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 Remembrance

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At 334 days Redheart Pascalius decided to give up her 2022 foal, the foaling was textbook and other than a 3am delivery everything went extremely well.

It just so happens the 19th February is my mother’s birthday (who has sadly passed away), hence the new-born name, Remembrance.

Mum lost her first Appaloosa in 2009, who sustained a tibia/fibula joint break with no conclusion to an accident or injury, very soon after we imported her. Mum was absolutely devastated and not as a replacement but to fulfil a void and continue our quest with Redhearts, Princesse Pascale (aka PP) joined us.

Mum showed PP but did struggle to run fast enough to show off the beautiful stride PP has, mum became the eye behind the camera for mainly all our Redheart images and our right hand lady as we travelled around the UK.

I can laugh now, but her navigation skills were disastrous and her delayed time keeping was expected for every journey (not matter what stupid o’clock we left), so I used to say we were leaving at least an hour before we were actually supposed to ;).

Anyone who knew my mum always knew egg mayo sandwiches, were on the cards as she was always so very  generous with her picnic’s for our days out, always so well prepared.

 

Later in 2012, Princesse Pascale gave birth to Redheart Pascalius (aka Evee), mums dream baby girl…

 

 

 

 

To date, Evee has given us three full siblings to our stallion DFR Patahas Redheart, Revelation, Ricochet and now Remembrance.

REDHEART REVELATION

REDHEART RICOCHET

 

REDHEART REMEMBRANCE

Today has been very emotional, we are extremely relieved to have a healthy mare and foal.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

1954 – 2020 (Far too young)

Miss you so much and Redheart’s is not the same without you xxx

Redheart Merchandise

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It’s been a long time in the making but with the support and encouragement of the “Redheart Family” we have now established our own branded merchandise, we are very proud of the embroidered design of our logo. Thank you Equi-BlingUK for your excellent customer care and attention to detail, the logo is perfect.

If you wish to purchase any merchandise, please follow the “CLICK HERE” link on the Merchandise page – HERE.

For us, the Redheart logo symbolises the feathered headdress of one Native Indian from the Nez Perce Indian Tribe called Jesse Redheart.

Each feather is a symbol of trust, honour, strength, wisdom, power, freedom and so much more to the Native American Tribes, it’s truly a very special gift.

If an Indian receives a feather, he earned it for each courageous act he accomplished, a symbol of high respect and a visible display of a warrior’s bravery, honour and standing within his tribe.

Only by completing enough deeds will there be enough feathers to make a headdress, Jesse Redheart certainly had a fabulous headdress with the coloured feathers of Red, Black, and White.

We are unsure what exact bird feathers were used to make his headdress, but the bird embodies the spiritual idea of souls and spirits, their presence believed to guide and help one see the path through life, whilst teaching and in some instances protecting.

The Eagle feathers indicated great strength, courage leadership and prestige, the Crow indicates skill, cunningness and release from past beliefs, the Hummingbird represents love, beauty, and intelligence – A Spirit Messenger and Stopper of Time. The Falcon feathers represent speed, movement and soul healing, the Owl feathers represent wisdom, the ability to see things normally, a creature of the night – silent and swift. The Hawk feathers indicate strength, vision, and guardianship whilst the Raven feathers represent knowledge and creativity. The Bluebird symbolises happiness and fulfilment, the Dove, love, gentleness, and kindness and the Heron’s feather symbolises patience, grace, and confidence. A Kingfisher’s feather symbolises luck, patience, speed, and agility, whilst a feather from a Swallow is recognised with peace and love and the feather of the Turkey symbolises abundance, pride, and fertility. Woodpeckers have the meaning of self-discovery whilst the little Wren’s feather is a symbol of protection.

The Native Americans view different colours as signs from the spirit.

Red usually connects to the root chakra relating to life, force, passion, courage, good fortune, and emotion.

 

Black can represent growth, protection, and closing a chapter, but a black feather is shimmering means ‘high mystical insight’.

 

White represents peace, purification, faith, and the heavens among many tribes.

Every bird feather is highly valued, every colour of bird feather has a representative meaning that is deep and meaningful and if you are one to purchase personalised Redheart merchandise, we hope you appreciated the meaning behind our feathered logo.

Paula Cooper

Special thanks to Tracey Jordan @ EQUI-BLINGUK

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 of 2021 – The First Blade of Grass…

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After days out in the ménage the next step for our 2021 foals is turn out in a small paddock. It is hard for them to understand why their dams just want to eat after a quick check of the boundary, a gradual reintroduction to grass for the mares is especially important.
 
After they settle and their heads go down, we wonder what the first blade of grass tastes like for a foal?
 
We are in May and Spring has not arrived, the days have been OK, but the nights are still too cold and wet to leave the foals out. Since birth, each mare and foal have increased time out over a two week period, building up the length of time to reach a full days grazing before coming in for the night.

 

The Class of 2021 – The First Turn-out

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

There is no doubt turnout is best for new-born foals, enabling them to develop physically and mentally. All our mare’s and foals have individual turnout in the safety area of the duracorral before they are turned out in the field together.

Here are the first few days of their lives outside the barn…

 

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: