Located in the heart of Exmoor hunting country is this idyllic three-bedroom country home, complete with equestrian facilities.
If you love hunting then you will already be aware of the sporting wonders of Exmoor. Local packs include Devon and Somerset Staghounds, Quantock Staghounds, Dulverton West Foxhounds, Dulverton Farmers, Exmoor Foxhounds and the Minehead Harriers. The Exmoor Foxhounds and Devon and Somerset Staghounds are the active packs that hunt over and around this property.
Whichever pack you hunt with, the variety of countryside — from high heather-clad moorlands to the deep wooded fast flowing river valleys — means there is much to enjoy when hunting with any of the popular local packs.
Castle Farm is situated to the west of Exford and within a short drive of the village itself (2.2 miles). For any lover of the countryside, some of the area’s most stunning open moorland riding and walking is on the doorstep with places such as Trout Hill, South Common, Brendon Common and Brendon Two Gates just a stone’s throw away.
Purchased at public auction some 17 years ago, the property required considerable modernisation and improvement and the present owners set about to make several improvements, which included the installation of the manege and restoration of the stable yard.
Offered for sale by Fine and Country, this property is priced at £750,000.
Could this be the hunting haven for you?
The land totals 14.8 acres. The majority is pasture and has been split into five main paddocks, with two smaller paddocks closer to the main house. Check out the views over the Exmoor countryside…
When you’re not out hunting, there is a manege which measures 20x40m to keep your horse’s schooling up to scratch…
… as well as a stable yard incorporating three stables ‐ one a foaling box ‐ with a tack and feed room, as well as an attached barn area.
Just imagine the endless hours of hacking and exploring…
A private drive leads off Wellshead Lane to Castle Farm House, which boasts three bedrooms.
Inside, the interior has a traditional, country feel. The open plan farmhouse kitchen/diner features a recessed fireplace with inset slow combustion stove.
The living room enjoys views over that incredible landscape.
As the house is in an elevated position, summer evenings watching the horses graze will certainly be on the agenda.
Tally ho!
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
This week’s edition (31 May) is a training special, including a look at the world’s top trainers and whether you should have multiple coaches. Also check out our summer clothing guide, interview with showjumper and recent winner of the Hamburg Derby, Matt Sampson and feature on health problems in miniature horses
British dressage rider and H&H columnist Anna Ross is relocating to a new “horsey heaven” base in Devon.
The Wiltshire-based rider and trainer will move to Barons Wood Equestrian Centre at the end of July.
“It is a beautiful yard, more like a European set up with stables all around the indoor school,” Anna told H&H.
“It is an absolutely beautiful environment and, with Newton Stud just up the road, we have effectively formed a horse village.”
The yard features 35 rubber-lined stables, indoor and outdoor arenas, 36 acres, two solariums, gallops, a horse walker and a lounge for clients.
Anna added they are already using the centre — Alex Baker, who works for Anna, is currently based there — so when it came on the market, it was the perfect opportunity.
“All my team are coming with me, so nothing changes there,” said Anna, who will continue to travel to Wiltshire, across the UK and abroad to teach.
“I just hope we are going to be able to do everything bigger and better.”
Anna, who already works closely with many British breeders to break and produce young horses, hopes this move will benefit them too.
With Elite Stallions and Newton Stud so close, mares are able to easily hack up the road for breeding duties, without it eating into their training time.
Anna added she will be launching a new business venture with the stud soon and thanked everyone who has made the move possible.
Riders need a safe environment to realise their potential, says Horse & Hound’s dressage columnist
“I believe this new venture will give my loyal ‘right hand’ Beth Bainbridge all the opportunities she deserves after her seven years of hard work and dedication, which have made a huge contribution to building the business at Cholderton,” said Anna.
“Alex is already based at Barons Wood, training the sport mares and backing young horses.
