Brackenbrae News and other Stories

TWO VIDEOS OF OUR HORSES PRODUCED BY ALYSSA MATHEWS OF Discoverthehorse

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 21:23:50 +0100

We had a visit from Alyssa Mathews in April. She is on a quest to ride and film every horse breed in the world for her youtube channel Discoverthehorse. Below are links to the two videos she produced. The first is her ride on Jack around Brackenbrae and the second is a short history of the breed. She has many videos on her channel of some rare horses and her adventures. Well worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/4fJCEaZvYy8 OUR HORSES

https://youtu.be/jhdi3FjeJwo A HISTORY OF THE BREED

DISTRESSING NEWS FOR BRACKENBRAE

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 16:35:14 +0100

Today we lost our wonderful gentle giant Lockie (Brackenbrae Warlock) He was a kind and loving gentleman of a horse, who would put up with everything from everyone, human or horse, stoically.

The horses were having a huge run about in the fields and Lockie was charging around with them, kicking his heels in the air having a great time, when he collapsed. He died peacefully a few minutes later, before the vet could arrive, but with his whole tribe around and with him.

The lady from Equine Recovery Services came to collect him less than three hours later and his mother Lizzie and Jack his best friend stayed by the fence to see him off. We are devastated but it was quick and he seemed in no pain. He will be greatly missed by all of us at Brackenbrae.

Lockie, the Scottish Farmer Poster Boy for the Cleveland Bay!

THE SHOWS ARE BACK

Mon, 23 May 2022 04:36:24 +0100

An enjoyable day at the 200th Anniversary Fife Show saw Winnie making a storming comeback to the show ring. She and Sparky had gone to the Royal Highland last year but with no spectators and few competitors it was a quiet start to their showing careers. Fife Show this year made up for that for Winnie and Midnight. Midnight had first day nerves in her class and refused to move, resisting all encouragement but managing to come away with a third place, but Winnie was a star and won the Barham Challenge Cup for the Hunter In-hand Championship. They spent the rest of the day on the RBST stand meeting the crowds and behaving very well. A great experience for both.

Brackenbrae Winnie wearing her Hunter In-hand Championship sash

DISCOVER THE HORSE

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:27:50 +0100

We had a lovely day today showing off the horses to Alyssa and Pete from Discoverthehorse Alyssa is on a mission to ride and video every horse breed in the world and is visiting Scotland for two weeks meeting the native breeds but managed to fit in Cleveland Bays with us today. We can’t wait to see the results on her YouTube Channel Discover the Horse. It was lovely to meet them and wish them success on the quest

Winnie is checking out Alyssa's camera

HAPPY EASTER LAMBING 2022

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 05:47:46 +0100

Lambing has been going well so far this year and the first group of lambs are bouncing about the field.

Enjoying the spring sunshine

SMALLHOLDERS FESTIVAL 2021 GOES WELL

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 20:48:32 +0100

This year's Scottish Smallholders and Growers Festival was a busy day for everyone. We took Solstice out for his first ever away day and he thoroughly enjoyed meeting the public and all the other horses (not to mention the alpacas in the pen behind him!) He walked around in the Equine Parade like a pro. Caesar also had a great day meeting an appreciative public and representing Brackenbrae Flock and the Zwartbles Sheep Association, as well as being the hands-on demo in the SAC Vet's "Sheep MOT"

Solstice and Winnie checking out the Fell on her way out to the Parade

Solstice meeting the neighbours

Culriach Czar (Caesar) getting ready for the public to arrive

We also bought some more ducks, 14 week-old Khaki Campbells this year, to join the flock

SAD END TO 2020

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:55:25 +0000

In what seems somehow a fitting end to 2020 we lost one of our old friends, Dunn the Dexter cow who came to us as a calf with her mother Dexie in 2007. Dunn has been a friendly character, very easy-going apart from her annual foot-trim, who loved a good scratch and a cuddle. We will miss her.

Dunn at 4 months old, shortly after she came to us

THE WINTER ROUTINE

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 11:17:11 +0000

We have settled well and truly into the winter routine now and three weeks earlier than usual after such a wet autumn. The horses are all staying in overnight and half go out on alternate days to give them all a day in to dry out their legs. Cori and Sparky had to have a few days inside over the weekend because Cori had an abscess which has thankfully burst quickly as Sparky was getting a wee bit fed up having to stay in with his mum while Winnie was getting out.

