Clydesdale horses have certainly found a special place in the hearts of the farming community – and it seems outwith as well.

The Blackstone Heavy Horse Experience in Cumnock, with John and Margaret Duncan at the helm, have just had their diversification project rubber stamped by the Scottish Entertainment Awards as runner up in the Best Scottish Family Days out category.

What started as beef farm, now has 25 resident Clydesdales, which give so much pleasure to the people who book to spend time riding, carriage driving, or working the land with these equestrian giants.

The award was won on the back of a nomination from one of their clients, and with 120k votes taken in total across the whole competition, they are quite rightly pleased with their award.

Clydesdales and diggers, that’s the basis of what goes on at Blackstone. The Duncan family, John, Margaret and their grown up children, Andrew and Maureen, took advantage of having a plant hire business, and started to offer the popular ‘Dig-a-day’, which allows people to come along to drive their diggers and make as many holes and piles of earth as they want.

This was a decision taken after it was noted that families would come along to spend time with the horses, and either the sons, or the dads would maybe not be quite as interested in the horses as the ladies. But the diggers… well, that’s a far more interesting option.

They have now combined both attractions, and you can book a family day, which can be split any way you wish. If you want to spend time riding the Clydesdales, or maybe a carriage ride, grooming them, or walking the cattle, or spending time feeding the pigs and hens, hang out with the alpacas or donkeys, and then spend the rest of the time on the diggers, then that is exactly what will happen.

Magi said: “We are very flexible, we do our best to accommodate everyone. If we know exactly what they want, then we will have staff here to give the one to one care that we think offers the best experience for everyone.”

John takes us around the fields to introduce us to the Clydesdales. He has a story for them all, knows their personalities and picks and chooses which horse will be used depending on the riding abilities of the people who are going to be saddling up.

What’s on offer

There are a few ready made experiences that can be booked. ‘The Experience’ is an individual experience and varies upon your requirements. You can interact with the farm animals, assist in washing and grooming, mucking out and tacking up and then spend some time on the diggers. For experienced riders you can try your hand at herding on horseback.

Or you can book a farm trek, which takes you over the farm land, among the cattle, trying out different terrains. Similarly, there is the ‘Park, Woodland and Local Estate Trek’, which is a two to four hour trek along the public walkways, into the stunning Dumfries House Estate grounds.

Or you can get involved in the day to day care of Clydesdales at Blackstone on the ‘Love My Clydesdale’ experience, which takes place over anything from four to eight days. It’s a hands on experience of what it’s like to look after, prepare, show and drive Clydesdales.

The couple are indebted to the many volunteers who come along to help keep the farm going, they love the animals and the business as much as the Duncans do.

And now one for those that like big toys. The ‘Dig-a-day’ gives you the chance to get behind the wheel of mini to 14 ton muck shifters. You can operate and dig as much as you like.

The experience that sounds like an amazing day out, is the ‘Beach Ride’. Where you can spend two hours on horseback on the beach. Margaret adds that anyone who wants to come along early and help tack up the horses and load them on the lorry is welcome, similarly at the end of the day if riders want to follow the lorry back and help unload and turn the horses out, then that will all be part of a wonderful day.

John adds: “I think that people love Clydesdales because of the nostalgia they invoke. People are connected to someone who had a Clydesdale, or worked a Clydesdale in their childhood, or they remember them as children being in the fields. It’s a real stroll down memory lane for the older generation, it reminds them of the power the Clydesdales had on farms before mechanisation.”

Margaret says: “Clydesdales are big gentle giants, they are thinking horses, and people react to that. We get a lot of riders who have lost their confidence in riding come here and spend some time with or on the Clydesdales and regain that love of riding through our horses.”

Margaret concludes: “I’ve said it for many years, that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person. They are a joy to work with.”

For more information, go to: www.blackstoneclydesdales.co.uk or call mobile: 07785 522 735, the landline is 01290 421 639