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ABOUT US!
Testimonials
A short history
of how we evolved and where we think we're going!
| Back
in 1996 whilst living on the very pretty Isle of Raasay I decided to start
a horse and cart business, Raasay Heavy Horses , to enable visitors to
the island travel from the ferry, with a guided tour, to the village and
Outdoor Centre and back. Whilst the theory was sound it didn't make financial
sense and two moves later, one to Portree on the Isle of Skye then
down to our final location here at Armadale, we have changed enormously,
name included!
Initially, along with help from Bradan (my then partner and still close friend), I did everything myself, but it proved too much with a young family also, so Tracey (in photo below) came and helped for three long years...I taught her to drive, she helped with anything and everything and she remains a best friend, now driving a four-in-hand for Carlton Clydesdales in Australia....GO GIRL!!!! Looking back I cringe at photos with my bright pink shoe laces and other odd driving clothing...the eternal rebel...I have learnt an awful lot along the way and feel I am still on a steep learning curve, but common sense has prevailed and we are now, I believe, a professional business. |
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For
the first three years we only drove the dray , attending local shows (often
at a loss) travelling down to Irvine and the next year to Blair Castle
to take people on rides, as well as developing the wedding dray...but it
was, in all honesty, just creeping along, more a hobby than a business.
But being stubborn, I had a dream that I would work with these beautiful
big horses, and persevered.
Eventually, along with encouragement from Tom Brewster and Ronnie Black, prominent Clydesdale men, I decided to try riding with them commercially. Currently they are still thought of as draught horses, for showing, timber extraction or display work but I feel that for the Clydesdale to continue as a useful working horse we have to look at today's options, and most horses in the UK are used for riding in some discipline or other. Whilst the Clydesdale will not make a top show jumper they do make great riding horses! I had seen the ridden class at the National Shire Horse Show at Peterboro' and felt that this was the way forward, not just for my business but for the breed, too. I had four "heavies" (Max, Prince, Harvest and Tommy) and one pony, Rhu ,and thought that this was enough for a trial run, so went through the lengthy procedure for my council licence. |
| Eventually, rather late in the summer of 2002, we started, with little advertising in place and not much more than enthusiasm to keep us going. We did have some knowledge and much advice from friends in the riding business, I had some qualifications and had Diane helping me, we bought two more horses (Jock and Major) and "plodded" along!!! I was working the dray whenever possible which we found a useful means of letting folk know that we were also a Riding Centre. It was quiet, few people were aware we were riding, so the first "season" had a slow start, we learnt a lot, asked customers for feedback, Diane ran off with my haulier (still happy!)(I think I should start a dating agency!!) and the finances were looking, well, encouraging! |
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Given
my additional knowledge from that first year I carried on, bought
more horses, (Clyde ,Mayflower and Blue) sold Harvest, took on more staff
- Leslie, Tiggy and Ellie - and have almost recovered from our first full
season of 2003. We had a mixed year, we lost Mayflower to colic, which
was very traumatising and shocked the whole team, but we kept going and
in general its been hard work yet great fun, my dating agency is going
well with Tiggy running off with the gardener at Armadale, and Ellie and
Leslie set to return next year.
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| Obviously when a equestrian business starts up there are huge costs, decent saddles, other tack, yard improvements, staff clothing, own equipment, spare equipment, advertising... the list goes on . Winter feeding - in fact all feedstuffs - are very expensive on Skye as most of it is brought in! The other large cost is our farrier, Robin, who is an absolute gem and keeps our horses well shod. No foot - no horse - too true, particularly when the horse weighs this much! I can honestly say after this first couple of years that I believe the Clydesdale is a great Riding horse, we have many surprised customers who thought they would do no more than walk ,and who found themselves popping a log in the woods and racing on the beach! |
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During
this past summer we attended Aberdeen Clydesdale Show. our first opportunity
to show our horses in a ridden class, we were very pleased with them, it
was a good experience, but we do need a lorry to go to more! We hosted
a charity ride with Blair Castle Trekking Centre which was excellent, and
were delighted, at the end of the season, to win the Talisker Award for
Excellence ,a local customer-lead award, as the best Outdoor Activity in
Skye and Lochalsh. What a year!!
Looking forward we intend
to continue the dray work at Armadale and visits to Blair Castle with it,
we hope to develop more riding routes in and around Armadale so our regular
visitors have better options, improve our facilities, our horses and our
customer care and continue our staff training. We want a good strong team
with open communication so our customers get the best experience possible!
As I've said elsewhere, if you have a bad experience, tell us....if you
have a good experience, tell everyone else!!!! Constructive feedback is
always welcome!
So watch this space, we are a young business, you never know what's around the corner!!! |