A wee bit about ourselves

Hi I'm Julie.  It’s now two years since we started the business and it’s been a huge learning curve for Stuart (see below) and me.  My dream of running a successful livery yard where horses and owners are relaxed and happy is well under way.  Burnockmill would not be the same without the liveries – I thoroughly enjoy having lovely people around and the social side of the business is always good fun.  The show days here are always exhausting but thanks to the support of family, friends and liveries they are always enjoyable and turn in to a great social event.  My other passion in life is showing, and competing in general.  Little did I know a few years ago that we would be organising 3 shows a year as well as being out competing most weekends with an ever increasing (!!) team of horses – both owned by me and by liveries. My horsey life started around 17 years ago and I have owned horses for the last 10 of them. Since first taking up riding, my dream was to start my own yard. I decided that, on leaving school, I would pursue this dream. My parents’ wishes were that I go to University so I chose to go to Bishop Burton where I gained a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science and Business Management from the University of Lincoln. After leaving Uni I worked in various horsey jobs whilst looking for the right property.  Over the years I have enjoyed all aspects of owning, looking after and competing my own horses.  I have also had plenty experience at various yards both here and in Yorkshire and have learnt a lot about what makes a happy yard. 

Over the last few months I have also become more involved in the 'behind the scenes' of other competitions and I am currently a member of Ayr Riding Club, Scottish Welsh Pony and Cob Association, NPS - National and Scotland and I am also involved in the Scottish Friends of P(Uk).  I thoroughly enjoy helping out at successful and fun competitions and the experience should enable me to ensure that home competitions are run efficiently..

As much as having the yard and going to shows is my full time job it certainly isn’t a chore.  I love every part of what I do and would never dream of changing any of it (well except the weather maybe!!).  I just hope the next few years run along the same path as the last few.

Hi there.  I am Stuart, Julie’s brother.  Two years ago I was sitting in an office at a PC generally feeling fed up. I had been on a horse maybe two or three times in my life and knew next to nothing about these amazing creatures.  So I must have been the last person on Julie’s list of possibilities to come and work with her in her new yard.  Well, fortunately for me (and hopefully Julie!), everyone else on the list declined and I somehow became a partner in the business!  And I wouldn’t change it for anything. 

It really has been an amazing two years and I feel that I have learnt a lot about the needs and requirements of our equine friends and their owners.  I wouldn’t quite say I am an expert yet but Julie says she is comfortable with leaving me in charge, and that’s an achievement as far as I’m concerned! 

Apart from looking after the nags, there have been so many other things that I have had to learn about.  Land management, event organisation, being a landlord, plumbing, first aid and on and on! It’s been great and every day brings new challenges, which I hope continues into the future.