Bridge Farm

A Healthy Golden Retriever

Dog owners should take these few small but essential steps to ensure their healthy Golden Retriever enjoys a long life. Providing proper daily care is key as is being able to recognise the signs of trouble early. Healthy Golden Retrievers aren't just well loved family pets, they're also extraordinary working dogs, which is why keeping them healthy should be the main goal of any responsible Golden dog owner. And while this gun dog breed has its fair share of common doggy ailments, a healthy Golden retriever doesn't have to succumb to them. By following these few simple health tips, Golden Retriever owners can ensure their dog stays happy, healthy and disease free. Regularly Check Your Golden Retriever for Skin Problems

Checking a Golden Retrievers skin regularly is a must, as skin problems and conditions are common in Goldens. Although skin checks should be a routine part of any vet exam, owners should also be on the lookout for anything new and unusual. Lu…

Bridge Farm Spring 2014

Well spring 2014 certainly started with a bang at Bridge Farm. We've had loads of interest in our Connemara ponies, in our other horse breeds and we've had loads of lovely cute puppies. Jack Sparrow left for Kent with his new owner Becky Bobby left with new owner Tracey and her son Kristian We had contact from the Dijkkamp family in Holland who now own Midnight, who we raised from a foal. They sent us some lovely photos of Melissa and the Dijkkamp family showing how well they are getting on. Sweet Petal who started her life at Bridge Farm is now with Pernilla Martensson in the Netherlands, who is doing a wonderful job in producing Petal ready for her future career in show jumping. And, as you can see from the photos below, Petal is giving those jumps plenty of clearance. Well done Pernilla, from Belinda and all at Bridge Farm. Bridge Farm has never been busier and never been so full of new life and so much energy. Mothers day at Bridge Farm was very special …

Bridge Farm Summer 2013 – Bringing in the Hay & Puppies

Summer 2013 ... where do the days go? Phew!! it's been hot, hard work and tiring but so far, Summer 2013 at Bridge Farm has been great fun. Aside from the great updates from new happy Connemara pony owners like Tina, Susie, Rebecca and Johanna ... Comet arrived Thursday, and has settled in very well and it’s like he’s been with us forever already, and everyone at the yard is making a fuss of him. I can honestly say that buying Comet has been a great experience Belinda has been fantastic phoning me all the time keeping me informed of Comets progress and letting me text her all the time with my many questions ... Rebecca Very pleased with the vetting, vet couldn’t fault him at all! No-one is more excited then Emily about bringing Sky home on Friday … she is so happy, she really did love him to ride. Think that bond is forming already ... Joanna ... We've also had a great hay crop, which should see us through the winter. there's nothing as pleasing as seeing a barn full of…

Tina & Fionn – First Red Rosette & Lots More to Come

Working with horse's can be a hard slog sometimes, particularly in the Winter months. Cold, dark wet mornings, little daylight, a sodden arena surface, heavy rugs and mud covered coats can make for long days and sore bones. Motivation & little rewards come when those cheeky Connemara ponies provide little insights into their potential to be more than they seem, than those mud spattered coats show. At Bridge Farm, we rarely get to see a ponies true potential realised, they move on to new homes and new owners so quickly, and we get busy with the new Connemara characters that take their place. So, there are very few things more enjoyable than receiving an update from a new owner. Particularly an owner as happy as Tina, who's been kind enough to share her photos, her feelings & their first red rosette. For us it's a little reminder of why we focus on Connemara ponies and why we truly believe they're the best at what they do and let you have the most fun while …

Bridge Farm Spring 2013 – Connemara Pony Training

At Bridge Farm Spring is almost over and we're now moving into some warm Summer months Everyone at Bridge Farm has been working hard throughout the Spring and enjoying our early morning, slightly chilly, starts. Working with characterful Connemara ponies is one of the most enjoyable rewards as is some nice hacking out, with the sun burning the mist of the fields as we cross to the bridleways. We are very excited about the work that we've put in to building and improving our cross country course, it helps us train our Connemara ponies and other horses on site. The cross country course now includes a varied selection of jumps, and Sam and Jodie have already been testing it out with Sky and Patsy. We have been working hard with our new stock, particularly the young Connemara's and we are continuing to bring on all the horses'. Each horse or pony has it's own training programme, which is geared to bringing out the best in their abilities. I hope you like the few pho…