Sparky and Winnie helping with the daily routine of bedding the barn

TIM MOVES ON

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 22:10:42 +0100

Tim is leaving us and going to his new home in England. He went out for his last walk around the area with Angus at the weekend and has had the family around to say their goodbyes, although I don't suppose that he realised the significance. We will miss his sunny nature and know that he will be loved by everyone he meets down south. Bon voyage Tim

Tim and Angus

TIM GETS VISITORS

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 22:59:42 +0100

With the easing of lockdown Tim's potential new owner could finally come up from England to meet him and they seem to have hit it off. Hopefully he will be away soon to a happy new home but we will miss his sunny exuberance and his half-brothers will miss their playmate.

Tim and Eleanor saying "Au revoir"

A FILLY!!!

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 23:24:45 +0100

Folds Pearl produced a lovely filly foal for us this week, we are calling her Winnie. By Thomsonbrook King William (Bill) she is Pearl's second purebred CB foal. We are very excited as we have been waiting for a pure-bred filly for eleven years since Crystal was born, with eight colts in between. Mother and baby are doing well and Sparky is looking forward to playing with his little half-sister once her mother allows her.

Folds Pearl and Brackenbrae Winnie already walking on a halter on her second day

Brackenbrae Bright Spark at one month old showing how clever he is picking his feet up

VIRTUAL SUCCESS FOR RAGS

Fri, 29 May 2020 08:21:43 +0100

With the show season cancelled everything has moved online and Brackenbrae Ragnald has done very well in his first big show. We were all chuffed when he made the shortlist of ten out of forty-three entries in the Cleveland Bay class of the Virtual Windsor Horse Show in May. He was the only one of the ten shown in hand. We are so proud that he was awarded Second place to the Queen's horse.

It was interesting hearing the Judge's (Mr Nigel Hollings) comments which we wouldn't normally hear; "I really liked this horse, he has lovely limb on him, he's got the scope, you can see how strong he is behind. Yes he really caught my eye as soon as I opened the photograph he was always on my mind"

Congratulations to Rags and Helen. We told Skysail about her son's success but she wasn't impressed enough to lift her head from the grass.

More good news about another of Skysail's sons - at Stormcloud's new home three of his mares have been scanned in foal already so he seems to have settled well at Braithwaite Stud.

Rags winning photo taken after winning at N. Yorks Show last year

CORI IS A MUM

Fri, 15 May 2020 17:22:54 +0100

Brackenbrae Coruscation has had her first foal this week, a healthy colt. After a lot of debate (and a gender reassessment) we have decided to call him Brackenbrae Bright Spark (Sparky). Cori has taken well to motherhood after the initial surprise.

OUR FIRST LAMBS OF 2020

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 05:18:10 +0100

After months of rain we have had some dry weather and the grass is starting to grow. Our first lambs of the season have left the nursery and found the field. Most of the horses are now staying out all night, just the youngsters and the mares still requiring feeding and staying in overnight until there is more grass.

There was the usual ten minutes of excitement and mayhem after these lambs first entered the field before they re-found their mothers and siblings and settled down to investigate this new world of grass.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 05:09:56 +0100

One of our preparations for lambing is vaccinating the ewes, which we did a few weeks ago. Also included were Nicola's four ewes and five alpacas living up the glen from us. A first for us, the alpacas are great fun and such characters.

Last year we sold some gimmers to Newparks Farm, Muiravonside Park and later in the year Kembla Fearghas got promoted from our number two ram to Newparks Zwartbles ram. He immediately took himself to the top of the pecking order over the other rams already there and is completely established and happy there. We await news of their first crop of lambs due soon.

Kembla Fearghas at Newparks this month

The Hebridean boys might have horns to be proud of but Fearghas rules by force of personality.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES!

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 22:38:51 +0000

To cap off a miserably wet winter we have had the highest water levels in the river for several years, bursting it's banks below the house and running down the field. The horses are still getting out turn about every second day, apart from King William the stallion who gets out most days, although he very often looks like he would rather not. The sheep and cattle are coping, which is more than can be said of the fields, which are completely saturated.

Last weekend...............now back to this

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TIM

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 22:53:59 +0000

The weather has been "a bit on the wet side" recently but thankfully not as bad as some other areas. We are getting at least some of the horses out each day although they do come back in "barkit" as we say around here. So each evening is spent cleaning off the mud.

We started Brackenbrae Ultimate (Tim) on the next stage of his education this weekend when we walked him out on long lines. He reacted like he usually does, with interest in the new approach but with no drama. He has a real gem of a personality.

