Reduced numbers

During the 1980s and 90s we grew strawberries, raspberries and other soft fruit here at Great Slamseys but then the Great Leighs by-pass was built through the middle of the fruit field and we had to close the Pick Your Own fruit business. The affected fields were too small for arable crops so we put them down to grass and built five stables in one of the barns, which we let out to someone wanting to run a livery yard.

Over the years Notley Livery has changed hands and the facilities have expanded to include more stables and grazing, a tack room and feed store, menege and horse walker. But recently, the ever increasing price of feed combined with the general economic uncertainty has meant that some riders have sold their horse or decided that full livery is too expensive which means the livery yard has been forced to close.

The horses are gradually being moved away and it seems sensible to reduce the number of stables for a while and return to the days of a small yard and a few horses out in the fields. So, from June we'll have six stables to let out, but are hoping that things will pick up over the next few months and eventually we can reinstate all the stables.

Meanwhile, every time I drive up the chase there are fewer horses in the fields alongside, which is rather sad.