Time OUT…..

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  This is just a personal thing……..

At the start of the year there is so much prep work that goes into a young horse. Before you know it the show season is upon you and every weekend or every other weekend is consumed. After assessing each show, gaining your goals or not, the show season has then finished.

 

   

Just like humans a change is as good as a rest so to speak!

I believe, turning a young horse away, allow them to become horses, settle in their “working clothes” is a huge asset to their future mentally. Allowing them to digest what they have learnt (as long as it’s on a good note) and switch off mentally is almost like a huge relief for them. Pushing a young horse can encounter problems and stress for a horses owner / handler alike. Although Reus is a strong-looking colt I must take a recheck, he still is only three years old and still has a lot of maturing mentally and physically to do. It is very important to allow him to grow up mentally and gain more strength physically.

  

It is generally thought good practice to turn a young horse away over the winter, he accepts the saddle, will walk around with me on his back and that’s enough. We have built a great relationship and left some positive happy memories with no issues for 2016. I am already looking forward to the Spring when we can continue.

I will be honest, the most Reus has done now is having his feet picked out. No brushing, no washing, no walks, no plaiting, no work and no education, may be a little fuss and a chat but that’s it….

Reus is now totally calm and relaxed, totally dirty and totally care free. He is turned out all day, waits at the gate at dusk to come in and looks forward to his evening meal in peace as the pressure is off.

     

He looks like something out of a horror movie with his rough dirty coat and spiked mane and tail, slowly growing back from the intense pampering over the year but he is happy, content and in a new routine……so am I!

I don’t think horses have a sense of time, one week off or six months off is still a break for them but six months fits well with the dark winter months and my personal life.

It can only be beneficial to us all at Redheart Appaloosas as we enjoy our Time OUT……

O’Deer……

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  This is the deer that lives around here…..a wild beautiful creature that we see quite often. It’s never that close to the horses but if she see’s you she’s gone! My daughter captured this gorgeous photo a few weeks back and as you can see she fits in quite well with the Appaloosa’s, although she does have more spots than most of the Redheart Appaloosa’s!

 

 

 

 

 The horses are all settled BUT when the deer is hiding in the hedge, then it only takes one horse to convince the other horses there is a lion, tiger, or bear hiding…..

 

 

 

On this occasion it was Evee….

 

         


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Tail up, snorting and running around the other horses aimlessly until they agreed….run for your life !

    

It wasn’t long before they were just trotting around wondering what they were running away from?

 

PP and Ben stayed close…..

    

So did Catori and Blanc……

 

I adore seeing the 2015 foals move, it doesn’t happen very often but when it does it’s just lovely!

They show the extent of movement they have, hold them selves and look outstanding.

                                                                                        

                                                              

 

 

It’s not long before the adults take charge and set the example, back to grazing thank you Evee.

 

 

 

 

Easter the yearling was the only one that was either prepared to stay and fight or may be she saw the deer and was confused why Evee was so scared?

Either way, she is so laid back neither a deer or her half sister was going to disrupt her grazing.

              

Despite the horses seeing the deer most days, they usually don’t bother to even acknowledge it but some times, just sometimes it’s O’deer….

The Redhearts Meet & Greet……

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After weaning Evee and Easter were back with their dams with no problems, the pecking order was established and each horse respected the others place. Since the birth of Ben and Blanc earlier this year, Evee and Easter have been in an adjacent field.

Now the show season has come to an end, it’s time for Evee and Easter to re-join the herd, they will be turned away for the next six months to mature mentally and physically.

A mares bond with her foal is strong and I question the reaction of the mares when they are re-introduced to their previous foals? Although all the horses have talked over the fence the surprise to see them in the same field was extraordinary….Camera ready!

 

Catori, Blanc, Ben and PP watched the new arrivals enter their “territory”.

 Evee and Easter stayed together in their comfort zone…until Catori chased them, exercising her dominant trait, as head of the “herd”.   It was PP who was the first to say hello to Easter, Catori was having nothing to do with the new arrivals and was determined to keep her foal Blanc well away.

 

PP immediately greeted Evee, her 2013 foal and their affections for each other confused Ben her 2015 foal…

Then the fun began….the 2015 foals became excited and started to show off….

    

 

 It was no surprise, Ben would be the first to approach the girls, so submissive yet so brave…

 

 

It wasn’t long before they all settled, lovely to see the “herd” establishing and learning their social skills. Catori keeping her herd in order and having nothing to do with her previous foal? Everyone knows their status in the pecking order and they happily graze….

 

       

  

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Foundation Appaloosas “GET” in the UK…….