The foals have not had much work recently with bad weather and abscesses but we got both out this weekend. Bumblebees on strings was the general description of their behaviour which is to be expected as they have been indoors for so long

TIM GETS HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE OF LONG LINES

TACKING UP FOR THE OUTING

CRYSTAL AND SOLSTICE GET OUT FOR A WALK

TIM GETTING THE HANG OF LONG LINING

THE SCOTTISH MONSOON SEASON STARTS

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 21:23:33 +0000

After a relatively dry October November has seen the wet weather come in with a vengeance. The fields are still green, well the bits above the water are, and not completely mud yet so the horses are still grazing enthusiastically when they go out. We have restricted their access to just two fields to save the others for the sheep to winter in. The herd go out in two different groups, each one going out on alternate days which gives me a chance to clean up the group left inside for the day and them to dry out.

The tups went out on 5th of November so the ewes will start lambing in the first week in April, hopefully when there is some grass. The ewes were all oestrus sponged to bring them into season together for a tight lambing period. As a result Caesar and new boy Gonzo were greeted with an enthusiastic group of girls.

LIZZIE, TIM, LOCKIE and JACK

LIZZIE, CORI and SKY

There is a tup in there somewhere - the girls mob CAESAR

SUMMER PHOTOS

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 13:23:52 +0100

On a lovely day in June we had a visit from Cecile Zahorka, a professional photographer from Germany. Cecile was touring Britain photographing rare breed horses and ponies for a book she intends to publish about endangered equines around the world. Her website is www.thepixelnomad.com and she can be found on facebook and instagram @thepixelnomad. Check out her sites for some beautiful pictures of world horses.

We had a great time watching her with the horses and how she got their attention. Cecile has recently sent us some of the images from the session and we have uploaded a few and will no doubt use more in the future. We thank Cecile and hope you enjoy them.

ULTIMATE (TIM)

JACK GETS A CUDDLE

LOCKIE LOOKING NOBLE

TIM SHOWING OFF

ANGUS AND PEARL

STILL SUMMER (JUST)

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:37:45 +0100

It has been a mixed sort of summer, weather and otherwise. We have lost old friends, Warlord, Wallace and now Tuxedo and we have a lot of healthy, friendly lambs and two cracking foals. Pearl, Crystal and Cori are in foal for next year but Skysail unfortunately is not, in spite of a lot of effort and expense with AI. Tim is up for sale now and we hope that he will find a good new home soon but we will miss him, he is such a sweetie. He has really enjoyed his first summer of showing on his own and we were disappointed that what would have been his last, Kinross, was rained off.

The foals went out individually with their mothers this weekend and Angus went all the way to the end of the road to see the traffic quite happily. Solstice didn't get that far as Crystal wasn't happy leaving the rest of the herd. Once around the stubble field next door was enough for her.

Trying to get the babies ready to go out - obviously an excuse to play!

FUN AT THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 23:03:37 +0100

Recently we travelled to Harrogate to compete at the Great Yorkshire show. We took Brackenbrae Ultimate (Tim) our part bred Cleveland Bay yearling to compete in two classes. The trip down was uneventful and Tim was relaxed and happy in his stable when he arrived on the Monday evening. He enjoyed all the goings on and seeing lots of different horses around him. The Cleveland Bay classes were due to start on the Tuesday at 4.30 pm but did not actually start until 7pm which led to some tired and bored horses competing with no spectators, especially for the later classes, Tim did not get into the ring until nearly 9pm. Jimmy handled Helen Hennessy's two year old Brackenbrae Ragnald (Rags) who despite being fractious at his long wait managed to win the pure bred two year old class. Jimmy then showed Brackenbrae Ultimate in the part bred Cleveland Bay yearling class and was place 2nd and behaved well.

On the Wednesday morning Alison took her turn to show Tim in the hunter yearling colt or gelding class achieving a 5th place in a very strong class.

It was a nice couple of days meeting friends and seeing Rags again, he has turned into a handsome big lad with Helen down in Yorkshire.

Brackenbrae Ragnald 1st Cleveland Bay yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 2nd Cleveland Bay part bred yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 5th Hunter yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate

FUN AT THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 23:03:32 +0100

Recently we travelled to Harrogate to compete at the Great Yorkshire show. We took Brackenbrae Ultimate (Tim) our part bred Cleveland Bay yearling to compete in two classes. The trip down was uneventful and Tim was relaxed and happy in his stable when he arrived on the Monday evening. He enjoyed all the goings on and seeing lots of different horses around him. The Cleveland Bay classes were due to start on the Tuesday at 4.30 pm but did not actually start until 7pm which led to some tired and bored horses competing with no spectators especially for the later classes, Tim did not get into the ring until nearly 9pm. Jimmy handled Helen Hennessy's two year old Brackenbrae Ragnald (Rags) who despite being fractious at his long wait managed to win the pure bred two year old class. Jimmy then showed Brackenbrae Ultimate in the part bred Cleveland Bay yearling class and was place 2nd and behaved well.

