Founder ApHC UK member & supporter Julie Sands sadly passed away recently on 11 September 2025.

Julie was an active supporter in the early days when the club was formed in 2000 helping Joyce Nutland and her daughter, Kim Sands at shows and events promoting the club and attracting new members. Julie also helped form the Tuscany Sands Stud with daughters, Karen, Tracy and Kim and had a life long interest in the Appaloosa breed. For those that wish to leave a message there is a condolence book online and the family are collecting for the Diabetes UK charity in her memory.  See the link below.

https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/sands/5266483

Those early lessons only deepened my respect for the Appaloosa breed’s intelligence, versatility, and heart. Growing up, I lived through countless foaling seasons, early mornings, and show days, each moment shaping not just my horsemanship but who I am.
My own journey with these incredible horses has been filled with unforgettable highlights- most notably in 2023, when I was honored as USA Reserve Supreme Champion with Redheart Revelation, who was carrying SPD Bring To Light at the time. Introducing SPD Bring To Light into the world myself and watching her follow in her dam’s footsteps, winning championship title at county level as a yearling, has been a true source of pride. But beyond the trophies and titles, it’s the daily bond, the trust, and the connection with these horses that mean the most.

Outside the barn, I run my dad’s wholesale fruit and vegetable business… a fast-paced, hands-on role that starts before dawn. Driving lorries, managing orders, and keeping operations running smoothly demand the same dedication and discipline I learned from working with horses.

Horses aren’t just what I do- they’re who I am. Being part of the Appaloosa community is a legacy I’m proud to carry forward, and I’m always excited to connect with fellow enthusiasts to share stories, memories, and our shared passion for these extraordinary spotted companions.

Thank you for letting me share my journey with you.

—————————————————-
Assisting Lilly in her new role is Jo:

I’ve been riding horses since I could walk, and today I proudly share my journey with my Appaloosa gelding, Spot. He’s the ultimate all-rounder — we compete in showjumping, dressage, showing, Western disciplines, and we’re also part of the Northamptonshire Police’s Volunteers on Horseback team, helping support rural policing efforts from the saddle.
Outside the arena, I enjoy the thrill of motorbike riding and lend my heart and home to fostering rabbits for the RSPCA until they find their forever families. I also share my life with five fabulous cats (some happily rescued), and my ever-supportive husband, Bryn.
And when I’m not riding horses or motorbikes, I suit up as a Ghostbuster! I’m a proud member of both the East Anglia and East Midlands Ghostbusters — keeping spirits high and smiles wide at fan events and charity appearances.

• The role is to work with the ApHC UK Board to promote the Appaloosa breed and the club including:-
• Co-ordinate and build our social media presence and website content
• Write articles, leaflets advertising, press releases and newsletter updates and articles
• Organise and represent the Appaloosa breed and the club at events and exhibitions
• Support and help members and third parties interested in the Appaloosa breed
• Encourage members to show and promote their Appaloosas
• Build and share knowledge about the breed, the club activities including showing, performance schemes and other opportunities
• Co-ordinate the development and requirements of ApHC UK Ambassadors to promote the breed and the club
• Assist in setting up a breed consultation group with members to help disseminate Defra’s new breed structure requirements and help preserve and promote the Appaloosa breed
• Jo Prestidge-King has very kindly agreed to work with Lilly and support her in this role.

“As one of the younger voices on the Board, I bring a fresh perspective – blending the ApHC UK’s rich history with modern tools and ideas to help the Club grow and engage a new generation of Appaloosa enthusiasts.

I’m committed to being an open, approachable, and engaged Director; supporting members at every level, from long-time breeders to those just beginning their journey with the breed. I’m here to listen, represent, and help ensure the ApHC UK continues to thrive for years to come.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me. I’ve always admired, respected, and appreciated the dedication the ApHC UK Directors put into running this fantastic Club.

I’m excited for what lies ahead and truly honoured to serve this incredible Appaloosa community.”

You will hear more from Lilly in the next newsletter as we have asked her to introduce herself and write about her own personal journey and her Appaloosas.

On behalf of all the ApHC UK Directors, please join us in wishing Lilly every success in her new role. It is certainly exciting times ahead and the start of a new chapter for the Club.

Four years later she is 490kgs, has no fat pads except a slightly cresty neck which may never go because the fat cells actually change and don’t return to normal. Her neck however, is soft.

I have mentioned Prairie’s start point on her journey back to health because the management for EMS is very similar to other metabolic problems like Cushings (PPID) and PSSM1. All of these conditions means the horse has chronic inflammation in their body and cannot metabolise sugar and starch.

