Mannog Stud are delighted to be awarded its third International Year End Top Ten Finalist award this time for MANNOG  ZIPS RIO GRANDE.  Two year Old Stallion category.  This is awarded by the Appaloosa Horse Club USA in recognition of Rio's show successes in 2010.

The Mannog Appaloosa Stud is the only Appaloosa stud in the UK to stand  three  APHC USA registered stallions each holding an International year end top ten finalist award:

Mannog Moonriver  2004   Aged Stallion category

Mannog Moonshadow 2009 Aged Stallion category

Mannog Zips Rio Grande 2010 Two Year Old Stallion category (see for sale)

Champions breeding Champions

On a cold February morning several colleagues came to the Mannog Appaloosa Stud to hear how the horse's gut functions and how to feed appropriately.   DENGIE regional representative Leonie Pryer gave a very interesting talk of how the gut works, including a life size model of the horse's gut, what keeps the gut healthy and what does not .  Feed according to age, sex, work load etc but do not think that a lesson or hacking out a couple of times a week means you feed high performance feeds - this should be  left to the genuine endurance horse or three day eventers.

After warming up with hot drinks and choccy biscuits some of the Mannog horses were then assessed re body scoring.  The picture shows the stallion Mannog Moonriver being body scored - was he fat or fit? As you can see from River's expression he was not impressed with the word "fat" however the verdict : well muscled and  powerful as you would expect from a mature stallion who lives out on Welsh hills.  Scored: 3.5  (2.5 - 3.0 being the optimum).  Other horses body scored included Mannog Zips Candy Man - a 10 month old colt (3.0))  to GB Elizabeth - a 20 yr old ex broodmare, getting slightly portly and stiff  in her old age with a bit of a sag to her belly.  (4.0).

Picture taken by Debbie on her mobile phone (hence the quality) but thanks Debbie.