Middleton Livery Services

21/08/2024

It's rug washing season. Just drop then at the house, in the porch, with your name, number and instructions. We offer competitive pricing and our rug repair lady is highly experienced and does a fantastic job. Any queries by all means phone or message me, happy to help!

08/08/2024

The RDA based in Hannington (Northants) are looking for another saint to join the team - usual requirements for RDA ponies.

A bigger horse (15 hh) as a lot of the disabled children who go there have grown.

It would be marvellous if on loan but there is money in reserve to purchase one, ideally loan with a view to buy, the horse needs to be nice and quiet or in need of a quieter life, be on full livery at Middleton Livery and their sessions are twice a week and only walk!

Obviously, needs to be good tempered and able to tolerate excitable screams, squeeks and shouts from the children who absolutely love their sessions.

Let me know if anyone knows of a suitable horse, please DM me.

05/03/2024

We are looking for weekend staff to help at our busy livery yard in Hannington. Saturdays and Sundays both available. If you are confident working with horses, able to muck out to a high standard fast and efficiently. Good rates of pay offered. Please PM me or ring 07786030892. Thank you

28/01/2024

We are looking for weekend help on our busy livery yard in Hannington. Saturdays or Sundays or both 8am to 5pm, applicants must be over the age of 19 and have good experience with horses.
Please DM me if you are interested or call me 07786 030892, thank you.

30/10/2023

The Middleton gang out today. Super smart turnout, lovely happy faces.

30/09/2023

Another lovely day out for the Irish bog pony Granger, in preparation for the Area & the Associated Championships. A trip to Onley gaining a 1st with 67.29% in the Silver section of the Novice and a 2nd with 69.7% in the Silver section of the Elementary. Tom Fray Equestrian Coaching Ltd works so hard with this horse, he's quirky and certainly not easy but Tom Fray is really getting a nice test out of him. Thank you so very much and thank you too to Lois James who always turns him out so immaculately.

16/09/2023

Due to yard expansion, we at Middleton Livery are looking for individual(s) to join our super existing team. a solid equestrian experience is necessary, handling fit horses, an excellent work ethic is also vital.
Applicants aged 16 and over considered.
The working days available are Monday, Friday and Sunday we are looking for a person or persons to cover these days or individual days. Happy to consider all options.
If this is of interest, please email with details of your equestrian experience to [email protected] or direct message me on here.
Thanks for reading.

02/09/2023

We're on a roll! Today Lois James did her first ever dressage competition. Apart from bringing in Lilac and discovering she'd pulled off a shoe in the night the baggage! First Prelim class achieving a brilliant 70.77% and a 1st. Second Prelim with a stonking 71.92% and another first. So proud of her, she has worked so hard on her own and with her training with Tom Fray once a week she deserves all the glory. Our second Irish bog pony has done us so proud.

13/08/2023

We have a new member of security staff on the team, he's the ankle biter and Dennis finishes them off. Mr Tumble owned by Gemma, Dennis' new sidekick.

28/05/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=635814175243611&id=100064451033652

Developing Empathy

Frustrated by your horse? Try this---

Go for a run. Yes, you, human rider. Intersperse your run with sets of push-ups. See how long it takes before you lose athletic buoyancy, before you “just can’t.”

Fatigue in a horse, which is pretty much the same thing that you just felt, creates leaning, tripping, stumbling, slow reactions, poor coordination, lugging on the hand, all sorts of what you may be mistaking for “bad behavior.”

The tired horse will feel just like a “disobedient” horse. And then what will happen to that horse if the rider doesn’t tune into the horse’s fatigue? You know exactly what will happen to the horse. It will get drilled on. Drilled on just when the exact opposite should happen.

Trainers who lack the ability to sense what the horse is going through are among the worst drillers, and they create tense, scared, resistant horses, and they then do something even worse, they blame the horse.

Change your mind set. Think how YOU would feel if you had gotten beyond your limits and then got ground on and punished to fix your bad behavior.

You think I’m kidding? You think this isn’t going to happen today, all across the world where people ride and drive horses? That unfit for the task horses won’t be cranked and pressured? Dream on.

The best thing that you can do if your goal is to become a competent trainer is to constantly be aware of your own frustration meter. And stop before you create damage, physical and emotional injury and distress. Get a little and end on that. If even a little seems elusive, DO NOT GRIND. Go walk, try again tomorrow. Don’t add fear and anxiety to the training process.

I will say this one more time---“Don’t add fear and anxiety to the training process.”

Why am I saying this so often? Because if I had learned this decades sooner, I would have been a far better trainer and horse person---That’s why. Learn, if you are capable of doing so, from the mistakes that others have made. Do not drill your horse.

03/05/2023

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=641457564686038&set=a.568593151972480&type=3

I’m just gonna leave this here…

22/04/2023

Well the Irish Eejit aka Granger did us proud today. Novice class 70.74% a 1st in his section and 1st overall. Elementary class 68.38% a 1st in his section and 2nd overall.
I don't joke when I say this horse is quirky and testing at the best of times.
Tom Fray, Tom Fray Equestrian Coaching Ltd does a fantastic job of him and today was one of those ear splitting smiles.
Well done and a big thank you to Lesley Johnson who volunteered to be chief assistant.
Massively appreciated all round.
Thank you

22/04/2023

These two are my youngsters not so young at 6 and 7 but up and coming.
The pictures were taken at Weston Lawns on Friday.
Tom Fray Equestrian Coaching Ltd is doing such a fantastic job with them, it takes time, it's no rush job. Tom is calm, not phazed if they have a bad day, he continues to educate them and I am very excited to see what the future brings.
Huge thanks to Lois James who's care and attention to turn out are second to none.
Excellent team around me and I am so grateful.

01/04/2023

New price list with effect from today.
Collection and drop off available a Collins Petfoods, Hardingstone or drop at the address below.
Any queries please phone the mobile number below, happy to help.
Thank you.

18/11/2022

Why we haven't rushed to worm yet.
https://www.facebook.com/145661218836446/posts/5572389289496918/

22/05/2022

Good morning,
It's that time of year again!
Happy to answer any queries you may have.
Thanks