New arrival at Northumberland visitor attraction promises to be a big hit when it reopens

A new foal at a north Northumberland visitor attraction is sure to be a big hit when it is allowed to reopen.
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The new Clydesdale colt at the Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre, on Ford and Etal Estates, arrived at 2am on Sunday, May 10.

Within an hour he was standing, albeit wobbly on his long legs, and drinking milk from his mother, the 10-year-old mare Primrose.

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It’s her first foal, but she is proving to be an excellent mother.

Viv Cockburn and her daughter Anna, who run Hay Farm, are committed to breeding the rare working horses.

They started trying to breed from Primrose when she was three years old, but it was not until last spring, when she was nine, that they were successful.

The father is Hay Farm’s in-demand stallion, Teddy, who grew up with Primrose.

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As well as being a popular attraction for locals and visitors, Hay Farm is a nationally-important breeding centre for the working horses. It is the only heavy horse specialist that has been awarded an Approved Conservation Centre accolade by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST).

The new foal at Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre.The new foal at Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre.
The new foal at Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre.

Normally 20,000 people a year visit the centre, which relies purely on public donations.

Donations can be made to Hay Farm via www.gofundme.com/f/Urgent-help-hay-farm-heavies

A message from the Editor:

Born in the early hours of 10 May, the new colt was standing and feeding from his mother within an hour. Photograph by Eric Musgrave.Born in the early hours of 10 May, the new colt was standing and feeding from his mother within an hour. Photograph by Eric Musgrave.
Born in the early hours of 10 May, the new colt was standing and feeding from his mother within an hour. Photograph by Eric Musgrave.

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