From racing clubs to Pony Club safaris, it’s been tours with tea and snoozy foals (and sausage rolls) for Doug Procter, with one final foal to come
You’re probably expecting to read that May was notable for a lack of both rain and grass growth … which it certainly was to begin with, but at TGS our grazing woes have been eclipsed by two visits.
The first of these was from the Colin Tizzard Racing Club. It coincided with Lucy disappearing to Cornwall to run the 44 miles of coastal path, from Lizard Point to Land’s End, leaving me (Doug) home alone to host our guests.
Luckily, the rain – which had finally arrived a few days prior to the visit – had abated by the time the 25 racing club members arrived and tucked into tea, coffee, cake and biscuits laid on by one of our TGS team members, Clare.
Duly fortified, the visit began with a tour of the barns as I pointed out our eleven foaling stables covered by the cameras that we watch at night during the foaling season, and the veterinary area with stocks, which ensure that our vet, Paul Legerton, can safely scan the mares without the danger of being kicked.
Image: Lucy Procter
Then the main event … meeting the foals. As we all walked up the stud, past each paddock, I explained the breeding of the mares and foals and which stallions the mares had visited this year. We ended up in one of our largest fields, Oaktree. It’s ideal for foals with its thick hedges and mature trees providing shelter from both inclement weather and unduly hot sun.
Some of the foals were lying down half-way across the field, so I took the youngest visitors for some close-up, snoozy-foal interaction. Meanwhile, the remaining mares and foals went over to investigate the rest of the visitors by the gate, calmly wandering among them.
The enjoyable morning was rounded off with yet more tea and cake! Our thanks to Simon Gillet of the racing club for arranging the visit.
The safari
The next visit was far more daunting … The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Pony Club Foal Safari! This was a visit that had originally been initiated several years ago when Lucy was DC of the branch. Once again I was home alone: this time Lucy was taking a mare to be covered by a stallion called Cracksman – a successful son of the great Frankel, standing in Newmarket at the Darley-owned Dalham Hall Stud.
I knew Tea and cake were not on the agenda for these particular visitors, so it was straight into the barns where I was kept busy answering questions – from both parents and children – about all aspects of breeding and foaling.
Finally we were on to the really exciting bit they had all come for – the Safari!
Once all the Pony Clubbers had been loaded into the back of two pick-ups (think sardines and tins), our son Will and I drove the trucks up the track.
Again I provided my commentary on the mares and foals in each paddock as we went, but the best bit was obviously saved for our arrival at Oaktree again.
We drove right in among the mares and foals who, having apparently read the ‘be nice and cuddly’ memo, all quickly came over to say hello.
While the youngest children stayed safely in the back of the pick-ups, others jumped out to get up close to the foals – most of whom were already as tall, if not taller, than their ponies at home. The foals all behaved impeccably: they were very calm and friendly, with only the odd nibble at a sleeve.
Finally, it was back to the front paddock for a picnic: I’m happy to report my quality control duties on the sausage rolls were taken very seriously. Our dogs also thoroughly enjoyed the picnic, opting for smiling cutely at the children, with varying degrees of success!
Lucy arrived back with the mare and her foal just in time to show the Pony Clubbers the lorry camera: the foal was flat out, fast asleep on the thick straw-bedded floor, with the mare standing protectively over him.
Then it was ice-cream all round – Lucy had definitely arrived home at exactly the right moment!
Grace’s foal
Our last resident mare has foaled, and she obliged with a daytime foaling. Spotted in the field early enough, by eagle-eyed TGS team member Grace, we were able to bring her into a stable to foal and Grace was able to help with her first foaling.
We’re very aware who is Grace’s favourite foal of the season!
However, sleepless nights are still the order of the day as we have just had a sports horse, a non-Thoroughbred, mare arrive for foaling, so the cameras are going to stay on at night, with Doug sitting up watching, for another week. Or two … or three … depending on how long before this last mare of our 2025 season decides to give birth.
