Equestrian

Great value, good service and in-depth knowledge

By Jade Leahy The Paddock Pantry was established in 2006 by Steve and Tracy, when they were prompted by Steve’s thyroid cancer diagnosis to re-assess their working lives. The venture enabled them to combine their passion for horses with a business and spend all their time together. Starting in a shop of just 500 sq ft plus a feed store, it has gone from strength to strength. With great customer support they soon outgrew that space, moving to a larger unit at Sturminster Newton on the same site 18 months later and then again to the current site in 2013, a move described by Tracy as ‘four days of hell that were worth it’. Like all businesses the pandemic has been challenging, forcing the closure of the shop whilst it was reconfigured to make the layout easier to meet social distancing requirements. It also stopped the hat and body protector fitting services which have only recently returned to ‘normal’. Tracy and the team sought to maintain customer service during the first lockdown by implementing click, or call and collect, as well as ramping up the existing delivery service to help customers stay safe. The business philosophy is

to give great service backed up by good value and indepth knowledge. To that end the team test many of the products on their own horses and take advantage of all the training they can get, in fact three members of the team achieved the Dengie Gold Award for nutrition and product knowledge during a year when only 13 certificates were awarded nationally. The team’s aim is to help customers enjoy their horses as much as they enjoy their own. Like the rest of the team, when Steve and Tracy aren’t catering for your needs in the shop, they are caring for their own horses, a 16.3 Irish sports horse called Ben that Steve learnt to ride at 59 and Roscoe, Tracy’s 17.3 Irish show hunter.

The personal challenges they faced have only made

Tracy and Steve appreciate their customer’s loyalty, with many of them supporting the shop from the very beginning. Their key to success is their team, most of whom have been with them for a good number of years, making the business what it is today. Their values are also what led them to support local rider Jade Leahy in her fundraising efforts for the Riding for The Disabled Association with her inclusive children’s book and Horse Power Clothing which is available in store now. You can pop in and treat yourself and at the same time support these two fantastic charities.

By Steve Keenan

newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

Marnhull, one of the largest villages in the country with 133 pavements, now has its first horse track. An unclassified road on the western outskirts of the village has been widened and made usable for riders by Dorset Council. “We have never had any offroad riding in the village before and now we have a track,” said a jubilant Rosie Gall of Marnhull Horse Riders, a group recently formed to encourage safe riding. “With more than 60 horses in Marnhull, the lack of offroad riding has become very serious. We are getting horsey people and children together to look at ways we can improve the riding in the village and surrounding areas.” The ribbon was cut by Adam Vincent, a director of Dike & Sons, who applied for and was successful in winning a £4,960 foundation grant. He said: “It’s not just about horse riding: it’s about getting everybody out there. We want to encourage people to get outdoors after the last 18 months.” The grant paid for the council team and equipment

UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS: Marnhull Horse Riders at the official opening of the new horse track Horse riders are on the right track now

to create the track in three days, led by Dave Stone and Wayne Turner with support from Andrew Chamberlain, Chris Elford and Graham Turner. “We’ve been working with the council on this for six months,” said Rosie. “And this has all come about because of a brilliant relationship we have had with them.” Enrico Di Marino, the council’s community highways officer, said the new track extends 700m from the end of Ham Lane and gently declines down to Mill Lane, where it narrows to 1.5m. Straight across is Hains Lane, which leads back up to the other side of Marnhull. It was a public footpath but had overgrown badly – now it has been cleared, widened and given a hardcore base down to Mill Lane where the banks are strengthened. Donations of supplies came from contractors Mark Farwell, who supplied rubble, and Pete Biddiscombe who helped flail the track clear. Cake and tea was handed out at the ribbon cutting last week but Rosie was not resting on her laurels: she’s already planning a second track, casting an eye on another council-owned path leading down from Ham Lane. “We are keen to work with our community, the local farmers and the British Horse Society and are confident we can make a difference to horse riding in Marnhull. “We ask for everyone to support us and join our Facebook page (search for Marnhull Horse Riders) where we will be posting new events and information.”

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