So, prepare yourself for the long haul, and it can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride…..you have to trust the process which is a bit of a leap of faith.

You may need veterinary intervention and drugs to start with, as they get results quickly and can stabilise the situation. But in the long term, you can change your management and use diet, herbs or homeopathy.

1. To start off with, test your hay, make sure it is unsprayed meadow hay with the sugar content under 10%, use slow feeders if you have to but your horse should have access to hay 24/7. When Prairie was in critical mode, I soaked her hay but only for 20 minutes

to get rid of the sugar not long enough to breed pathogenic bacteria in it or take out all the nutrients. She was in my round pen for 2 weeks only, with soaked hay and as soon as she could cope with going out with the boys, I turned her back out with them. She needed movement and interaction.

2. Start reading labels on bagged feed and balancers, some companies give the impression that they have natural products but when you actually read the ingredients it is full of fillers. Avoid everything with soy (very inflammatory), molasses (sugar), alfalfa (inflammatory), wheat feed and oatfeed and some brewers yeast (all by-products from the human food chain and really bad for horses.)

3. Minerals and heavy metals are a minefield. I tested my horses with Mineral Check, which is a hair sample test. Contact me if you are interested in this for more details.

I also started using a mineral balancer recommended by a practitioner friend called Ocean Feed Technology. This is a blend of 12 different seaweeds that are mixed to lower the iron and iodine intake. Kelp on its own can be toxic. It supports the Thyroid gland which was very important for Prairie’s endocrine imbalances. I found that the moment I stopped it or ran out, that her weight loss would plateau!! You can get this from www.healthyguthealthyhorse.co.uk based in the New Forest, they are the UK distributor.

4. Start supporting your horse’s gut with forage from the hedgerows. The Cow Parsley and Cleavers are nearly finished but Nettles are rampant now. (cut them and let them wilt before feeding, or make a tea and dilute in a half bucket of water as a water buffet)

The strong winds lately have brought down the smaller branches on trees , you can throw these in for the horse’s to munch, Oak, Willow, Poplar, Birch, Hazel and Hawthorn. These all have their individual medicinal qualities but if the horse is allowed to self-select, they will only take what they need.

Top herbs for blood sugar balancing – all of these herbs have blood sugar level balancing properties.

1 Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

2 Gymnema Sylvestre (Gymnema sylvestre)

3 Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

4 Nettle (Urtica dioica)

5 Goats Rue (Galega officinalis)

6 Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)

7 Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

8 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

9 Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

10 Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)

11 Seaweed (Various species)

12 Berberine spp (Various species)

13 Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

If you want to learn more about how to use these, go to www.animalbotanical.co.uk

for a free download. Rachael Maxwell also runs amazing courses for owners and practitioners, details on the same website. For an iridology assessment please go to www.equine-insight.co.uk and all my contact details are on there.

Each month throughout the year the Club post ‘online’ courses. You and your horse practice, get someone to video you, when you have achieved your desired entry you upload to YouTube and enter. No need to load up the trailer or indeed leave home! Then you eagerly await the results to come out (usually 3-4th of the month). Some of us get so keen we crash the website because we keep refreshing the page! I was pleased to start doing their groundwork agility with my Appaloosa Buckie as well as my quarter horse Chispa. Buckie took to it so well, although he thought he was too clever for some of the tasks, in typical Appaloosa fashion.

The online classes can be done with a halter and rope or even at liberty. And if you prefer to ride there is equagility: you walk the course first then get on and ride the same course, continuously filmed. I particularly enjoy doing equagility and Buckie took to that too. I was so chuffed as I had not ridden him for a few months due to circumstances at the time. We had one lovely summer with both my boys learning about manoeuvres over obstacles with a ‘smile’ in the rope in my hand, and achieved a stack of pretty rosettes as we progressed. Alas I lost Buckie that winter and my Appaloosa agility days were done but I picked up with Chispa come the new year and continued his education, rising up the ranks in online horse agility from Starter to Advanced!

We have tried liberty a couple of times but mainly I enjoy equagility with him. As we progress we score life points and there is a league each year in each of the categories. There truly is something for everyone to have a go at, particularly good for young horse’s education or even older horses that may no longer get ridden. For humans like me, who may struggle with running around with your horse, there are Walk Only classes with a league of its own. And each summer there is the Summer of Sport to look forward to.

