Recycled Racehorse Falconry Team

25/06/2024

All grown up
Kev teaching with Tommy today

25/06/2024

St Tommy no brakes in his happy place
Tommy is the most amazing horse for teaching as he’s so good with the birds that he just lets everything happen while he dozes where he can
Put him in a display ring and its a constant battle as he really enjoys it but Tommy’s version of fun in a display arena is very different from mine so its a fight he tends to win 😂
Put him on the moor with a hunting falcon and all 3 of us become one

24/06/2024

Back where it started , Toffee (Takebthe Top Off), the first thoroughbred we recycled to falconry pony , photo from 2002 on a day with the Dartmoor Falcons, our field falconry group
(I even had hair then)

23/06/2024

Due to a cancellation due to COVID having a much needed catch up on office work being assisted by Grace, the ugliest little thing you could get
(She will be beautiful in a few days but isn’t now 😂)

22/06/2024

This is how Roy earns his keep, he’s so good on the ground he’s like having a crash test dummy
This is Graces first introduction to horse
That ugly fluff ball will be a barn owl in a couple of weeks, and for such a beautiful bird they are the ugliest, noisiest babies ever
And no that is not a distress noise it’s more Hello are you my mummy?

22/06/2024

With Caymans and Floki
We get odd looks but half the time when we’re not doing serious work with the team we will still take a hawk on board when just exercising or hacking, it keeps everyone relaxed, we work out how to deal with any problems with our any extra aids
It’s great for teaching ourselves how to deal with problems when you have two creatures relying on you to keep them safe, both of which can have “dramatic” reactions if they don’t feel so
It makes you really understand what you’re working with and how you have to work with them, as you’re not in a position to “force “anything (not that we believe in forcing anything apart from getting Roy out of his stable when he can’t be 😂)
It makes every day a school day

21/06/2024

Our falconry from horses days, a wonderful way to introduce people to working birds of prey with horses, hands on and fun, but something we didn’t seem to be able to get people to want to have a go at 😢

21/06/2024

Roy, doing his innocent look wondering why he’s still outside the barn
Nothing to do with the fact he decided to make his own way in quarter of an hour after everyone else
The British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre This is Roy being a bad pony 😂

21/06/2024

Incoming Frank with St Tommy no brakes, teaching

20/06/2024

Incoming Frank with St Tommy
Part of todays Falconry from horses day

20/06/2024

So Kev joined the team today
Furthest he’s managed to fly
Looking like an old professional

20/06/2024

Tommy and Kev teaching

19/06/2024

St Tommy no brakes and Ben teaching today

19/06/2024

Working a falconry to the lure, Caymans and Dawn in action
This is an exercise technique , simulating bird hunting as the falcon chances a fake bird on a piece of string which is spun round in “pretend flight”, used to exercise falcons, the fastest birds on the planet
To do this on a horse you need a horse that is quick on its feet, steady and sensible, and with the brain power to work out what’s happening and work with you

18/06/2024

Why we are stopping our teaching days We love running our falconry from horses days, introducing people to a whole new world of working horses and birds of prey together, we’ve met some …

We love running our falconry from horses days, introducing people to a whole new world of working horses and birds of prey together, we’ve met some wonderful people and, we hope, left people with a…

18/06/2024

Planning pre display
I love this photo as it shows the wonderful nature of the thoroughbred when given a job they love
New place, things going on and it never occurs to hang on as Caymans is the consummate professional

17/06/2024

And so it’s starts
Caymans putting on his Tolerant look as he gets Keved for the first time
How we introduce the hawks to the horses is as important as the other way and everything has to be a positive experience to make it a happy relationship

17/06/2024

Caymans and Frank, doing what they do best
At National Horse Racing Museum last month

16/06/2024

Spot the falcon
Five years ago, flying a falcon under 3 horses single handed
Tommy, Shubaat and Caymans with Barny

16/06/2024

Watching
Caymans and Ben viewing the crowd after a great display

15/06/2024

When you’re behind on paperwork and are trying to catch up it’s quite hard when you’re working under full supervision
Kev taking over as office manager

15/06/2024

Getting display ready
Caymans, Ben and myself plotting a new routine for our summer display season
(Don’t be fooled by the blue sky, we were soaked through from the horrendous shower 2 minutes before)

15/06/2024

Clients, St Tommy no Brakes and ben having fun on our falconry from horses days

14/06/2024

When teaching we try to match our horses to our guests 😂

13/06/2024

Whoosh
Coming under
St Tommy and Barny on a teaching day

12/06/2024

A team of bay bottoms heading out for the night
Prize for anyone who can name the bottoms from left to right😂

12/06/2024

Bit of Kev spam
(Well he is part of the team)