“Huge thanks to my family, whose support and determination to make this dream work have enabled me to make it a reality and to my late Grandfather Bill, who’s love of horses (and stubborn approach) clearly passed very strongly down this particular bloodline, and of course my partner Marcelo Tosi.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
This week’s edition (31 May) is a training special, including a look at the world’s top trainers and whether you should have multiple coaches. Also check out our summer clothing guide, interview with showjumper and recent winner of the Hamburg Derby, Matt Sampson and feature on health problems in miniature horses
Stable Lass, Riding Out and Mucking In — Tales from a Yorkshire Racing Yard, by Gemma Hogg, is the ideal opportunity to dip into the behind-the-scenes action of the racing world.
Gemma gives fascinating first-hand insight into her life as a stable lass. She is currently assistant trainer at Micky Hammond Racing, having got a job there straight out of the Northern Racing College in 1998. With the beautiful backdrop of Middleham in North Yorkshire, Gemma, who won the prestigious Godolphin Stud employee of the year award in 2016, takes us into the closed world of a top racing yard.
From brutally long hours, interesting characters (both human and equine), falling in love with horses to the jockeys starving themselves, wealthy owners and the indescribable grief of losing a horse, Stable Lass is a must-read this summer.
Taken from a extract of the book, here Gemma recalls her first day at Micky Hammond Racing:
“Once I’d finished freaking myself out, I looked at my watch and saw it was already five past six. I was late on my first day! I picked my feet up, put my head down and walked as fast as I could through the yard gates, only to realise that all the muffled conversations and sounds that had been emanating from the yard had stopped.
“Oh no! I thought. They’re all look at me.
“This made me slow down, for some ridiculous reason, after which a mixture of curiosity and stupidity made me look up. At first, I didn’t see any humans, although I definitely heard them. In the absence of any voices bidding me to ‘step into the light’, I took it upon myself to continue walking along that celestial stairway and, as I made my way past the first few boxes, I began to notice my audience. They were attentive, I’ll give them that, but they were also smiling and giggling. I knew I was late, and obviously I was also a new recruit. But why the amusement?
“’I say!’ one of them called out. ‘Nice puffa!’ Then another shouted. ‘Shall I saddle one up for you, Your Majesty?’
“It was the clobber! As my eyes finally acclimatized to the lighting, I took the opportunity to get a better look at my public. They, of course, were all sporting a mixture of jeans, tracksuit bottoms, fleeces and old coats. I, on the other hand, looked as though I had stepped straight out of a shop window, and must have resembled a shorter, poorer and less well-connected version of Zara Phillips.
“Those one hundred yards from the gates to Micky Hammond’s office felt like a thousand and, as I passed the last of my twenty or so colleagues, I was left in no doubt whatsoever that they thought I was just a helmet, a hairnet and a riding crop away from appearing at the Horse of the Year Show.
“‘Good morning, ma’am,’ said the last of them. ‘Aren’t we looking splendid this morning?’
“That one got a big laugh, which was fair enough.
“By the time I got to the yard office, I’d gone from a walk, and then a trot, to something approaching a gallop, but instead of knocking and waiting like any polite stable lass should, I barged through the door, slammed it shut and, without even thinking said, ‘Thank God for that!’
“‘Good afternoon, Gemma,’ said a voice.
“‘Jesus!’ I yelped. ‘You scared the living daylights out of me.’
“Mickey’s office was a kind of L-shape and so his desk wasn’t visible from the door.
“‘No, I’m not Jesus,’ he said, walking into view. ‘But as far as this yard is concerned I am God, and God says that we’re here and ready to feed by six a.m.’
If you’ve ever dreamed of gaining insights from some of Britain and Ireland’s most experienced horsemen and women, then read…
“I think my jaw dropped when I caught sight of Micky. I’d obviously met him before but he seemed very different from the way I remembered. First of all, he was a bit older. There was something amiss height-wise too. Micky is about five feet six inches tall (if you met him he’d insist he was five feet eight inches), but I remembered him towering over me. I also thought he had fair hair, and a good head of hair at that, when in fact it was quite clearly brown and was short on top and shaved round the sides. Had I actually met George Michael that day instead? Lastly there were the clothes. He’d been quite smart in my interview, as later that day he’d been going to the races, yet now he looked like a tramp. He’s going to kill me when he reads this.
