Riding Reus….
Anyone who has bred their own horse will know the feeling when you’re eventually in the saddle!
PRICELESS……
Reus has a great range of motion.
Very much looking forward to Riding Reus in 2017.
“Wild Card” @ High Horse….
Redheart Pascalius has done us proud again, this time competing at Rodbaston Equestrian Centre, an Open Gala show organised by the High Horse Showing Society. This successful event had the most amazing atmosphere with a huge number of competitors. The weather was glorious and Evee gave an excellent performance against quality horses.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for the Championship due to fencing duties at home. One of the many delights of the day, being awarded a “Wild Card” to compete in an evening Championship class, we did the honourable duty of declining but what an achievement for us.
Not the “wild” day Evee had at Netley Hall a few weeks back!
A Dream Come True……
I try to keep the “News” updated with show reports and events at the stud that I think are relevant, along with each horse’s profile as their details change or occur.
We use the Social Media Facebook page “UK Appaloosa Horses” as our sponsored effort to promote the awareness of the rare purebred Appaloosas here in the UK.
The most relevant news, Redheart Appaloosa Stud has moved Counties, from Gloucestershire to Worcestershire. We have a quaint country cottage with enough land to cater for our expanding herd. We are starting with a blank canvas and applying for planning permission for an agricultural barn and stable barn, ensuring we can offer the mares, foals and stallions adequate facilities for breeding.
Until the paddocks are established, our stallion Reus is at a local livery yard, Areion Equestrian. We could not be happier and relieved because many livery yards do not take stallions, due to misunderstanding! The owner Jo, runs this professional livery yard, nothing was compromised during our stay. We would like to say a huge thank you to Jo and her team, what a delightful yard to be part of. Reus was a good boy and we made use of their fantastic facilities before bringing him home, his own paddock away from the mares.
I can now see the horses from my bedroom window, such a precious sight and a dream come true.
Show Season Highlight…….
One of the main highlights of the show season is the Appaloosa Horses Club UK National show. A two-day event that caters for every Appaloosa enthusiast.
This year we took our two GAP 5 horses, Redheart Pascalius and DFR Patahas Redheart. I participated with both horses in the Appaloosa Horse Club classes while Crystal participated both horses in the Appaloosa Horses Club UK classes. On this occasion, backed up by a young lady Amilie, who has caught the Appaloosa “bug”.
Another wonderful day showing, we both achieved a few awards and congratulate all the other competitors.
Already looking forward to the 2017 National Show……
Crazy Lady….
A day showing at Netley Hall in Shrewsbury, Shropshire with Redheart Pascalius.
We look for a reason, we search for answers but sometimes we fail to find either?
Today was one of those days, first class was a challenge, Evee had her own problem to deal with and she forgot to tell me about it!
A real sting in her behind? Perhaps?
After a little chat outside the ring, she composed herself and returned to that sweet lovable character we know !
Taking three firsts and two seconds home…
Always nice to have a break…..
Since we have concentrated on our yearlings over the past few weeks we decided to give Redheart Pascalius a few weeks break. She been grazing 24 / 7 and certainly looks like she has come up in the withers as she slowly grows into her head….Not to mention the “roundness” of her body!
To get back into the swing of showing, we decided to take her to a local show, South Staffs with no pressure. Very surprised to find a few friends had attended which made our day!
Evee was quite “soppy” today!
Maybe something to do with my daughters friend Amelie, who adores Evee.
A quiet and relaxing day, getting our eye back in after a nice break……..
Three Yearling’s, Three Events, Three Wins at Three Counties………
The three B’s….
Blu, Ben and Blanc, our 2016 yearlings experiencing their first shows!
Since weaning, our three yearlings have been under gentle education without knowing it….There is never a right time to take a yearling to its first show, their growth spurts can change over night. One minute they look fantastic and the next bum high and weedy looking!
You can do all the prep work at home but on the day it really can go either way? We try to travel to “local” events and take the day as it unfolds. We always attempt to arrive early enough to allow our yearlings to settle and adjust to their surroundings. So here we are….
DFR Patahas Redheart aka Blu had his début outing at the HOPE Show (Horse Owners and Pony Exhibitors) held at Three Counties Show ground on Sunday 26th June.
He was an absolute dream, all he wanted to do was eat the grass but make no mistake it was a nervous eating that we were fully aware of. So we let him eat, in the ring I believe he was so full he was quite lethargic but none the less he stood for the judge, trotted straight, balanced and generally an absolute star.
Our next début outing was Redheart Regal aka Blanc. This filly as you can imagine took a bit of elbow grease to get clean! Again we entered a local show at Three Counties Show Ground but this time it was an Open Gala Show on the 9th July. Blanc seemed bold and was a bit of a handful at first but as the other horses started to arrive she switched off and ate the grass. She, “honestly”, was adorable, never put a foot wrong although in one class we did struggle to trot past “our grazing area”, a mistake I will not make again! Luckily, our last class was in a different ring, she trotted with absolute perfection so we ended on a very happy note.
The highlight of our day was when Lisa Randle who owns Tamino Warrior the Appaloosa Horse Club UK Performance Champion 2014/15 asked me if I would like to compete Warrior in the Tiddler’s Challenge….it’s been a long time since I have ridden but I rose to the challenge without question! Great fun, thank you Lisa!
Redheart Royale meets Tamino Warrior!
The third début outing was with BEN! Redheart Royale. Throughout the day Ben never did anything wrong in his performance, he stood, trotted and did himself proud. The only thing he did was consistently shout and scream at the Spot Fest Festival held at Three Counties Show Ground on the 16th July. Doesn’t help when horses answer back but one thing we did realise, Ben can smell a filly in season already!
A good start to their showing campaign and a relief in getting our yearlings out, about and home safe.
Three Yearling’s, Three Events, Three Wins at Three Counties…………
Blu, Watching Over His Herd…..
Our future Stallion, watching over his girls as they sleep!
DRF Patahas Redheart
As Seen Through The Ear’s And Eye’s Of Babes…..
From birth, it is a continuous effort to educate the foal’s, as they develop into weaning’s and yearlings they develop their own character and become stronger both mentally and physically. We try very hard to keep on top of their education without them knowing it!
As we prepare for their “outings” as yearlings there is so much preparation that “one” owner might take for granted when buying a “ready-made horse”.
They must tie up, wait and stand! Pick all four feet up (not at the same time though)! Have a “bath”, wear a sheet or rug, walk / trot and stand when asked, allow traffic to pass, walk on and off a lorry / trailer and travel, maybe have a trim around the head? Having their manes /tails pulled? The list goes on…….
We have been extremely busy with our three yearling’s, continuously educating them but our début outings for the Redheart “babies” BEGINS THIS WEEKEND!!!! Are we ready?
We can not see how they view the world, we can only read the signs, encourage and reward when necessary.
Blu is frightened of “nothing”, Blanc’s frightened of “everything” and Ben….well Ben just is happy to have a look!
As seen through my eye’s…….