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I really notice the work load getting three ready for a show and Friday night was a very late finish. As the sun came up Saturday morning the day started to unfold with an awe of excitement as Katie and Crystal turned up and we headed off too the Appaloosa Horse Club UK annual National Breed Show at Moreton Morrel. A two-day show full of APPALOOSAS, run exceptionally well by the ApHC UK directors who exceed themselves organising the whole event including a social evening with line dancing and silent auction to raise funds for the Club and maintain their Grass Roots Database.

Outside, we started the day under the UK judge Theresa Simkins where the three young stock competed in the Non Characteristic and Most Colourful Other class’s. Later the three horses continued to excel in their UK classes relative to their sex and age.

Indoor, Reus started the day under the USA Judge Michelle Pfender in the ApHC USA three-year old colts, FPD Halter for colts and Stallions. Easter and Evee both stepped up to the mark in ApHC USA yearling and two-year old fillies respectively. Later in the FPD Halter mares/fillies a very good friend Margaret Lawrence took Easter with ease giving her a lovely lead as I competed with Evee to comply with the ApHC USA membership requirements.

 

 

 

Throughout the day Reus was very calm and relaxed, he certainly is learning to stand quiet and switch off but he still likes to take advantage of a moment to “show off”. There is no reason other than “look at me male syndrome”. There are times when he grows to 17hh, screams and shouts then when he has everybody’s attention he looks embarrassed!!!! Taking USA and UK Stallion Championships, Young Stock Champion and Reserve Supreme made the day.

      

The pictures below are of Reus being awarded the M&J Walsh Shield for the Young Stock Championship.

The two small children are Youth members Poppy Spivey and Daisy Williams, they were so very sweet and quiet and gave Reus a kiss. They held a teddy bear named Liberty (aka Bertie). He was on his travels representing a charity called Lighterlife, who are a leading national weight loss company helping individuals to change their lives.

 I think this picture shows clearly the sensitive nature of horses in general with regards to small children and hence why so many unfortunate children with disabilities gain so much happiness from horses. A wonderful moment captured by my mum and Simon Coates Photography.

Champion & Reserve Champion Young Stock.                                                               Margaret Lawrence with her two-year old gelding Teddy Crookberrow

HEVANS EV CATORRIUS’S DAY

 


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Evee in my opinion is still growing through the “gormless” two-year old stage just like her mum did but her neck is developing and she doesn’t look as bad as she did. Evee is very well in herself and coat but we are experiencing some two year old “tantrums” and “sulking”. One common factor I have experienced,  – BEING TWO YEARS OLD. Just like my children and when showing Peyres Catori Cat, Princesse Pascale, Reus and now Evee at two they just want to see how far they can push you before you lose the plot!!!! Pushing the boundary in the ring where I am 100% sure they know they cannot be reprimanded…… None the less by the end of the day she was tired and gave some beautiful shows, taking the UK Reserve Female Championship with Crystal.

REDHEART PASCALIUS’S DAY

   


 

 

 

 

 

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Evee & Easter with Margaret

Eaters’s first show with Evee at the ApHC UK Midlands show was very relaxed. They didn’t even know they were both at the same event. Easter took everything in her stride and relied on Crystal as her security. It’s a bit different now, poor Katie and Crystal had to stay either end of the show ground and whoever was in the ring had a task obtaining the fillies attention. Both horses have bonded too much and Easter’s insecurity shows by consistently shouting for Evee. They got better as the day progressed and Margaret and Easter took the USA Reserve Female Championship.

One lesson we have learnt about the girls, they now need separating from each other, especially before our next event.

REDHEART CATEASTER’S DAY

     

Two classes we have never been able to enter, “Get of Sire” and “Produce of Dam” but this year we qualified for both. Having all three young stock (the only three in the UK) by the Stallion Kiss My Finest Heart,  qualified us and brought home a first place.

Peyres Catori Cat the Dam Reus and Easter enabled them to compete in Produce of dam, again bringing home a first place.

For me this was the highlight of the day, competing against other superb breeding stock and to my delight on this day the Redheart young stock were clearly both Judges “type”. Their comments were flattering and very sympathetic towards the fillies performance because during their shows they were frightened from some rather distracting noise from dogs in the gallery but credit where credit is due, Crystal and Katie handled the situation well and there were no loose horses as they attempted a flight reaction…

A huge recognition for us, putting the Foundation Appaloosa Horse on the map in the UK and one moment of tense pressure that brought beaming smiles from ear to ear.

The three Redheart Young Stock taking the Get of Sire – Kiss My Finest Heart

Reus and Easter taking the Produce of Dam – Peyres Catori Cat

THE REDHEART YOUNG STOCK

A day when the ApHC USA & UK Judges gave the Redheart Young Stock the “GET” in the UK……

It’s My Pleasure…….

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This morning we headed off to the American Pleasure London Counties Horse Show run by the United Saddlebred Association-UK – American Saddlebreds. A wonderful opportunity for us to compete with the Foreign Breeds.

Our two and a half hour journey was straight forward and the M25 was clear during the early morning……We only had Hevans EV Catorrius / Redheart Catorrius on the lorry as poor Redheart Pascalius was still recovering from her slip at the ApHC UK Southern Show, fingers crossed for the hair to regrow before the ApHC UK National Breed Show.

We had a wonderful day competing in a handful of classes against some stunning seasoned horses.

 

  

After a successful day unfortunately our journey home was spent sat on the M25

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It’s my pleasure to be promoting the Foundation Appaloosa……..

 

Life Event…….To Breed Your First

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       To breed your first born is a special moment and will be treasured.

To be fortunate to breed and keep your  first born is very rewarding.

This Blog is a little insight of Reus’s journey to date, from Catori’s 14 day scan to the arrival of two very important certificates.

9th August 2008 Reu’s Dam was born, Peyres Catori Cat.

February 14th 2009, we imported her and started her in-hand showing career. 

Kiss My Finest Heart

Catori was inseminated 21st July 2011 with the imported semen from Kiss My Finest Heart.

Peyres Catori Cat

17TH August 2011 Catori finished her in hand career.

 Winning the British Appaloosa In Hand Championship at The Royal County Berkshire Show.

   13TH June 2012, we had the most unexpected surprise, with no signs of foaling!

A brown non-characteristic colt, Reus.

Over the next 12 months he was educated and his future planned…..

               

We started 2013 with a few in-hand shows as a nice introduction. Reus proved to have inherited his mother’s confident traits and it was obvious we had our hands full.

As a two year old, 2014 proved to be a very testing show season. The high level of testosterone alongside his two year old tantrums gave us more determination to prove him. We persevered and happy to say we overcame a few issues, exceeding my expectations towards the end of the season.

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The start of 2015 has been pleasant so far but the one major event we anticipated was Reus’s third birthday…..

        

        

To comply with the British Appaloosa Society and the Appaloosa Horse Club UK stallion licensing requirements,  it was agreed to complete the five stage vetting with the independent vet on the same day for both societies. Reus’s application for his stallion license was organised a while back and booked for Monday 15th June.

After liaising with both societies, completing the necessary documents, tests and fees, I am now very proud to announce, Reus’s is officially recognised as Hevans EV Catorrius with the ApHC UK (Grade A) and Redheart Catorrius with BApS (Grade A) as a registered licensed Stallion.

       

We will continue his competition career in hand for the remainder of 2015

The plan is to “collect” from him and hope to have semen available for the 2016 breeding season.

 

               

 

What a memorable Life Event….

Not what you want……

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Sometimes the force is against you…..sometimes there are little signs and your gut tells you not to go ahead with your plan! Sunday was one of those days…..

After an amazing day with Redheart Cateaster I came home to work Evee and Reus and prepare them for the next day. All done, all good to go for our journey just over two and a half hours away.

Unforeseen circumstance set us off late but we made good time to junction 10 of the M4, then….round about after roundabout after roundabout. Under no circumstance would I give the horses a bad ride but in turn this made us very late.

We took the horses off the lorry straight into the ring which is something I never do and didn’t really think about under the circumstances. Therefore to expect a two-year old and three-year old to stand still was a big ask when their nostrils were flared and tails up!

Needless to say neither I nor Katie did any good and to be honest neither horse deserved to be placed. We used our time wisely, I worked Reus in a corner out the way and unfortunately Evee was not playing the game. It then became obvious she was showing the same miserable signs as four weeks prior at the APHC UK Regional show, season time!!!!

 

Reus settled and stood to win his class, take the Young stock Championship and Reserve Supreme Champion. Evee continued to be very “mare-ish” and disobedient with Katie.

 

 

During a ten minute break between classes Katie squared Evee up and took her back into the arena. Sometimes things happen so quick you don’t know what happened but the result was Katie getting kicked and Evee running loose. Katie was a little shocked and was controlling her painful arm with great dishonesty, something we all do but we all know everyone knows you’re in pain but you keep repeating I’m fine…trying to convince yourself I guess?

Horses generally run back to their comfort zone and sure enough the route to the lorry was with a sharp 45 degree turn. With a lead from the halter dragging, it was a certainty something was going to give. Evee slipped on the concrete and suffered minor superficial grazes, slightly shocked and possibly a tad winded?

It is amazing how horsey people are so quick to react and to everyone that helped, I thank you!

Needless to say our day was cut short as we loaded up and had a quiet slow run home.