“Micky was thirty four at the time (ancient!) and had already been training for the best part of ten years. Before becoming a successful racehorse trainer he had a long career as a jockey, riding a total of 232 winners. In fact, had it not been for two concurrent leg injuries, Micky would have run the great Peter Scudamore very close to becoming Champion Jockey in the 1987/88 season.
“‘Yes, I’m so sorry,’ I said, trying to hide my shock. ‘I was looking at your logo.’
“‘I’m not even going to go there,’ said Micky. ‘Anyway, you’re here now. Let’s get you mucking out. I’m starting you off with four boxes and we need them all done by seven a.m.’
“All of a sudden, my mood shifted from extreme shame and embarrassment to blind panic.
“‘But it’s already quarter past six,’ I cried. ‘How am I supposed to muck out four horses in forty-five minutes?’
“‘How long did you have at college?’ asked Micky.
“‘About half an hour.’
“‘For how many?’
“‘Per box. Maybe two boxes, if I got a wiggle on.’
“Micky’s eyes almost popped out. ‘Maybe two if I got a wiggle on?’ he said disbelievingly. ‘You’d better shift your arse then.’”
Price: £16.99 hardback, or from £5.99 on Amazon Published by: Sidgwick & Jackson, 2018
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine out every Thursday
A university academic who believes horses aided her recovery from breast cancer is to study the impact of equine-assisted therapy on cancer patients.
Dr Carly Butler, senior lecturer at Loughborough University’s school of social, political and geographical sciences, will evaluate a new Macmillan Cancer Support service launched in Derbyshire that aims to use horses to improve the emotional health of people affected by the disease.
She plans to study the psycho-social well being of 400 people before and after they undertake four equine assisted activities and therapy (EAAT) sessions at the Spirit and Soul Equine Assisted Activity Centre in Kirk Langley.
During the structured sessions, attendees will learn basic horsemanship and grooming skills.
Their wellbeing — assessed through questionnaires about their quality of life, stress and self-esteem — will be compared to a control group of cancer patients who haven’t received the therapy during their recovery.
Dr Butler was inspired to undertake the study — which has received no funding — after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. She subsequently underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a double mastectomy and surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Having grown up with horses on a farm in New Zealand, she was re-introduced to them following her diagnosis and treatment and believes they had a positive impact on her recovery.
“Rediscovering horses went hand-in-hand with my physical and emotional recovery,” she said.
“It started when my daughter invited me to go with her to see a potential loan horse, an ex-racehorse called Otis. I fell in love with him pretty much straight away, and while my daughter didn’t end up loaning him, I arranged to go and visit and help care for him.
“I found that simply being around Otis brought me a great deal of calmness, and walking with him helped me to regain some physical strength. I then started riding again at a local riding school, and after a few months decided to get my own horse.”
Horses have since become a major part of Dr Butler’s life, and she even moved to live on the yard where her horse is kept.
“They bring me emotional peace and help me reconnect with my body, healing the aspects of myself and my life that were damaged by the cancer treatment. I am learning as much about myself as I am about them,” she said.
‘I had no idea how difficult it is and how fit you have to be to ride a racehorse —…
Dr Butler explained that little is currently known about how horses can help humans.
“I believe there is a lack of services for people dealing with the psychosocial impacts of cancer and equine assisted activities are uniquely placed to be able to offer this kind of support.
“The research is an important aspect of the project as there is a real need for more empirical studies of EAAT, particularly its use for people affected by cancer,” she said.
The academic’s main area of research has been social interaction and she also plans to use the sessions to study how horses relate to humans and other equines using conversation analytic methodologies.
“The conversation analytic methodologies I use to study human interaction have not really been used to explore equine communication, so I am excited to see what these methods can contribute to the field, and what application of the method might reveal about the structures of interaction across species,” she said.