Extra courses to enjoy. I love the ‘Wild Agility’ class using natural obstacles like trees and logs on the ground and rivers/streams or even a pond. There are other events such as ‘Act your shoe size not your age’ where you have FUN with obstacles like eating a cake without your horse joining in and skipping or hopping or even star jumps or kicking a ball in a circle maintaining a slack rope at all times! For the last two years we have achieved a special award for competing every month throughout the year, two years in a row, no mean feat! And it’s a three out of three so far this year. I forgot to mention that the competitions truly are International. We compete with others all over the world. Of course it’s always good to see the Union Jack at the start of the line at the top of the results! More info on: www.theinternationalhorseagilityclub.com

By Sue Feast

Some people are starting a fitness programme for their horses (and themselves) and planning what shows they want to compete in. Our National Show is on the weekend of the 9th/10th August and it is our Silver Anniversary special. We are pretty excited about it already. Lisa has compiled a list of affiliated shows that you can attend with beautiful rosettes for the highest placed member and double points towards your performance awards. If you are doing something with your Appy and you would like to share photos and write something for the E-news, we would be delighted. You can also post on our members FB page and WotsAppy WhatsApp group. Please ask to be added to either of these if you are not involved already.

Please check that your horse’s passports are up to date – in your name and that you are a current paid up member. (online form is on the website or contact Karen Bache (memberships@aphcuk.org) Your horse’s vaccinations need to be up to date to show. If the passport is tatty, you can upgrade it to a gold standard hybrid Equiventus passport. We just transfer all the vaccinations over adding new photos, USA registration certificate if applicable. We may need a new silhouette from the vet, it depends on how old the original is but I can always advise you. The cost is £30. (contact: 07827 858120 or registrations@aphcuk.org)

Knowledge Nugget #2

Spring is all about detoxification. Shaking off the Winter and getting everything moving again.

Your horses are probably shedding like crazy which makes them itchy, this puts a strain on the liver and kidneys as the natural spring detox cuts in. The best forage herbs to help are just popping up in the hedgerows now. Cleavers (Sticky Willy, Sticky Weed) Cow Parsley, Dandelion Leaves and Nettles. Go and find a few handfuls and offer them to your horse every day if possible. You will need to wilt the nettles before offering, or make a tea ( pour boiling water on the nettles, steep for 10 minutes, then allow to cool or add to a bucket of water) You can also offer Hawthorn sprigs, Gorse flowers and Bramble leaf buds. All of these herbs will boost sluggish lymph and circulation and support the kidneys and liver. (credit to Rachael Maxwell at animalbotanical.com)

Supporting the horses gut is very important as the spring grass comes in. Ad-lib hay and movement is the key. The reason that laminitis is such a risk now and is because the sugars in the grass are high in the new growth and the gut microbiome cannot adjust to the change quickly enough. For many years I have been using a fermented liquid in their feed. It is like kombucha for horses, fermented from water and herbs it contains billions of micro-organisms and is pre-biotic to help colonise the gut. I have found it invaluable to help with change in feed or forage. For more details go to www.plusbac.net and look up Plusbac Feed. The best way to buy it is in a 5L ‘winebox’. I give between 25-100 ml a day per horse. Enjoy!

Welcome to one of our approved international affiliates—the Appaloosa Horse Club UK

The Appaloosa Horse Club UK was formed in February 2000, by a group of enthusiasts led by founder member, Joyce Nutland. It was quickly affiliated to the ApHC as the ‘daughter breed’ society for the UK. The aims and objectives of the club are to preserve and promote the Appaloosa in the UK, in accordance with the rules and principles of the ApHC.

In 2025 we are celebrating 25 years, our Silver Anniversary, and we hope to make it a special year. In addition to the USA Grand Champion Championships, we hold a Youngstock Championship and a USA Supreme Championship. We have a separate FPD Championship to recognise the foundation bred horses and their Appaloosa heritage. In our English program we encourage traditional disciplines including side saddle, dressage or freestyle to music, and the increasingly popular Concours d’ Elegance classes, in-hand and ridden.

We hold a training clinic the day before the show which is free to our members. Over 3000 members including youth members have joined. Currently the annual rate is around 150. Appaloosas registered is around 2,200. The club is run by a board of six directors who are all volunteers and are supported by other office holders. We are a small, friendly and inclusive club with a supportive community across the UK. Our highlight is the national show in August.