All is well, Katie is a little bruised, Evee is sound and will probably miss a few shows while she heals and I have learnt to except sometimes when a mare is in season its best they stay at home!

We have the same red dot on the calendar now…..but its not what you want!

 

 

A Day in Derbyshire……

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We like to arrive at any show at least an hour before our first class. Stretch the horse’s legs, offer them a drink and some kind of forage (grass / hay, depending on the venue) and assess the damage of poo stains from the journey! It doesn’t matter if it’s the same venue as last year, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the layout and get your bearings.

When we arrived they announced all rings were on time….brilliant! But then one class went over their allocated time and then the knock on affected the rest of the day. That’s Showing! We had plenty of time waiting and chatting to some very nice people who were curious as to our breed of horses, why they were plaited differently, why we didn’t use bridles and our dress code. Talk about promoting the Appaloosa to the general public…..

 

Redheart Catorrius and Redheart Pascalius were entered in the Rare / Foreign Breeds and later in the Spotted or Appaloosa Horse In Hand. Due to the time delay and the same classes open to ponies, horses in hand and ridden, the clash ended up running parallel. By radio contact, the Judges from both rings obliged by waiting in turn for each class to finish and the entrants to swap rings, enabling all competitors to participate in both classes. This was very much appreciated and was co-ordinated too perfection by Emma Rush the secretary.

 

 

 

It was a very humid day and Reus was amazingly relaxed, his shows were straight and to my delight on a loose rein.

He won both classes and placed Champion from ridden spotted pony and horse’s, spot coloured or spot bred ponies in hand and spotted or Appaloosa horse in hand.

 

 

This was Evee’s first show where she was directly amongst a lot of horses and people. It was a lot for her to take in and granted an immense amount of pressure. At first, out side the ring, she did loose the “plot” a few times. Katie kept her walking and reassured her with lots of talking and I think singing!!!

In the ring she gave a super show and both judges commented on how they were torn between the two Redhearts. Evee took a second in both classes and a Reserve Champion. All was well until the Monster Trucks started their display in the main arena. This was directly behind our ring, separated by a hedge. Evee was not impressed and lunged forward away from the noise, Katie held on to her and was given permission to face Evee the wrong way in the ring to enable her to see what ever she thought was going to eat her?  I am so thankful to the judge and Katie, to educate and encourage young stock requires understanding, how will they ever learn otherwise? Not that we would meet a monster truck again? But you never know!

 

 

 

 

A long enjoyable Day in Derbyshire…….

 

 

Three Redheart’s In The Ring……

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When it comes to a yearling’s first show I can only talk of my own experience. At home, trips in the lorry, bathing, in hand leading and being taught to standing correctly, alongside many other educational lessons will ensure a sense of normality on the day. Whilst at the show, the day can unfold either way…

The Regional Appaloosa Club UK show at Summer House, Gloucester was the perfect introductory show for Easter. Crystal gave her an encouraging start, full of praise and reward. Easter amazed us all with her obedience, positive attitude and calmness. Her shows for the Judge were impressive and were rewarded with a first place in the Most Colourful, a second in the main registered fillies and delighted to say the Reserve Championship from the Females.

Easter was then taken to the lorry to enjoy her hay net whilst Katie and Evee continued their classes and myself and Reus stayed out the way until it was our turn in the ring.

 

Here are a few photos of the Three Redhearts Day Out……..

 

Crystal with Redheart Cateaster

 

 

Katie with Redheart Pascalius

 

Katie and Evee took a first in the young stock UK and USA fillies.

 Also awarded USA Reserve Champion  and UK Female Champion.

A lovely day spent with Happy Appy friends

 

 Reus had an educational day, with a fulfilled day of classes.

We took a few firsts and seconds, three Reserve Champions and the USA Championship.

A delightful day spent with delightful people.

The first show where three Redhearts stood in the ring…….

 

 

 

Sunny Southampton……

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There are a few shows I look forward to each year and The Festival of Colour is one of them. It’s run by the Cadnam Show Society who produce a calendar of shows at Terry’s Patch, Bartley in Southampton. It holds approximately nine shows a year with a schedule full of classes to suit all. It’s also an amazing show for qualifiers, request a schedule from hazel@cadnamshow.co.uk and have a look!

It is a good 3 hours plus drive in the lorry for us but the atmosphere is adorable and on a sunny day just makes it that more enjoyable. This year we qualified both horses for the SWPA Championships and Royal London. Redheart Catorrius entered and won the British Appaloosa and Appaloosa Horse Club Main registered in-hand young stock but was beaten in the Championship.

 

 

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Redheart Pascalius entered and won the Open in-hand spotted horse/pony young stock and to my delight claimed the Championship.

 

 

A memorable photo from Sunny Southampton……