“Equine assisted activities and therapy make use of horses’ remarkable communicative abilities and interactional sensitivities and this is something I will be looking at alongside the service evaluation.”
The Macmillan EAAT sessions were launched on 25 May and are a first for the charity.
Sue Sanderson, Macmillan Partnership Manager for Derbyshire, said: “We know anecdotally that this type of support has real potential to improve the emotional wellbeing of people affected by cancer, so I’m delighted that Dr Butler is undertaking this research and we will do everything we can to support her.”
Have horses helped you, or someone you know, recover from a serious illness? Let us know by emailing hhletters@timeinc.com and your story may be published in the letters page in Horse & Hound magazine
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
May was a great month for the Horse and Man Group fund raising!
We had 2 Bucket Funds. One for the Kansas 53, you can read their story here. And the other was an Emergency Bucket Fund at the end of the month for The Golden Carrot to purchase supplements and meds after the fire. You can read that story here.
FIRST, THE KANSAS 53! – $3280!
We collected donations and also we sold art cards from Doris McQuiddy (Thank you!) and some jewelry! It all worked and we were able to make a difference for these horses!
Here is what Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. said:
The Horse and Man Group, You are a ROCK STAR!!!! Thank you so much!!!
Our May Bucket Fund receipt for the Kansas 53.
THE GOLDEN CARROT – $3002
You all came together sending love, donations, thought, prayers… Casey was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for her and the horses. THANK YOU.
Casey is very busy, as you could imagine… but she did send this heart of love. She said she cried when she heard that we had collected all that money for her to repurchased the elder horse supplements and meds.
Thank you.
First we sent $602 right away because she needed it.
Than, as donations continued to come in for the Golden Carrot… we were able to send another $2400!
A JOB WELL DONE. FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELVES! Good will and good thoughts are magical!
When you shop @AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Horse And Man Inc.
Supporting The Bucket Fund through Amazon Smile is HUGE for the horses. Please choose HORSE AND MAN when you make your Amazon purchase through this link. THANK YOU!
Even leading names like Laura Tomlinson (pictured above), FrancisWhittington and KatieJerram look up to people, and key pieces of training advice have helped them win medals and national titles. Here are the tips that 10 top riders credit with putting them on the road to success.
1. Laura Tomlinson, dressage rider
“The best piece of advice I’ve had is never to say, ‘I can’t’ or ‘The horse won’t’. If you have this in mind it forces you to look around and through a problem, rather than accept it’s not solvable. This is an adaptation of what I’m used to hearing from [German Olympian turned trainer] Klaus Balkenhol — he won’t ever accept you saying you can’t.”
2. Trevor Breen, showjumper
“If at first you don’t succeed — work harder! The more effort you put in, the more you get out. If you take shortcuts in training during the week, it’ll show when you’re competing at the weekend.”
3. Katie Jerram, showing producer
“Never use a gadget as a quick fix. I learnt this from [renowned trainer] Ruth McMullen — I never saw a gadget at her yard. I use a martingale on horses I’m breaking for a little extra security, and I may hack the babies in a Market Harborough, which is kind on the mouth.”
4. Francis Whittington, eventer
“Just keep it simple in every way. If it’s complicated, it’s probably not right. [Former British World Class Performance showjumping manager] Rob Hoekstra told me this and I keep it in mind all the time.”
5. Gemma Tattersall, eventer
“My mum used to make me ride come rain or shine. She said that consistency is the key to good training and it is something I have always carried with me. Horses need to have regular training and you need to be consistent in what you are asking them to do.”
6. Anna Ross, dressage rider
“[German Olympic team gold medallist] Ulla Salzgeber once told me that if you keep your hands still, you’ll start using your legs. A wise man at Goresbridge Sales also once advised me, ‘Never get back on for a third time’.”
7. Geoff Billington, showjumper
“[Multi-medalled British showjumper] David Broome told me years ago that you can’t put pressure on top of tension. So you must have a relaxed horse before you can ask any questions of it.”
