Foaling and the Placenta – A calcified yolk sack remnant!

Eight foals have safely been born at the stud, we feel very fortunate everything has relatively gone to plan. We have endured premature foaling from Peyres Catori Cat with Reus, the deep red coloured placenta below, we inspect all our placenta’s and make sure they are all intact…here are just a few random pictures.

 

Princesse Pascale endured a challenge whilst foaling Ben, the difficulty was the positioning of Ben’s forelegs but we managed to correct this and then break his fall just as the Vet arrived!

One thing we always meet is the patience game with our maiden mares, it always takes a while for them to allow the foals to nurse but patience is something we have lots of…

Foaling is very rewarding when it all goes to plan and we have been very lucky to date but we are aware things don’t always go to plan. We are a young stud, we are still learning, therefore enrolling on a course called “Foaling The Mare” will surely only be a benefit, supported by the National Foaling Bank held at Twemlows Stud Farm. 

Knowing what can go wrong is a daunting thought, when to intervene, how long before you intervene, is it in the mares best interest to wait for the vet or load the mare and drive to the vets…So many questions and time is always against you, 10 minutes can mean saving a mare and/or a foal and possibly ensuring the mare is fit for future breeding.

I cannot go into the course details but I strongly recommend anyone foaling book a place.

However, I would like to share a short video taken during the practical session where we discussed the placenta, as you can see below, this recent foaling produced a very large remnant of the yolk sac. We were all curious about its contents, a good strong steady hand with a hacksaw was definitely required!

  

  

Have a look at this video – Calcified yolk sack remnant

A very enjoyable and educational day, we also had a peak where they store Reus’s semen.

 

New pastures, new friends, new life…

At nearly 7 months, Redheart RU Chubarry is up-to-date with worming, vaccinations, and the farrier, she’s microchipped, has a passport and registered with ApHC, ApHC UK and BAps, she ties, leads, loads and is happy to wear a rug which means one thing…time to leave the stud. She loaded in Worcestershire and unloaded in Hertfordshire, at the Chubarry Appaloosa Stud. Ru was introduced to Chubarry Chintz, another filly weanling, they settled well and have become great friends. We are absolutely delighted and proud to have produced this filly, we wish Wendy and Ru all the very best x

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR DAY

Weaning Redheart RU Chubarry

We’ve noticed the “independence” of Ru over the last month or so and due to adlib hay and sharing her dams feed the demand for milk has reduced, just a few factors that help during weaning.

Because Ru is sold, we would like her to leave the stud when we know she is ready and not before, she has accepted weaning with no fuss at all. Redheart Regal joined the broodmares and only called in reply to Ru’s calls, she was absolutely delighted to be reunited with the herd. Ru, however, was taken into a stable between her sire DFR Patahas Redheart and uncle Redheart Catorrius, she too only called for less than an hour!

So, Redheart Regal is happy, she only upset the herd momentarily!

 

And our sweet Ru is very content…

At 6 months old, we’re delighted to add her ApHC registration certificate, another 100% FPD foal at the Redheart Appaloosa Stud.

Here is a 4-minute video of Redheart RU Chubarry at 6 months old.

Redheart RU Chubarry @ 6 months old – Here…

 

National – International – World Standings…

We subscribe to the Appaloosa Journal, this is the official publication of the Appaloosa Horse Club, the international registry for the Appaloosa horse. Each year we compete at the Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show, each year we take part in the UK classes and USA Classes. Whilst our UK points go towards ApHC UK Performance Awards our USA points accumulate towards Register Of Merits Awards (R.O.M).

Being placed in ApHC classes gains points, these points are International taken from all the participants at affiliated ApHC Shows around the World! Argentina, Czech Republic, Caledonia, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, France, South Africa, Austria, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Brazil, Switzerland, Israel, Chile, China, Italy, Dubai, Mexico, Panama and of course the United Kingdom, not forgetting the Regional Clubs of the USA.

Despite the purebred Appaloosa being a “rare” breed here in the UK, the Registered American Appaloosas are doing pretty well, this year we see two UK Stallions in the 2018 World Standings results in the October edition of the Appaloosa Journal.

Our first horse Hevans EV Catorrius achieved his International recognition in 2014, finishing 2nd in the International Top 5 Two-Year-Old Stallions.

Our second horse at one-year-old was Redheart Cateaster, finished 3rd in the International Top 5 for Yearling Fillies.

To date, in 2018 we see DFR Patahas Redheart, our three-year-old stallion on the World Standings table.

Amazing where 1 point can put you in the WORLD!

 

Foreign Breeds Society (UK) Championship Show 2018

Reus and Blu have finished the 2018 showing season, Blu competing In Hand in the morning, winning a few classes including the Final In Hand Appaloosa of the Year.

