Stone Circle Livery, near Ashford in Kent, is the first fully organic livery yard in the UK and has been certified as such by the Soil Association.
The horses graze on organic pasture free from pesticides, fertilizers and additives, are fed GM-free hard feed and organic hay, sleep in organic bedding and are cared for using only organic products.
Paul Anderson, who runs Stone Circle with his wife, Susi, said: “A lot of our clients have already made environmentally friendly choices in their lives: to recycle, eat organic themselves, cut food miles and reduce their carbon footprint, so this is a natural step.”
The hedgerows and paddocks have been planted with herbs and wildflowers and are bordered by trees, including willow, which Paul says the horses eat occasionally as a totally natural painkiller.
All livery owners have to sign an agreement with the yard promising to adhere to the organic ethos, which includes using herbal wormers, fly sprays and other products.
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (25 October, ’07)