Connemara Ponies in the Snow

Again the early-morning sun was generous with its warmth. All the sounds dear to a horseman were around me - the snort of the horses as they cleared their throats, the gentle swish of their tails, the tinkle of irons as we flung the saddles over their backs - little sounds of no importance, but they stay in the unconscious library of memory ... Wynford Vaughan-Thomas The winter cold can make for a harsh wet cold miserable day And when, seven days a week, you have no choice but to get out of bed and tend to the horse's, it can seem as if winter is never ending. But there are times, little moments, when those Connemara Ponies make you smile and you can't help thinking it's all worth it. Here, for no special reason, are a few photos of our Connemara ponies in the snow. Of course, you never have your camera handy when they're frolicking around, but we found this small selection of photos quite sweet and we hope you do too. The quotes? Well they're quite sweet too, and…

Bridge Farm 2013 – We’re All Looking Forward to a Great Year

Well it's 2013 and here at Bridge Farm we're all looking forward to a great year. 2012 was eventful with lot's of things happening on the yard and a whole host of new friends arriving. We've been really happy to see some lovely Connemara Ponies coming to stay, although some haven't spent that much time with us before they've gone on to enjoy their new homes and new owners. We're putting our 2013 training program together for the young Connemara's that are slowly being brought in to be brought on. There's some very exciting prospects in our current herd and some great times to look forward to in 2013 with all the real characters among them. And the fox red puppies are adorable, mischievous playful, into everything and keeping Donna very busy. Belinda and Jody are enjoying all the new equine personalities and the new challenges, as are Paul and Taylor (our very special and youngest farm hand). Richard and Adam are busy, busy, busy around the farm, Samantha is back …

Bridge Farm on Video

What's happening at Bridge Farm? Well, we've just put together a short promo video and uploaded it to Youtube. We're quite pleased with the results. And; if you stay tuned here we'll be adding more videos of Bridge Farm and the horse's ponies and Connemara's for sale, soon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFKaAv-x984&hd=1 Please let us know what you think in the comments below. Belinda & Richard Ballydoolagh Fionn - Read Full details on the Ballydoolagh Fionn listing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06fsBqGr08U Ballydoolagh Comet - Read Full details on the Ballydoolagh Comet listing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2e6KoDn7dc A Quick preview of Turbo - Watch Out for Full details in a Classie Braun Silver Jack listing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOLm2tQBpGc

Autumn Fun on Bridge Farm

So, it's well and truly time for Autumn Fun at Bridge Farm The hay's in the barn, the horse's and ponies have rugs on and we're enjoying some really lovely morning rides out. There's nothing quite like an Autumn morning ride out, it's cold, crisp and clear but lovely and warm when the sun strokes your back. And; and although we sympathise with all the rain soaked horse owners and riders in the North of England, we do love Autumn fun at Bridge Farm. We're also setting up the new cross country jumps at Bridge Farm and happily preparing to munch the great Halloween Pumpkin, that is truly enormous this year.

Some Photos of our Autumn Rides

Photo Above: Shows Belinda & Jody enjoying an autumn morning ride out on Connie and Ginger. Both riders and ponies looking relaxed and comfortable but keen to stride out. Photo Above: Shows Belinda and Sam having a really enjoyable ride on Chelsea and Connie. …

Around Bridge Farm

A look at what's going on around Bridge Farm As with any working farm and livery yard we've always got something that needs to be improved. Add in our horse and pony sales and Bridge Farm can be a real hive of activity at certain times of the year. We're always starting new projects and improving the structure of the yard for our clients. Currently we're building a new roadway to improve access and keep our feet dry in the winter. We also have new cross country obstacles on order for the new cross country course we'll be constructing. Something that will make a big difference to our horse and pony training schedule. There's also a million other little jobs that are being done around the farm and a couple of thousand that are constantly being attended to. Horse's and ponies tend to be a little hard on structures and there's always farm machinery, stable doors and training facilities that need a little touch up. So, here's a few photos from around Bridge Farm. We ho…

Hay Harvest at Bridge Farm

Keeping you up-to-date with what's happening at Bridge Farm. Well recently we've busy bringing in the hay. We're quite pleased with the hay crop this year and the hay is looking good. So, we thought we'd share some photos of the hay harvest with you.

Bridge Farm needs a good hay crop, it is essential to ensure we have winter feed for our own and our livery clients horse's and ponies. In its most basic form, hay is just dried grasses and plants, but there is a vast difference in the quality of hay based on how and sometimes where it's grown. You can find good basic information on why good hay is essential for horses' at ... Selecting Quality Hay for Horses' If the Bridge Farm hay crop was ever to fail it would mean we'd have to purchase hay from other sources. The added cost, shopping around to find good quality and transporting the hay would drastically affect our overheads. You see domestic horses' still need to forage an…