DFR Patahas Redheart

DFR Patahas Redheart

DFR Patahas Redheart

DFR Patahas Redheart

Reus competed in the Ridden section during the afternoon, placed in a few classes and won the Final Ridden Appaloosa of the Year.

Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius

Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius

Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius

Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius

The Ridden Amateur Owned, Trained and Shown class was the highlight of our day, Reus came 5/10 from strong competition.

Credit to the Foreign Breeds Society, thank you for a running such a wonderful event, it was lovely to see all the Rare and Foreign Breeds in one arena x

Redheart @ The Great Midlands Horse Show 2018

Well, this is a new event for us and only found by chance whilst looking for details about another event at Only Equestrian Centre.

The schedule catered for showing (in-hand and under saddle), dressage and show jumping with a huge choice of classes. Much to my surprise, the event was not supported, maybe another event is held on the same weekend or lack of advertising? I’m not sure but it’s such a fantastic venue and the event was very well organised.

We took Reus to continue his education, entering the Ridden Foreign Breeds Class where we sat tight because Reus didn’t like the noise of the M45 behind the hedge, he’s not used to the noise of motorways or fast roads! With no competition, we qualified for the Evening performance under the Coloured Championships.

A few hours later, we entered the big indoor arena with the second and first place horses from the Ridden Coloured Plaited pony, the Ridden Coloured Native/Traditional pony, the Ridden Coloured Plaited Horse ant the Ridden Coloured Cob/Native Traditional Horses.

Absolutely delighted to be pulled in as Reserve Champion.

We didn’t stay for the Supreme due to commitments at home but I felt Reus made great progress, which is what it’s all about!

The British Appaloosa Society National Show 2018

None of our horses are perfect and I respect their individual imperfections, they all have different personalities and I treat them accordingly but one thing they all always do is make me smile!

Sunday 19th three of our Redhearts competed at the British Appaloosa Society (BApS) National Show, such a fabulous day, the weather was kind, the competition was strong and the competitors were great fun and in abundance. Thank you to BApS, we know the effort and organisation required to create and produce such an event, true to form, faultless.

The morning proceeded with the in hand classes, DFR Patahas Redheart had a warm up in the Hunter Class taking a fourth from strong competition and later a second in the Licensed Stallion Class, qualifying for the Male Championships but we decided to take our yearling, which proved to be the right decision.


Redheart Catorrius had a warm up in the in hand four years and over gelding, before asking him to parade around in our BApS coloured attire for Concours d’Elegance.

Later, we competed in two ridden classes and although he is still showing signs of greenness we can’t complain because his performance is in progress and delighted to be in the ribbons.

Yet again the day was stolen by Redheart Reality. Our yearling gelding’s performance at sixteen months old is just outstanding. Being placed in a few classes put him forward for the Championships. Taking the Reserve Champion Youngstock, the Reserve Male Championship and wait for it…the Reserve Supreme Champion of the Show.

 

What an awesome result for his first season in the ring.

The Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show 2018

A flat-out week preparing three horses for the Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show and then the weekend was no different as we helped celebrate their 18th anniversary at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire.

We took three Redhearts, our Stallion Blu who excelled in his presence, standing quietly in the warm-up and ring even with the mares, such a sweet boy. Guilty as charged, he made an awful sound by grinding his teeth for his two first classes but this thankfully disappeared after he had a wee  He competed in a variety of classes, always in the ribbons but his highlight was winning the UK Stallion Class and taking the Championship, awarded the Tiptoe Stud Shield, this was the only class I managed to stop him grabbing his chain in the trot up which was very frustrating!!


The only Redheart under saddle is Reus, the Western classes were Trails and we progressed nicely. Reus was scared of the bridge and the blue sparkly rope to the gate but we completed the course…eventually! We then changed to English and although we need to work on our “up and down” transitions he rode willingly in our Equitation classes, winning his first class and being placed second in the Open. I really could not have asked any more from this chap.


But, the day was stolen by Reus’s son Redheart Reality. For his second show and the first time in an indoor arena, he didn’t disappoint us. Winning the Most Colourful UK and the USA being awarded the Rhodes Appaloosa Trophy, then taking Reserve Champion. He then won his age group in UK and USA gelding, taking the Reserve Champion and finally completing his day with Reserve Champion Youngstock. He’s such an awesome yearling, a delight to be around and so easy to deal with.

All three Redhearts excelled themselves, I couldn’t be more pleased.

   

A very special thank you to my neighbour Abbie Lovegrove, who was an A* groom for me on Saturday, so very much appreciated.

 

The National shows take months even a year to organise and I write on behalf of the ApCH UK members, thank you to ALL the hard-working stewards, supporting volunteers, the ApHC UK directors and the Judges for organising such a wonderful event x