( SLADE LAYS FARM EQUESTRIAN ) Slade Lays Farm Equestrian
‘Making it Happen’ By Charley Snowdon
Identical twins, Abbie and Kellie T
the country and abroad”, explains Abbie. “All of our horses are self- produced, and we find a lot of our youngsters advertised on social media. We don’t necessarily look for a superstar, exceptional breeding lines or anything flashy; good feet, good conformation and a good trainable attitude are more important to us.” The girls start shop at 8am on the family yard in Daventry, where with help from one groom, they get stuck in with the morning feeding and mucking out. “Kellie and I will then start riding and we will school and exercise until about 4.30”, says Abbie. “We’ll end the day doing up the stables for the evening and then we will try and relax for a bit but that’s always hard to do. We live and breathe horses 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, it’s our way of life and we wouldn’t have it any other way.” The yard is home to thirty boxes, a Claydon horse walker, solarium, hot and cold washing area, an outdoor school and is blessed with additional off-road hacking. “My dad has a plant machinery business that is one side of the yard and we’re the other”, explains Abbie. “The yard is set in fifteen acres with individual turnout and because we live here, we can keep an eye on all our horses, ponies and any additional sales liveries 24 hours a day.” Daily exercise on the yard includes a lot of schooling and hacking. “We will very rarely jump the horses at home”, explains Abbie. “We want to keep their brains happy and we will sometimes even take
T
Abbie Taylor and Mill River photo by: Pegasus Creations
aylor (21), run a successful business in the buying, producing, competing and selling of showjumpers. “Our mum passed on the business to us about two years ago”
, explains Abbie. “Kellie and I focus on the horses and our two younger sisters Sophie (12) and Millie (9) help and compete the ponies.
he Taylor twins have an exceptional reputation for producing good showjumpers for sale as well as being a force to be reckoned with in the ring. “We sell horses and ponies all over
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the horses cross country schooling. All horses are different and what works for some doesn’t work for others, keeping a horse content is the key to getting the best out of them.” The twins started their love of showjumping on the pony circuit
where understandably, their natural sibling rivalry occasionally soared. “When we moved onto horses that all changed”, says Abbie. “The business has got to work for both of us, so we are very supportive of each other. We never fall out and we’re very good at pushing each other forward and making it happen, whatever that might be.” The transition from ponies to horses can be a difficult process and one that Abbie readily admits to. “We have both been very lucky to find lovely youngsters that we have put the time and effort in to produce”, says Abbie. “You come out of ponies being at the top of your game and then have to start at the bottom and work your way back up with the horses. At the end of the day, you only get out what you put in, and when it pays off it makes it all worthwhile.” Today the girls regularly compete across the UK and Europe.
“Kellie and I travel to the shows ourselves and our younger sister Sophie will join us when we go abroad. We love the international shows because there is always a lovely atmosphere, lovely facilities and well-built courses”, explains Abbie. “Dad spoilt us and bought a big, shiny, blue Empire horsebox for us for Christmas, so we oſten take 5/6 horses at a time to shows.” The twins current top two horses are Abbie’s grey mare, Mill River (9) and Kellie’s chestnut gelding, Grupello Z (11). “Both Kellie and I
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SUMMER SPECIAL 2019
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