So I think we will all agree that no one has got off lightly this year, it has been a tough year for everyone. I just wanted to say a huge well done and thank you to my loyal staff. Meg, Millie and Emelia have worked throughout the whole of this pandemic with a few isolation periods here and there. They have never once complained and have kept the whole yard upbeat and to its usual high standards. They’ve been super flexible when needed due to home schooling demands and we literally couldn’t have got through this year without them! So THANK YOU!!!! 

On the clinic front, we have now got clinics booked for Jan-June, dates can be found on the website, obviously these will be subject to coming in line with covid guidelines. 

All that’s left for me to say is we wish you all a very Happy, healthy Christmas, and here’s to a brighter 2021 🥂 

Hurraahh it’s December, which means it’s the only month where we don’t care about the dark mornings, dark nights and the fact it’s bloomin freezing! Because it’s CHRRIIISSATTTMMMAAAAAASSS! 🎅🏻 I don’t know what’s more exciting, dressing up your 4 legged friend ready for a rudolf look-a-like hack or decking their stables with, well anything and everything all things that sparkle! 🙊😆🎄 

Incase you hadn’t guessed we are a very Christmas friendly yard! Those who resemble characters similar to the grinch will be reprimanded and sprinkled in glitter 🙊🎄

This year has been truly awful for so many, it seems we all wanted a bit of happiness so like everyone else we have spread the joy by getting the Christmas decorations up early, of course we thought it was a great idea, who cares if it was November 🤷‍♀️🙊  

Well onto the more important stuff!! 

‼️DECEMBER HORSE OF THE MONTH!‼️

This month our horse of the month goes by the name of……..Elmo! 

Elmo is a lovable orange snuggle machine 🥰 he’s had a couple of tough months recovering  from some veterinary treatment, but he is back under saddle now which his owner Hannah is thrilled about. They mostly enjoy hacking out together and when he is fit they are always out for hours of adventures discovering new routes and bridle paths. They also enjoy taking part in the pole clinics. 

Elmo has the best temperament you could ever wish for, he’s a very laid back chap unless you accidentally point him at a jump in which case he turns into a little firecracker, probably down to his days as a show jumper in Ireland. Elmo loves to please and loves his work and absolutely everyone he meets is guaranteed to fall in love with him! A yard full of Elmo’s would make for a great sanctuary of happiness 🥰  so here’s a cheers to a very deserving horse of the month. 💖 🥂

Meet the team, continued……..

Introducing you to another very important member of our team! Millie! Millie started out as a weekend groom with us in March of this year. In September she joined us full time as an apprentice groom. Millie works 4 days on the yard and attends Reaseheath college 1 day a week. 

Millie has taken to her role as apprentice groom like a duck to water. She is the most pleasant and polite employee you could wish for. She always has a smile on her face and is really eager to learn. She is flying through her NVQ level 2, and that is all down to her willingness to learn and excellent work ethic. Millie hopes to move on to her level 3 once she has completed her level 2. Millie part loans a gorgeous golden oldy “Taffy” who is 20, and soon hopes to get her own horse. 

I hope you are all enjoying getting your steeds out and about now the lockdown restrictions have eased! We certainly are, it’s so lovely to see the horses going back out and enjoying themselves on farm rides etc, and I think there were some who definitely got a bit of cabin fever and are now enjoying a bit more action 🥰 let’s hope it can continue as we move into the new year.

We will soon be publishing some clinic dates for the new year so keep your eyes peeled for those, we currently have some livery vacancies and a job vacancy, details of which can be found on our Facebook page so do take a look. That’s all from me for now, happy horsing. 🦄

This week I thought I would introduce you to some of our wonderful team here at Old Peel Livery. 

But before that a little update on the week. We’ve had enough going on, luckily this time in lockdown we are still able to care for our horses needs with a little less stress, our most regular farrier Simon Bourne came to shoe 7 of the horses, and only 1 naughty ponio had lost a shoe (Mr Kayf) however being his first time losing a shoe we will let him off 🙈. 

We also had the superb Ivan Stockdale come on his regular visit to 10 of the horses. As always it ran like clockwork with no issues. 

We don’t need much encouragement to get excited about Christmas here and with the depressing year we’ve had we thought we would like many others cheer ourselves up and get the Christmas decorations out! My front garden now resembles something very similar to Santa’s grotto, the brew room a little like tinsel town, and some lucky ponies even have tinsel up around their stables, it seems we are all bonkers and got the Christmas bug early this year! 🙈🎅🏻🎄🐎 ☃️ 🦌

Anyway onto the first member of our team, she works alongside myself and is our head girl Meg Askey. 

Meg started off as an apprentice with us in 2015. She has stood the test of time and moulded into the most loyal and dedicated employee. She’s always there to help at the drop of a hat in a crisis. I think anyone involved in working with horses will be all to familiar with the crisis 7am phone call…….WE NEED YOU 🙏 😆 and meg has certainly had her fair share of these and always manages to brighten up a dull day and help us out in some way. 

Our clients respect and trust her. Meg is constantly building up a wealth of knowledge and is on the tip of completing her NVQ level 3, we will let her off for the length of time her NVQ’s have taken seen as though she did pop the gorgeous baby Tommy in the middle. 

In her spare time Meg has her own horse stabled here with us, known to the world as “Allan” she describes him as ……

“My soulmate, he is a quirky character who popped up just at the right time. We love going XC and Vicky recently introduced us to team chasing and we both loved it! I’m looking forward to doing more team chases in the spring and also start eventing. 

I love my job because all of the people and horses are so friendly, we are like a big family and the yard has a lovely atmosphere. Vicky and Pete help me out so much and are amazing people to work for.”

I absolutely promise you I didn’t hold Meg hostage to say that 😆 but very lovely all the same 🤗.

This week we look forward to lockdown restrictions easing and getting some of the horses back out. I think a visit to Somerford or Kelsall May be on the cards. 

Next week I shall introduce you to Millie our super apprentice. 

Don’t forget we do currently have some stable vacancies and also a part time job vacancy which can also be found on our Facebook page. 🐎