Adventure Neighground

11/06/2026

Stable available July onwards
Due to the very sad passing of one of our livery horses, we have a stable which will be available from July onwards.
The timing is to give all of us time to adjust and grieve, reset and prepare. This is important to us as a yard.

We offer...
Equitation science based yard (look it up, welfare based, science based, forward looking, and not tied into any equine sport in particular, it's developed by Dr Andrew MacLean and takes the Welfare Domains into how we keep, manage and train horses)

24/7 turnout all year round because you know that's what your horse needs. Hay provided ad lib in all fields. Each small herd group tells me when they need more, they control the amount of grass with electric fencing which we provide, it's a livery choice not a management choice. Horses kept out in fields as much as possible retain a better level of base fitness and are calmer due to having their social and foraging needs met. Let's not lunge for 20 minutes before riding to get the fizz out!

Worm egg counts on site so results available same day and extra monitoring of higher worm counts is easily done.

Ethical welfare based so your horse gets the ABSOLUTE science based best welfare... Turnout, friendship, forage, monitoring for stress levels, pain evidence etc

Lessons on site or from excellent visiting trainer (Mark Fuller )

Arena with lighting and excellent surface, poles, jump wings, horse agility equipment all available.
Also horse massage unit, pressure pads and clippers available (you provide just the blades)

Stables for all horses in a lovely well maintained American barn..
Ridden and non ridden horses all given the same value and appreciation, so if your horse isn't ridden we have a host of ideas on how to engage and interact.

Brew room with ample supplies, loo, heated training room also used as livery lounge.

On site courses in equine psychology and behaviour, plus a multitude of books available to borrow (equine behaviour, psychology, training, fitness, biomechanics, equine massage and hands-on methods etc)
Innovative and groundbreaking training on site (been reported in newspapers, on tv, had VIP visits,)
Behavioural training on site, with you FULLY involved eg fear of vets is rehabilitated and retrained to help your horse, you and vet stay safe

We ask for an interview/chat first in order to see if we are what you need. We can also recommend other local yards if we feel we aren't right. Our neighbouring yards are colleagues not competitors.
We certainly don't expect you to know everything (none of us do!) but to be open to looking at horsemanship, horse keeping and training from the most up to date science based evidence.

Liveries are very supportive, encourage curiosity, and everyone helps out with maintaining their fields eg poo picking, moving fencing to give more grass, letting me know when another bale of hay is needed, reporting back on horse behaviour and participates in yard-wide welfare.

This is a yard where you, as a livery, bringing your own high welfare ideas to management and training are welcomed, listened to, and can contribute.
This is also a yard where you, as a novice, keen to learn more on ethics, psychology and welfare will find a safe space to learn through reading, observing lessons or just in casual conversations. You start where you are, beginner, novice or experienced.

No we don't do children, dogs, drama. We don't have socials, we don't go for meals out together. We all have lives outside the yard. Yes we have fun, and so do our horses! And for the 22 hours you aren't here with your horse, they have friends, forage and a field. They are fulfilled.

Avoiding stereotypes, avoiding fear based behaviours, aiming for calm happy horses willing to do the many weird and wonderful things we expect from them. No tight nosebands. No lunging gadgets.

Does this sound like a You place?
Are you keen to learn, maybe not knowing where to start? Maybe you feel current methods are too aversive, competitive, or human-ego based but feel pressured into using gadgets, snacking your horse or anthropomorphizing them. You don't need to do that...

Let's talk, see what you want, see what we can provide, and maybe start a trial ...

09/06/2026

It's Appreciate Your Vet time.
When they are with you in the rain, in a muddy field, or scorching sun, or snow, or wind....
Stitching your horse back together
Applying bandages on a horse in pain, showing skill and care
Called out in the middle of the night, then messaging you at 7am to check how things are going
Staying calm whilst your horse is exhibiting fear around them, making it dangerous for them to treat your horse
Answering your multitude of questions
Standing beside you while you sob
How do you thank your vet and their team?

04/06/2026

Interesting research paper has been published! Horse Welfare 12.
If, like me, you are looking for change within the equine industry to promote and embrace better equine welfare, you might feel frustrated by the lack of progress (although there IS progress, maybe just not at the rate we want).

This paper Horse Welfare 12 looks at all the elements within horsekeeping as parts of a system, which includes research into numbers (eg noseband tightness, rein tightness), culture, legislation, information flow and places them into 12 groups. The suthors then go on to discuss which levels are easiest to implement change in, and which are likely to bring about the biggest change.

They haven't gone into HOW or WHERE or WHO should be doing WHAT... I think that's a whole different conversation, but for me, sitting here in my livery yard, it's useful to view the whole welfare of horses issue from a different viewpoint. To see some of the challenges differently, to think hard about where I am best putting my energy, what I can do, and what I cannot do (so shouldn't waste my energy on).

In so many ways it links with Lisa Ashton's book Welfare Horse Sports, in that equine welfare and change is not about blaming individuals, or organisations, it's about seeing the wider and deeper level which influences, guides and creates how we interact with horses.

Its an interesting systems view of the world of horse-humans, and very worth reading.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/405122295_Horse_Welfare_12_A_Human_Behavior_Change_Framework_for_Improving_Horse_Welfare

Click on the link and if you can't download it all, on the downloaded abstract is another link to the full copy which the authors have made available outside the Journal.

If you aren't into reading, I believe there are several podcasts which include the authors in discussion about the research and the background, so look them up.

Enjoy!

PDF | To improve horse welfare do we need more science or a different scientific approach? For over 40 years researchers have called for change to... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

30/05/2026

Stuff I have learned...
Random but VERY interesting stuff from the Equitation Science course

When your horse is down regulating from stress and getting calmer ...their right eye is hotter than their left...

And yes, I know why.... Do you want to know?

29/05/2026

Due to the current equine flu epidemic, we, as a yard, have decided not to have any visiting horses on site. All liveries are being mindful and avoiding coming to the yard directly from any shows, other yards with unknown biosecurity, auctions etc, and are following our procedure of shower, clean clothes, disinfected or clean boots.
We are also asking all visiting professionals to disinfect on arrival and departure with boot wash and spray available for use.
We don't have equine flu, and we don't intend to get it.

21/05/2026

I have 'done a thing'
Apart from the ongoing wait to get scaffolding all down, the remaining scheduled renovation and upgrade work finished, I have started the Equitation Science Diploma as CPD and to further my knowledge.

Why not continue with my BHS qualifications?

Admittedly it was many years ago when I did my Stages, but even back then I felt there was something missing for me. It felt as if it was about achieving an outcome with the horse rather than understanding how the horse learned first, then using that. It didn't feel up to date on the science. Or maybe that would come in on later Stages .....

Since starting my own learning journey into equine psychology, learning theory, biomechanics, I got super interested in other training methods which could explicitly demonstrate learning theory, and which are bang up to date with evidence, science and research based knowledge.

This led me to the International Society of Equitation Science, and then the Equitation Science Diploma.
It's not going to be easy, short or cheap.
18 months of full time study, combining theory, in hand and ridden work with a multitude of assessments. But it ticks SO many boxes for me.

Rather than train in dressage, or jumping, or xc, Equitation Science is about teaching the horse to do any discipline, so it won't matter which one I am training a horse for. It is firmly rooted in learning theory, with progression from in hand training through to lateral work, applicable for any sport from hacking to games, mounted archery, agility, racing, showjumping, even scentwork and beyond.

Does this mean I won't have any more lessons on site with Mark Fuller ? No! Far from it. His training is already in line with the core principles (maybe that's the secret as to how he is so effective!... He's already using the learning capability of the horse, the biomechanics etc). I will need to restart my lessons which will perfectly compliment the Diploma which has classical Equitation as part of its ethos.

The livery yard has already embraced the Ten Principles as their guiding ethos, with everyone on their own learning journey into a deeper understanding. This will be a truly rich experience which I know will stretch and empower me, and filter down to my liveries and my future clients as I will, once finished, start teaching and coaching but with a focus totally different to my equine colleagues in the area.

19/05/2026

Scentwork Showdown postponed due to an advanced equine trainer having had surgery (non horse related) and recovery taking longer than predicted.
We WILL rearrange it, it WILL happen, but we will wait on the trainers recovery as priority.
Apologies to anyone who was considering coming. Folk who had booked places have already been informed.

08/05/2026

What's the Scentwork Showdown going to be? Do I bring my dog or horse? Are you streaming or recording it?

Just a few of the questions I have been asked.

So, a few answers :-)

It's a morning where we, as a group, look at dogs and horses being trained. We discuss our training methods to explore common areas, and differences. We then rest our animals in challenges, so one area with 5 hidden objects for example, does the dog find them faster than the horse? And no doubt the discussion, where YOUR input and ideas will be valued, might direct us into other interesting avenues!

It's NOT a 'bring your dog or horse' event. It's an event for the curious trainers, equine, canine or both, (or any interested animal trainer interested in looking at methods which might apply cross-species) to come join discussions, explanations and demonstrations of both canine and equine training methods with the combined outcome goal of searching by scent.

It might appeal to any dog or horse owner, any animal behaviourist or student of veterinary sciences, equine management etc.

We haven't planned to record it, but perhaps we should....

Keep asking questions.... :-)

Once our overheads (insurance etc) have been covered, the remaining income will be donated to charity, with Dog Ways having their own selected charity, and ours being Veterans in Communities.
We are doing this for fun, because we don't think anyone has done a set of direct challenges to compare canine and equine, and because that's just the sort of curious minds we have.

So if you have a curiosity about the innovative, the psychology of training, want to support good causes and want to be part of something unique, please book your place!

Also, if we videoed it, would you want access to the event as a webinar style thing?