On the Wednesday morning Alison took her turn to show Tim in the hunter yearling colt or gelding class achieving a 5th place in a very strong class.

It was a nice couple of days meeting friends and seeing Rags again, he has turned into a handsome big lad with Helen down in Yorkshire.

Brackenbrae Ragnald 1st Cleveland Bay yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 2nd Cleveland Bay part bred yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 5th Hunter yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate

ANOTHER NEW ARRIVAL

Sat, 22 Jun 2019 23:21:59 +0100

Brackenbrae Crystal produced her fifth foal, the first pure bred CB, on midsummer at 1.20am so we are calling him Brackenbrae Solstice ("Sol") He has great long legs and a very laid back nature, already coming up to people for cuddles. His sire Thomsonbrook King William is here again this summer and has already served Pearl and Cori so we hope for positive results from their upcoming scans.

Brackenbrae Solstice enjoying his first day lazing on a sunny afternoon watched over by his mum Crystal and Auntie Skysail.

A NEW ARRIVAL

Wed, 08 May 2019 21:11:27 +0100

Folds Pearl produced a lovely colt foal for us at 5am on the 7th of May. He is by Barbara Martindale's stallion Brackenbrae Somerled that we bred. We are hoping to call him Brackenbrae Angus after a son of the original Somerled, Lord of the Isles. He had the usual Cleveland Bay trait of his legs being too long for him to get low enough to suckle from his mum. However Pearl allowed us to milk her and he was bottle fed some colostrum. This started him off and he was soon suckling on his own. We let him out to the field in the afternoon and he was soon testing his legs.

SOUTHBROOK WARLORD

Sat, 04 May 2019 00:03:13 +0100

A difficult decision had to be faced this week. After the pleasure of having Warlord's company for the last ten years, we have had to let him pass on before he became any more infirm. He had become unsteady on his feet, and a couple of times had fallen and needed help to get up but was still reasonably comfortable and wandering around the field with his long-time companion Lizzie. He has sired eight lovely foals for us from Lizzie, Diamond and Sky, who have all inherited his lovely temperament. He was a pleasure to live and work with and loved his daily groom and cuddles. Always a gentleman, he impressed everyone he met with his calm friendly personality and good manners. He will be hugely missed but leaves us with great memories.

LAMBING STARTS

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 06:32:42 +0100

This year's lambing started a few days earlier than expected with Tuppence being first again. Her wee girl is turning into a bit of a character and an escape artist so she is keeping her mum on her toes. It was three days before the rest started in earnest but they are coming thick and fast now. Meanwhile Jack and Lockie went out for a ride at the weekend, probably the last for a few weeks while all the attention is on the lambs.

Tuppence with Groat (?)

A sweaty Lockie is getting fitter for the summer, Jack is just Jack as usual

BRACKENBRAE ULTIMATE GOES SOLO

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 22:40:15 +0000

Brackenbrae Ultimate (Tim) went to his first show without his mum this weekend. We did not go far, approximately 200 metres along the road to Netherton Equestrian for one of Fiona Reed's famous Puddledub shows. It is always interesting to find out how a yearling takes to going out on their own to their first show but we need not have worried as he was calm and interested in what was going on around him. He was however quite vocal calling out to any horse or pony that would answer him. He managed a class win in the young stock class and went on to behave beautifully in the Championship though not placed in a very strong field. We are looking forward to his future outings this summer when he fills out and loses a bit of his winter foal coat.

TIM CHECKING OUT HIS COMPETITORS

WINTER MAINTENANCE

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 15:52:54 +0000

The time of year when every one gets their health checks and catch-ups. January saw the horses' dentals, and all went well with only a few raggedy edges to be filed apart from poor Lizzie, who had to have a tooth out last year and requires regular ongoing work so needs sedation. She is very good and puts up with a lot. Crystal and Jack however have no such excuse and behaved like babies - shouting and getting in a state - so required sedation for a minute of rasping each. Everyone else is more sensible. Tim let the vet have a practise play in his mouth quite happily and then took advantage of his mother dozing at the back of the stall to hang over the door staring intently at everyone else.

February saw everyone getting their annual injections, again only Crystal makes any fuss, but she is getting a bit better.

March sees us getting ready for lambing and Pearl's foaling next month. Hopefully by then the weather will improve and the grass start growing properly so that the horses can stay out. Tim is weaned now and happily goes about with his sister Cori and uncles Lockie and Jack.

