YellowField Stables

25/03/2025

🐴 Pony backing and schooling livery🐴

Something a little different from YellowField stables. Pleased to say we now have availability for pony backing and schooling livery 👏🏻👏🏻 We have 2 quiet, sympathetic, lightweight riders happy to work with all types of ponies / small horses at any stage in their riding career 😀🏇

Meet our recent graduate Harry 🐴🫶🏻 This adorable pony came in for some educational experience and to make sure he was safe for his little rider at home (Hacking, arena work with and without another horse and general in hand work)

This is the perfect opportunity for parents / owners who want to check their ponies are safe before putting their own little precious jockeys on board or further schooling off the lead rein.

Get in touch to know more 🐎🐴♥️

05/02/2025

I think Eden sports horses are going to love me… I send one horse home completely in love with Shetland ponies so they have to buy him one! Now the next horse has fallen in love with a toddler… 🤔🤔🤔

31/01/2025

First ride out for new girl, Izzy. 4yr old mare By Comthago

26/01/2025

Thank you everyone for your messages of concern (especially from our English friends).
We have all survived the storms so far. Stables are all undamaged and horses are happy.
We still have no power (ie- WiFi) so apologies for not replying to message. Lots of mucking out with headlights!

22/01/2025

Taking advantage of the dry fields before the storms come…. Love getting the baby horses out doing something different! Big smiles all round.

07/01/2025

Surprise snow storm = snow day!

Thanks to YellowField Stables for putting me up for the night ❄️☃️

Reliving my Canadian childhood with some snowman building!

18/12/2024

2 more 3yr olds having their first ride out… super well behaved boys

10/12/2024

As Cassie and Rocket graduate their 3yr old class and go home for a well earned break the next batch have their first outings.

3yr old Connie, Reggie, enjoying his first trip out and on the gallops…. behaving like a pro.
3yr old Aria enjoying her first time in the arena and showing lots of potential.
And Ember who is with us for some schooling loving being part of the team strutting her stuff.

16/11/2024

Made it until mid November before the young boys have needed their rugs! Enjoying their extra time living out…

13/11/2024

Super confident and happy 3yr old mare By King Of Mourne, out of Obos Quality mare. This mare is so much fun to work with, she finds everything easy and loves any opportunity to have a show off. First time in an arena today and first time over a pole. So exciting to see what she can do next

13/11/2024

The absolutely stunning 3yr old gelding by Lithium VS. First time in arena. A talented and beautiful horse who is a pleasure to work with. Very excited to watch his future career.

06/11/2024

So lucky to live and work somewhere with roads quiet enough to train the young horses on….

25/10/2024

Something that we at yellowfields stables completely agree with. Great read for anyone who has a young horse that’s ready for breaking 👏🏻👏🏻

Slow and steady is not only for the horses mental health but also for their ability in the future.

*** WHY HORSES SHOULD NOT BE JUMPING UNDER SADDLE WITHIN WEEKS OF BEING BACKED ***

I’m always shocked and saddened when I see posts and adverts stating how a horse has been backed for several weeks and is now already jumping under saddle. I’m sorry, but that’s nothing to be proud of. I’m very sure there will be many that disagree, but you are setting a young horse up to fail.

If we give our competition horses a couple of months off, we spend weeks, maybe months, carefully bringing them back slowly to build up muscle. Yet a 4 year old with bone and muscle that is completely unconditioned to carrying the weight of a saddle on their back, let alone a 10 stone (and the rest) rider, is cantering and jumping within 4 weeks of having weight on their backs for the very first time?

Young horses should be taken extremely slowly after backing, as it takes months for them to develop the correct muscles to carry the weight of a rider. In my opinion, it is acceptable to back a horse at 4 years old (PLEASE don’t start posting that damn chart of growth plate fusions, or I’ll just delete and block!), PROVIDED the horse is given time to develop the correct muscles to carry themselves and a rider. I absolutely wouldn’t touch a 4 year old that had been backed for 4 weeks and was already jumping under saddle. Sure, they are likely sound and would pass a vetting, but it’s setting them up for orthopaedic issues in the future. Treat an unbacked horse’s fitness and muscle/bone strength as you would treat a horse that’s just had a 2 month holiday, at least.

Slow and steady wins the longevity race.

EDIT: I’m not saying that 4 year olds shouldn’t be jumping, but that they should have been under saddle, developing correct muscle and fitness, for many months before they are asked to leave the floor with a rider on board.

EDIT 2: This is not a post to say 4yr olds shouldn’t be out doing little jumping rounds! I have nothing against the 4yo classes, except the fact I believe they shouldn’t start until at least mid way through the year. I believe this would ease the pressure on young horses to be jumping courses far too soon after backing.