SUNDAY, 15 AUGUST, HEAVY HORSES WORK HIGH BEECHES GARDENS MEADOW

On Sunday 15 August 2010, 11am-5pm enjoy the rare sight of heavy horses harrowing the wildflower meadow at High Beeches Gardens, in the traditional way. The magnificent horses belong to the Working Horse Trust and visit every year. There will also be a Country Market in the stable buildings.

 

 

Hamish aged 9, and Ellie-May age 8, are the horses who will be coming to High Beeches Gardens. They are half-brother and sister and each weigh about as much as a small car. Both are bay with brown bodies and sleek black manes and tails. Hamish has a sparkly personality and is mischievous and lively. He is also a hard-worker and is speedy enough to be used in cross country driving competitions. Ellie-May was orphaned as a foal and so has a particularly strong bond with people. She is built like a tank and is strong and steady. Ellie-May is larger than her brother and weighs in at around 900 kilograms.

Jo Ambrose of the Working Horses Trust says, “These are two fine young horses, in their prime. They adore their work and they love being made a fuss of. There will be plenty of opportunities for everyone to meet the horses and to pat them.”

The High Beeches wildflower meadow is the best example of a natural, acid hay meadow in Sussex and has not been ploughed or cultivated within living memory. In this sensitive environment working horses are ideal as they have a far less damaging impact on the ground and flora than heavy machinery. In August visitors to the garden can also enjoy the site of tall, blue Willow Gentians flowering throughout the woodland glades. This is the only site in the UK where these plants are naturalised. 

The Working Horse Trust is bringing Ardennes horses to High Beeches. The Ardennes is one of the most ancient draught breeds in the world and is believed to be the founding stock for many working horse breeds. The Ardennes first arrived in the UK with the Roman legions and a second wave arrived with the Norman invaders in 1066. Today there are only around 40 Ardennes in the country and nine of these are at The Working Horse Trust. The Working Horse Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to preserving our heavy horse breeds.

Ardennes are extremely powerful and compact. Typically they weigh around 850 to 900 kg, even though they are comparatively short (the breed standard is around 15.3hands). The breed makes an excellent forestry horse and is widely used in Scandinavia, which is where the Trust’s stallion Brunte, father to several youngsters, came from. Ardennes are a versatile breed, capable of anything from basic agricultural work such as the harrowing they will be doing at High Beeches to high speed cross-country driving.

The Working Horse Trust has 18 horses of various breeds on its farm at Eridge, near Tunbridge Wells. The main aim of the Trust is to promote all heavy horse breeds to secure their future. This work has never been more important as the Shire, Clydesdale and Suffolk are all endangered species and are on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist. The Suffolk, which is the rarest of all, is in serious danger with only about 300 animals registered with the Suffolk Horse Society.

The Working Horse Trust is volunteer-based and spends most of its time out and about with the horses combining jobs of work with open days – such as at High Beeches Gardens.

High Beeches is a beautiful, 27 acre woodland and water garden. For almost fifty years it has been in the care of the Boscawen/Bray gardening dynasty and it is this expert, continuous care which explains the remarkable quality and size of the many rare plants. English Heritage lists the gardens as Outstanding Historically.

High Beeches is particularly magnificent in autumn, with truly glorious displays of autumn colour. It has been rated the best garden for autumn colour in the south-east and is one of the top five gardens for autumn colour in England. High Beeches is signposted from Handcross village, West Sussex, just off the A23, within a short drive of the M25.

The gardens open 1-5pm everyday except Wednesday, until the end of October. Admission is £6.00. Accompanied children aged 14 years and under are admitted free of charge. Guided tours are available by prior appointment. The licensed Tearoom serves delicious, home-cooked food, fresh cream teas, snacks and light refreshments.

Sunday, 26 September High Beeches opens for the National Gardens Scheme.

Friday, 6 August and 8 and 22 October, learn how to use your digital camera to its full potential and take stunning photographs – 1 day workshops run by Park Cameras School of Photography. Please pre-book 01444 237070.

Sunday 17 October High Beeches opens from 11am-5pm for an Autumn Gift Fair in aid of the Parkinson’s Disease Society, Horsham Branch.

High Beeches closes for 2010 on Sunday 31 October and will reopen in March 2011.

Email; gardens@highbeeches.com
High Beeches Gardens, High Beeches Lane, Handcross, West Sussex, RH17 6HQ
www.highbeeches.com

Jo Ambrose, The Working Horse Trust, 01892 750 105
Email; enquiries@theworkinghorsetrust.org

13.07.10