Vet Jamie sorting out Lizzie's mouth

GREAT WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 23:04:27 +0000

The warm weather is lovely and the horses are enjoying being out in the mild conditions. We got the chance to take three out for a hack at the weekend. It turned out a bit more exciting than we anticipated, turned out Lizzie did not appreciate having a selfie stick waved over her head when Jim tried to take a video. However nobody was injured and we learned the lesson!!!

The mild weather has one disadvantage in that the horses get very sweaty in their woolly winter coats but on the plus side they may sweat off a few pounds.

SKY, JACK and LIZZIE

EVERYBODY MAKES IT BACK SAFELY

COLD NIGHTS BRIGHT DAYS

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 19:12:39 +0000

The weather has been cold recently and we have some bright sunny days which the animals have been enjoying. The ground has been frozen solid for days and we have started feeding the sheep hay but on the plus side the horses have been spotless when they come in at night and we don't have to scrape any mud off them. Here are some recent photos taken in the winter sun.

Brackenbrae News and other Stories

TWO VIDEOS OF OUR HORSES PRODUCED BY ALYSSA MATHEWS OF Discoverthehorse

DISTRESSING NEWS FOR BRACKENBRAE

Lockie, the Scottish Farmer Poster Boy for the Cleveland Bay!

THE SHOWS ARE BACK

Brackenbrae Winnie wearing her Hunter In-hand Championship sash

DISCOVER THE HORSE

Winnie is checking out Alyssa's camera

HAPPY EASTER LAMBING 2022

Enjoying the spring sunshine

SMALLHOLDERS FESTIVAL 2021 GOES WELL

Solstice and Winnie checking out the Fell on her way out to the Parade

Solstice meeting the neighbours

Culriach Czar (Caesar) getting ready for the public to arrive

We also bought some more ducks, 14 week-old Khaki Campbells this year, to join the flock

SAD END TO 2020

THE WINTER ROUTINE

Sparky and Winnie helping with the daily routine of bedding the barn

TIM MOVES ON

Tim and Angus

TIM GETS VISITORS

Tim and Eleanor saying "Au revoir"

A FILLY!!!

Folds Pearl and Brackenbrae Winnie already walking on a halter on her second day

Brackenbrae Bright Spark at one month old showing how clever he is picking his feet up

VIRTUAL SUCCESS FOR RAGS

Rags winning photo taken after winning at N. Yorks Show last year

CORI IS A MUM

OUR FIRST LAMBS OF 2020

LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING

Kembla Fearghas at Newparks this month

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES!

Last weekend...............now back to this

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TIM

TIM GETS HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE OF LONG LINES

TACKING UP FOR THE OUTING

CRYSTAL AND SOLSTICE GET OUT FOR A WALK

TIM GETTING THE HANG OF LONG LINING

THE SCOTTISH MONSOON SEASON STARTS

LIZZIE, TIM, LOCKIE and JACK

LIZZIE, CORI and SKY

There is a tup in there somewhere - the girls mob CAESAR

SUMMER PHOTOS

ULTIMATE (TIM)

JACK GETS A CUDDLE

LOCKIE LOOKING NOBLE

TIM SHOWING OFF

ANGUS AND PEARL

STILL SUMMER (JUST)

Trying to get the babies ready to go out - obviously an excuse to play!

FUN AT THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

Brackenbrae Ragnald 1st Cleveland Bay yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 2nd Cleveland Bay part bred yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 5th Hunter yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate

FUN AT THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

Brackenbrae Ragnald 1st Cleveland Bay yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 2nd Cleveland Bay part bred yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate 5th Hunter yearling

Brackenbrae Ultimate

ANOTHER NEW ARRIVAL

Brackenbrae Solstice enjoying his first day lazing on a sunny afternoon watched over by his mum Crystal and Auntie Skysail.

A NEW ARRIVAL

SOUTHBROOK WARLORD

LAMBING STARTS

Tuppence with Groat (?)

A sweaty Lockie is getting fitter for the summer, Jack is just Jack as usual

BRACKENBRAE ULTIMATE GOES SOLO

TIM CHECKING OUT HIS COMPETITORS

WINTER MAINTENANCE

Vet Jamie sorting out Lizzie's mouth

GREAT WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY

SKY, JACK and LIZZIE

EVERYBODY MAKES IT BACK SAFELY

COLD NIGHTS BRIGHT DAYS

MORNING FOG BURNING OFF

CRYSTAL, JACK, TIM, PEARL, CORI and LOCKIE

THE SHEEP ENJOYING THEIR HAY

DOUGAL LOOKING FOR FOOD

PEARL SHOWING HER BUMP, DUE IN APRIL