8. Dan Jocelyn, eventer
“When I first came to the UK in 1995, I stayed with Andrew Nicholson. Walking courses with him was invaluable. He said: ‘Dan, across country you just go between the flags’ and when showjumping, ‘Just leave the poles up’. This was the best advice ever, especially when others were trying to overcomplicate things. I still enjoy walking courses with him.”
9. Andrew Gould, dressage rider
“Don’t let your personal issues or emotions get in the way. This is something I picked up from [renowned trainer] David Hunt and I realise its importance even more now that I train lots of people. It’s hard if you’ve had a busy, stressful day at work — you want to ride to relax, but sometimes it is easier said than done.”
“Don’t try to win every class. My father, Paul, told me this and there are two lessons I have learnt from it. First, if I’m jumping at a three-day show, I need to save the horse for the class that really matters. Second, if you try to win a class by three seconds, you will often have a fence down and lose. So be cool and just do enough.”
Don’t miss this week’s special training issue of Horse & Hound magazine (31 May 2018), where we reveal the best trainers in Britain and find out how you can learn from them
This article was first published in the Summer 2015 issue of H&H Ask The Vet
Charlotte Dujardin’s fiancé Dean Wyatt Golding is preparing to take on an open water swim in aid of an equine welfare charity.
Dean will be dipping into the chilly waters of Lake Windermere in the Lake District for a two-mile swim on 8 June to raise money for Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys.
Charlotte is a patron of the charity and travelled to India in October 2015 to learn about the work it is doing to improve the lives of horses, donkeys and mules as well as the millions of people who rely on the working equines.
Dean asked for people to donate to the cause instead of buying him birthday presents and reached his target of £2,000 within 48 hours of starting the online fundraising page.
“I’ve chosen this charity because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope that you’ll consider contributing as a way of celebrating with me,” he said. “Every little bit will help me reach my goal.”
The challenge is open to all riders and involves hacking 100 miles in 100 days to raise £100 for the
Charlotte encouraged people to support her fiancé with a post on her own Facebook page.
“[I’m] really proud of him and wanted to share his fundraising efforts if any of you would like to donate,” she said.
“All proceeds will go to the charity that I am very proud to be an ambassador for and will continue to help in their efforts to assist so many horses, donkeys and communities around the world who need our help.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
This week’s edition (31 May) is a training special, including a look at the world’s top trainers and whether you should have multiple coaches. Also check out our summer clothing guide, interview with showjumper and recent winner of the Hamburg Derby, Matt Sampson and feature on health problems in miniature horses
Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift at the Rio Olympics. Picture by Peter Nixon
Popular Irish event rider Jonty Evans is in hospital in Dublin after a fall at Tattersalls yesterday (Sunday, 3 June).
Jonty and Cooley Rorkes Drift (“Art”) — the horse he secured the ride on last year by crowd-funding to raise £500,000 — were lying second after dressage and showjumping in the CIC3* at the Irish event.
But the rider fell at fence 19b, the second element of the Horse Sport Ireland Water Complex, the main water feature on the cross-country. The first part of the fence was a large drop into water, which was followed by an offset skinny brush in the water off a right-hand bend. H&H’s Tattersalls reporter Sue Polley, who saw the fall on CCTV, said that the pair appeared to be lined up for the brush, but Art caught the flag with his off fore and Jonty was pitched off his left-hand side.
A statement from the event at 9.07pm last night said: “Irish eventing rider Jonty Evans, who fell at fence 19b, the second element of the water complex in the CIC3* competition at Tattersalls International Horse Trials, was transferred to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, for further evaluation.
“Cooley Rorkes Drift was uninjured in the fall.
“Following initial evaluation in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Jonty Evans is being transferred to Beaumont Hospital for further treatment.”
The Team Ireland Equestrian Facebook page gave a similar update yesterday evening, adding that Jonty “remains in a stable condition”.
