The Redheart young stock did well, DFR Patahas Redheart gained the second place in the Sports Horse in hand (on a triangle), a fifth place in the most colourful blanket and another second place in the licensed stallion class with an award for the Highest Grade.

Caricks Redheart finished her 2017 campaign under the skillful handling and running of Crystal. A well-deserved fourth place in the Best Conditioned along with a Best Turned Out award, a fifth in the Riding Horse in hand, a third in the Most Colourful Other, a win in the two and three-year-old fillies with another award for the Best Turned Out and an award for the Highest Grade. The icing on the cake was a Reserve Champion out of the Females.

A well-supported show as always and an honor to be a member of the British Appaloosa  Society.

Smiles all-round!

   

A rewarding finish to 2017 at the British Appaloosa National Show.

Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Breed Show 2017….

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The ApHC UK National Breed Show, one show we very much enjoy and look forward to each year, held at Morton Morell College, Warwickshire.

A two-day event with in-hand classes on the first day followed by an eventful and entertaining social evening and riding classes on the second day. Having young stock, we only take part on the first day but hopefully, we will compete for under-saddle in the next year or so. With over 77 horses entered, it was and always is a wonderful sight.

DFR Patahas Redheart (Blu) and Caricks Redheart (Myka) were entered in a few utility classes to warm up before proceeding with their respective colour, age, and gender classes.

After prepping Amelie on her day ahead, I quickly cleaned Myka’s behind as she was in-season, took Blu from his stable as we headed for our first class, Western Best Condition/Turnout.  Blu took the first place and Myka took the second.

Outside, under the UK Judge, Myka won a well deserved second place in the Non-Characteristic Open class.

Blu and I continued with his colour classes indoors under the USA Judge, the lineup (nose to tail) was parallel to the mirrors. Blu was too small last year to see himself but this year his was quite impressed with his reflection, constantly but quietly neighing in that hormonal stallion voice! I purposely entered the ring first to avoid standing behind another horse but then realized he was looking at himself in the mirror ahead too!

Well, little did I know at that time but it was me who was causing him to be aroused by the smell of Myka on my hands….This caused him to try and mount me but like I said, at that time I thought he was just being a hormonal two-year-old colt and reared, not that he has reared before, none the less he was reprimanded. We only realized what we had done when we saw these pictures from Simon Coates Photography, it happened so quickly and I never thought it happened like this though.

I can not and do not blame Blu, he is such a sweet, quiet and sensible colt, a lesson learned by myself though.

After his discipline, he was quieter but would not give me my space, if I had known at this time I would, of course, washed my hands but I didn’t, so we proceeded with a challenge in his following classes.

The USA Two-Year-Old Colt Class, we took a second place and Reserve Champion.

He was much better outside, we took a second place and Reserve Champion under the UK Jude for the Two-Year Old Colts.

 

 

I ran Myka in her USA classes, Open Female FPD Halter, second place and she won the Three-Year-Old Fillies.

 

Mykas last class was the UK Three Year Old Fillies, she was presented with a win and the Freckles Trophy.

Looking forward to the 2018 ApHC UK National Breed Show already!

British Appaloosa Society Northern Show 2017

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I usually pride myself on organisation and presentation but this weekend I was quite cross with myself…..Arriving at the show late, without my 2017 “right hand” Amelie, taking two horses that are kept well apart from each other due to a two-year-old hormonal colt and a three-year-old filly who seems to spend every day in season….

Despite our best efforts, we missed our first two classes and literally ran DFR Patahas Redheart off the lorry into the ring for the Most Colourful class. Last, to enter the ring, we could see plenty of competitors and thought we have no chance! A well deserved first and gaining the Best Turned Out.

We ran Blu back to the box and ran Myka into the next class the Most Colourful Other. Absolutely delighted to take the first place and again winning the Best Turned Out. I then realised I had two horses qualified for the Championship. Thank you so much to Katey Anne Catcheside who very kindly ran Myka, fabulous job.

Next up, Myka in the 2 & 3 year Old Fillies Class. Not a foot out-of-place, she took a well deserved 2nd place to a very nice filly. After a little break, Blu entered the BApS Licensed Stallion Class, very unsettled he displayed a few “colty” moves, very disappointed in him, it was a small ring, constantly on the turn and I think he got annoyed with me, not letting him have his head? Lesson learnt, we must trot slower….

Myka, received a Reserve Champion in the Youngstock Championship but her performance had no sparkle, head down and slightly reluctant to trot, shame she wasn’t more relaxed to have a wee in the ring, waiting to go once loaded on the lorry?

The Championship Classes ran one into the other, despite my best attempt to swap horses, by the time I returned with Blu for the Male Championship, the class had started and that was that!

The best part of the day was seeing the eyes light up from the breeders of Myka, Carol & Michael Woods.  I felt very proud showing Myka and delighted with her performance. It was a wonderful friendly show,  full of beautiful Appaloosas.