[Fleecewife]

Did anyone else watch Martin Clunes' programme last night about heavy horses?  I don't know the first thing about horses, except how beautiful they are, but I really loved the programme.  One of the best bits for me was watching Martin's two lads turning from a couple of unruly pets into a pair of manageable working horses.   I also laughed out loud at the Jack Russels lots of horse owners seem to have, chasing and yipping and being totally ignored by the horses.  We have terriers and it's good to see they are the same the world over 

[deepinthewoods]

yes, my daughter has a love of heavy horse, was lovely to see them getting the recognition they deserve. when we last visited the shire horse center in redruth to see the latest suffolk punch foal, harry told us how 2 adults had pulled 12 ton and had more to give. amazing how strong they are. i can foresee them being used more and more as fuel prices rise.

[Rosemary]

I saw most of it and enjoyed it very much. Paul Heiney did a similar thing was back with the Suffolk horse.

If you like heavy horses and you're travelling distance to Northumberland, mark May 5th in your diary and get along to the Milfield Festival of the Heavy Horse
http://www.heavyhorsefestival.co.uk/

[scarlettoara]

i really enjoyed it. i didnt realised they started work at 2 yrs old. i didnt see any show horses "soaped" up like they do here, i was hoping for an explanation on that. is it just to make them look bigger?
we used to hoover the ponies as kids, was a really good noisy machine and taught them to tolerate the clippers, havent seen any for sale for a while tho.

[lachlanandmarcus]

If anyone is in reaching distance of Suffolk, I would heartily recommend the annual Suffolk Spectacular usually each September, venues in the past have included Kentwell Hall (which is worth a visit by itself).


 Amazing to see so many of this breeds rarer than the giant panda but sadly not so high profile, together in one place.


Suffolks are my gave even tho I live up in Clydesdale territory!!

[RUSTYME]

One of my burgers is part Clydesdale . Josie's grandfather was pure , but not pedigree , clyde .
Kentwell looks fantastic on all the videos i have seen of it and the many reenactments they have there . I believe Stuart Peachey and Ruth Goodman of 'tales from the green valley ' have been involved in many of the events there too .
The weald and downland open museum is also worth a visit as they use working horses on the land at certain times of the year .
Paul Heiney lived the life of working suffolk horses on his holding for 10 years . He has made some lovely dvd's on working with horses and victorian farming .
Didn't see the Martin Clunes program , but he is such a nice bloke , he just 'fits' with working horses .

[Lesley Silvester]

What side was it on?  I'd like to watch it.  It might be worth my OH listening to as well - he loves the heavy horses.

[mab]

ITV1 yesterday at 9.

I've watched all his 'horsepower' progs, and everytime I see all these well trained horses I think I must try that with Rosie, but I never seem to get very far.

[ZaktheLad]

I've watched all of his horse and dog programmes and think they are excellent.  It really comes across just how much he loves animals.  I just wish there were more programmes like this on the TV.   We need more programmes such as Lambing Live too!

[Lesley Silvester]

Thanks, Mab.  I'll watch that tomorrow.

[clydesdaleclopper]

Damn I missed it    I keep telling my Clydie he needs to earn his keep - and not just in cuddles 

[Lesley Silvester]

It's on itvplayer.  https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/martin-clunes-heavy-horsepower/series-1/episode-1-martin-clunes-heavy-horsepower I was going to watch it today but fell asleep instead.

[sabrina]

Missed it but will catch on Iplayer.