The top event horse was put down on the same day as a foal who is a close relative to…
Jonty and Art first came to public attention when they finished ninth at the Rio Olympics in 2016. They followed this up with an eye-catching dressage test at Badminton the following spring, although a run-out across country put paid to a top placing.
Jonty had secured some funding towards the horse’s purchase and decided to start a crowd-funding campaign to attempt to make up the shortfall. He set up a website, jontyandart.com, through which people could donate.
Four weeks after H&H’s first online story, the £500,000 target was raised, helped by two lump sums of £100,000 and £150,000 being donated.
The pair have had a slightly chequered time in competition since the horse’s purchase, but fans hoped a win in The Grantham Cup CIC3* at Belton this spring marked a change of fortune. The pair were at Tattersalls for a preparation run ahead of Luhmühlen CCI4* next week, a re-route put in place after the pair were eliminated across country at Badminton.
Is there anything more annoying than, when looking up a horse’s pedigree, the answer comes back as “unknown”?
OK, in the grand scheme of things there is plenty that is more annoying but, as breeders know, it is right up there. How in this day and age can anyone not know the pedigree of their horse? You might well ask.
In many instances, the breeding is recorded as “unknown” because the pedigree has not been verified — that is, confirmed as correct, nowadays through DNA testing. A passport will usually state that the horse has been DNA tested.
Only studbooks and breed societies are able to record the breeding in a passport. Other passport issuing organisations (PIOs) that issue cheaper identity passports are legally not allowed to record breeding (due to Defra minimum operating standards). Even if it is inserted — which it shouldn’t be — it doesn’t mean it is correct.
If, for example, an identity passport is presented to a studbook in the future by unknowing owners, the pedigree, which was possibly part of the reason they bought the horse, will count for nothing and the provenance of the horse will already have been recorded by databases as “unknown”.
Horses without three verified generations of breeding are now automatically excluded from some competitions.
Cutting corners
What is so surprising is the number of people, including breeders, who choose not to have breeding put into the passport for the simple reason that it will save the cost of a DNA test — or at most two tests. All graded stallions have their DNA put on record as part of their grading assessment, so one just has to take DNA from the mare, if she has not been graded or had it recorded before, and/or the foal, by the simple extraction of a few tail hairs which is done by the vet when he draws up the foal’s identity paperwork.
No one said breeding was a cheap way to procure a horse, so a saving of less than £100 on a lifetime of a horse — around the cost of a set of shoes — hardly seems worth it for the frustration it can cause later. One excuse is that the horse will be a gelding and therefore will not appear in the future gene pool. True, but geldings happen to make up the majority of competition horses and most of us want to know the breeding of our competition horses.
This just wouldn’t happen in other countries, whose breeding many so admire and whose horses we buy. Those countries have systems and rules that all breeders and producers follow.
In France, horses who are not fully registered and verified with the governing body of the Haras Nationaux are not allowed to compete at any level above club level. No affiliated competition, end of.
Part of the British problem is that we don’t have an overseeing body. There is no single set of rules. As long as there are cheap identity passports available as an alternative to studbook passports, then owners, breeders even, will take the budget option.
The result is we will never build up decent studbooks, lines will disappear and future breeders will be none the wiser.
What is the point of breeding if you don’t wish to record it? For future’s sake please have the breeding of your foals verified.
The Pony Club efficiency tests provide a staircase of knowledge and progression when taken in sequence, starting from ‘E’ and going all the way up to the prestigious ‘A’ Test.
This quiz is to test your knowledge to see if you could pass your Pony Club C+ test.
The objective of the C+ Test is “to gain practical experience and knowledge of the care of a stabled pony and of a pony at grass”.
The minimum age a child should take the test be is 13 and if they pass, they are awarded with a turquoise felt to pin underneath their Pony Club badge.
Of course, this quiz is not exhaustive of the Pony Club C+ Test syllabus, and doesn’t mean you would definitely pass it in real life, but let’s see how you get on…
Don’t forget to share your result proudly with the world!
NB: The information used to create this test was sourced from the Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship
