Stag Sports

19/12/2024

🐎 I was lucky enough to ride Cillian Murphy’s mount round the gallops when they were staying here and filming at Calke Abbey 🏇

12/12/2024

Mud mud everywhere - except on surfaces! Dull grey weather is perfect for a spin to blow away those cobwebs 🕸️
See you all soon! 🏇 🏇 🏇

31/10/2024

🐴 Looking for a Rider with Long Legs and a Sense of Humour! 🐴

Hi there, tall person! Are you searching for a horse that can keep up with your altitude? Meet me, Toby, your potential new riding buddy. I’m a 5-year-old warmblood with an impressive 18 hands high—so if you’re over here straining your back on ponies, look no further!

Now, I may be a giant, but I’m a homebody! I was born and raised here, and I'd like to stay local. Problem is, my owner doesn’t have enough time to keep me in tip-top shape, and apparently, her legs are just a tad too short for my lofty needs. So, I'm on the lookout for a tall, experienced partner to help me get out and have some fun now that I’m getting stronger!

About Me and My Equine Crib:

Recently backed (only this year!), but already making strides: I tackled my first autumn ride with the Midlands Riding Club and earned ⭐ status, thank you very much!

Top-notch facilities... well, mostly. We've got a great all-weather gallops, but our arena? Let’s just say it’s “in progress.” Until then, we’ll have to work with what we’ve got.

Beware of rogue pheasants though! They’re sneaky little creatures, and occasionally I might jump sideways, but hey, it’s just part of the adventure (and a loooong way down, so experienced riders only, please).

Think of steering me like flying a jumbo jet—we can do gridwork and poles if you like, but handling me still requires a little extra horsepower (pun totally intended).

I mostly live outside (good for my soul), but as we’re on clay on the muddy nights in Dec/Jan, we cozy up indoors. Some extra help during those wintery nights would be a bonus, but it’s not a dealbreaker. You’ll need public liability insurance (a few £££ a month).

Oh, and FYI, we’re based at the beautiful Calke Abbey Racing Stables near Ashby de la Zouch, so you’ll need your own transport to get here as we’re not on a bus route.

So, if you’re ready to take your riding skills to new heights (literally), DM my human and let’s chat!

06/10/2024

🐴 Looking for a Peaceful Home for Your Mini Herd or mini-sized horse business?

Welcome to Calke Abbey Racing Stables, where your horses will live their best lives, and you can too! 🌿

We are looking for a one/two select people to share our quiet, happy yard in Smisby, near Ashby de la Zouch.

🔹 Airy outdoor stables: Breathe in that fresh country air, all our stables are around a tarmaced enclosed courtyard

🔹 All-weather gallops: Rain or shine, we've got the gallops 🏇 Bored of going in circles in a school? It’s a safe way to get some exercise without going on the road - although the hacking locally is ok. Also good for long lining young horses! We hire the gallops too so you have to be aware of bookings, and horseboxes coming and going 🚛

🔹 Horse walker: For when your horse needs to stretch its legs but you're just not feeling it 🚶‍♀️

🔹 We do have a *small* arena: Perfect for working on those moves... but it does get a bit like a water splash in winter 🙈 . If you’re a dressage diva looking for a foot perfect 60x20m school we’re not for you (we will build one on the future, but not this year!). We have plenty of jumps and put them out in the grass in summer ☀️

🔹 Monarch round pen - carpet surfaced round pen for turnout or in hand work

🔹 Turnout: Summer can be 24/7 turnout, individual or groups. Winters are tough here on clay and horses are in at night, we offer turnout in smaller fields in ther day with some woodchip and some hard-standing pens for the absolute worst of the weather ☔️

🔹 Extreme weather: We’re on top of a hill—so expect all four seasons in one day! A good sense of humour is required to brave the elements (and your horse's antics). It’s worth it for the excellent summer sunsets 🌅

☕️ And for the humans? We’ve got you covered! Kettle and microwave provided—because stable life without tea is just wrong 😑 ☕🍵

🚨 You’ll never be out of touch. With the Vodafone mast practically in our yard, your phone coverage will be as reliable as your favourite gelding!

🦙 Drama llama? Keep on walking! This is a no-drama llama zone. We're all about peace, quiet, and horsey happiness here ☺️🐴✨

The admin:

➡️🐴 🐴 🐴 Minimum 3 horses/ponies per person – because no one likes a lonely neigh-bour, and we have limited parking on site. DIY only, but of course we will help in an emergency.

➡️ Fully insured, care custody and control in case we need to handle your horse in the event of an emergency, including snow preventing you getting to the yard etc. Insured freelancers welcome 🤗

➡️ References required. All on a contract with a deposit and a month’s livery paid up front. Monthly payment by direct debit.

➡️ Experienced yard owners, we have had a livery yard for years but it’s taken us a while to renovate this one! I have a BSc Equine Science and I’ve Showjumped to international level so I’ll help you out if I can. I also compete SJ regularly if you’re interested in coming along. Equally we really don’t mind what you do with your horses as long as you’re happy!

Interested? Get in touch and make Calke Abbey Racing Stables your horse's happy place today!

04/10/2024

All this rain makes me question why we have horses, but it’s worth it for magical autumn sunsets 🌅

Check out Gemma Dickens’s video.

24/09/2024

The nights are drawing in now so no time in the evenings 😫
When you ride at lunch and only have time to get the mud off the important bits 👇🏼 🙈

01/09/2024

SOS - FARRIER NEEDED TODAY/LATEST TMW
**I have some VIP horses coming to stay this week and one has lost a shoe just before they left their previous location. They will be here about 4pm, does anyone know a farrier that can pop over? It will be a good rate of pay for their trouble.**
Tristan Fraser are you around?!
Thanks!

27/07/2024

‼️ At the end of this week we are off to the Paris Olympics - hopefully to watch a repeat of Team GB winning 🥇like last time we went in London 2012 🥳
‼️ We have CLOSED the gallops as whilst we have a house sitter she has quite enough to do without monitoring the gallops 😂. If you have been before and have signed up to our T&Cs PLEASE MESSAGE ME - I can book you in manually and you can still come. Please give me some warning though as not sure what phone signal we will have!
🏇 Thanks Lesley and Gemma 😁

23/06/2024

Some of you may have seen my double field shelter which was whisked off its base and flat packed in a storm before Christmas, despite some serious ground anchors 😤
Thank you to Home Farm Heritage Agricultural Services for rebuilding it just in time to help horses escape the flies 🪰
Let Chris Bond know if you have any fencing or other woodwork needs! 😊

If you look carefully you can see its occupant trying to help me take the photo…. 🐴

12/06/2024

Little evening ride in some actual ☀️ before we head to Wales for a weekend’s jumping 😊

19/05/2024

My apologies, I have been busy/away with work and the grass has got out of control. Much as I’d like to do ‘no mow May’ unfortunately the pheasants are just enjoying the cover too much 😤
So I got the mower straight out, unfortunately (again) I didn’t actually manage to mow any of the little feckers over 🤬😂

11/05/2024

☀️ ☀️ ☀️
This morning I have learnt where the term ‘scared of their own shadow’ comes from, as Zenna is. ‘What’s that thing in my way, urggh if I move it comes with me’ 🤦‍♀️ 🏇

10/05/2024

🏇 There is so much wildlife around the gallops, we have 🦌, 🦊, 🦅 of prey and hares…. Managed to spot this tiny leveret (baby hare) in the grass this morning! 🥰

23/04/2024

In other news it’s our OAP’s birthday today - he’s 33 years young and we’ve had him for 30 years! He’s jumped up to Grade A and won many championships including the Hickstead Novice Derby, lots of Arena Eventing and National Amateur Champion even in his mid-twenties 🥰
Give him a wave if you see him 👋

23/04/2024

‼️Every time I go away to a different time zone I seem to get increased enquiries 🤪
⚠️This time the booking system appears to have gone down. I can’t actually do anything about this as it’s an external system, but hopefully it will be working again soon 🤞
If not then please message me and I can book you in manually, but I am -5 GMT ⏰ and in meetings in the day this week, so please be patient when waiting for a response ☺️

15/04/2024

🚧 I’ve messaged current bookings but please note that road between the Ashby bypass towards Ticknall is closed today where the X is below, likely for a few days, please allow a little extra time for travel and carry on further up the Ashby bypass if you’re coming from the A42 side 😄