Our members get together for the weekend with their Appaloosas to compete in both English and Western disciplines. The UK classes are on Saturday and USA classes on Sunday, judged by an ApHC approved judge. This is a great opportunity and an honour for the club’s members to compete in ApHC-affiliated classes. Members can enter Most Versatile Appaloosa competitions for English and Western horses. These are very popular as members can earn points from each element at the show to compete for the Most Versatile Championship trophy. Our youth members are an integral part of the club and have their own High Points award which they can enter on their own ponies. They can also compete for the Most Versatile awards, provided they are competing on a registered Appaloosa.

For members that don’t show, we run an annual Saddle Log program and online photo and video competitions. This started during Covid and proved very popular. Members keep performance records throughout the year which count toward our annual High Points competition and the Amazing Blue Performance Awards. Members can also earn Register of Merit certificates in disciplines such as Halter, English & Western Riding, Dressage, Trail, Showjumping etc. Points accumulate until the required points are achieved. There is no time limit, you can go at your own pace.

The club also has an annual achievement award, sponsored by Redheart Appaloosas, which is awarded each year. Recipients are proposed by our members and voted on by the Board. The achievement can be in any sphere that contributes to the club and its members. This year it was awarded to long standing member, Lisa Randle. Members submit photos of their Appaloosas for our calendar competition which is sent out at Christmas. Additionally, we have created a WhatsApp group and Facebook page to keep members involved and supported throughout the year. It is an ideal forum to share ideas and stay up to-date with club news.

We have different breed registries in the UK. Our A – American register is for Appaloosas registered with the ApHC. Our B – British Register is for Appaloosas from British pedigrees not eligible for the ApHC. We follow ApHC principles and recognise permitted outcrosses. We have a separate P Part-breed register, where one parent must be by an A- or B-registered Appaloosa. We have a hardship register based on ApHC criteria; these horses are registered on our C- Characteristic Register. We run classes and competitions for all registers, so there is plenty for everyone to do.

Unfortunately since Brexit we cannot register our British Appaloosas born outside the UK. This is very sad for us especially as these are horses from established UK bloodlines. We are still hoping for a solution as these Appaloosas are not normally eligible for ApHC registration. We are very proud to be an ApHC International Affiliate; Our club incorporates the principals of the ApHC. We have a very supportive membership, and many lifelong friendships have been formed, all devoted to our wonderful, unique and quirky breed. The Appaloosa, the breed of choice. Our published book ‘The Appaloosa’ is part of the Allen Guide to Horse & Pony Breeds.

Reference (ISBN 978 0 85131 889 9)

By Kim Sands, ApHCUK Marketing Director

British Eventing is the National Governing Body for the sport of eventing in Great Britain. 

Steph has taken on responsibility for all the communications and content that goes out both online and in the magazine.  The role is four days a week which will allow Steph to continue with her freelance equestrian journalist work alongside her new responsibilities.  Steph has built up a successful career writing for some of the best known equestrian publications, regularly having researched and written articles published by Horse & Hounds.  Steph also co-wrote our published book, ‘The Appaloosa’ which is part of the J Allen Guides To Horse & Ponies Breeds series of books.

Steph has continued her passion for the Appaloosa breed with her current horse Matilda.  This is after having been instrumental in the development of  ApHC UK stallion Tuscany Appolo, his full brother Tuscany Talos and his son, Tuscany Adonis aka Donald who went with her to Hartpury College where she gained a BSC Hons in Equine Science. 

Matilda (aka Tilda) is by a coloured stallion out of a part-bred Appaloosa mare called Sky’s the Limit whose sire is American ApHC stallion Westfield Wigwam. Steph and Tilda have formed an amazing bond and gone on quite a journey together.  In Stephs words:-

“Last year was a very successful year for Matilda and I. We ticked lots off our horsey bucket list including hunting, arena eventing, qualifying and attending a dressage championship with our local Riding Club, winning our first attempt at dressage to music and qualifying for the Winter Petplan Area Festivals in our first season of British Dressage. And to top it off, we recently found out that we have qualified for the BRC Winter Showjumping championships in April. It’s going to be a fun year!”  Commenting on combing her new responsibilities with her freelance journalist work Steph said “Well, I have to find the funds to keep Matilda in the lifestyle she is accustomed to somehow!”

We wish Steph every success in her new role.

Well done!

Over the years we have received great feedback about the newsletters which is testament to Sue’s creative and professional skills as well as the ability to tease out all those interesting stories and facts!  Going forward the newsletters are going digital which does give us flexibility to send out news as it happens.  We aim to do one a month so that we can bring members the current information and what is coming up.  If you have any input for the digital news please contact Shannon Skeels by email to socialapp@aphcuk.org.

Meanwhile, Sue will continue in her role as a director helping to run the club.