Sherrifmuir Highland Pony Stud

Born in Scotland on the edge of Sherrifmuir, the gateway to the highlands I suppose I was destined to be brought up with highland ponies.l was lucky enough to live fairly close to Dunblane in Perthshire where Mrs Thea MacFarlane had her riding school. When I was six my parents gave me a riding lesson for a treat at half term. My first ever experience of a horse was on a highland pony called Dan’l Dan’l was a mouse dun and had the repertoire of a riding school pony from hell. I now know why he was called Dan’I it really meant which pony will buck which pony will go the wrong way which pony will stand extremely heavily on your toe and which one will help you get into the saddle with a well placed nip DanI means Dan will. Mrs Mac (my instructor) had a wonderful knack of naming horses very accurately.
Dani once took me onto the front lawn of a very posh landscaped garden during one of our rides out. Mr Mac the escort had Dan’l at the back of the ride as he was slow on a Sunday and would kick the others if they got too close to him. I am certain to this day Dani had devised this plot so that he could eat his way around the rides. I got roasted by both the house owner and my instructor! I felt this very unfair as we had left a nice heap of fertiliser strategically placed close to the roses. Well you can’t please everyone!
My favourite highland was called Tearlach, for those who do not know Gaelic this means Charlie, a beautiful yellow dun with well defined dark eyes, well feathered legs and a tail to die for. Such a favourite was Tearlach you had to book him at least a month ahead to have the chance to experience his almost motionless canter. The one time you prayed you did not have Tearlach was on the golf course ride as he had experienced the sharp twang of golf balls raining down from the sky on more than one occasion making him find breathtakingly fast speeds not often shown under normal circumstances.
From Dunblane where the riding school was a move to Braco heralded the start of the Keir Highland Pony Stud owned by Mrs. Susie Stirling ,this was where my training with Highlands really began. At the Keir Stud our resident stallion was Donald of Keir a very nice 14.1 hh grey dun.Donald rode well and also behaved well when handled. Mostly he ran out with his mares except when we had the TB mares in for covering. The TB’s always seemed to take more time to settle away from their own homes and as we had a lot of rode walking to do between fields we had to bring Donald in to his mares. Donald was shown quite a lot and was ridden by Mr MacFarlane (Donald was his christian name!) Quite often we would hear Donald of Keir ridden by Doanld MacFarlane over the show speaker system with many a quip about which Donald is which? Donald of Keir was the grand sire of Clandon Outragious who stands at stud in Devon for those of you who are interested in bloodlines.
One Christmas Mrs.Mac gave me half a higland pony! Lochiel of Arduaine was a cream dun colt who was owned in part by Donald Lamont. When it came to the point of having him gelded he was of no further use to Mr Lamont so he then relinquished his share in the pony and I became the proud owner of a yearling colt and the bill for castration! Robin His stable name was a real character and also an amazing escape artist. He got out of his field leaving behind three other colts and ventured off to find the girls. When we found him he had covered three mares all in one night! two ended up in foal. Luckily there were no paternatiy suits but sadly his ofspring could not be registered. Robin travelled with me to my first teaching post in Leicester. New instructor arrives with massive racehorse box inside her horse a wee fat highland pony did nothing for my “street cred” until they discover Robin could jump, went hunting all day with the Atherstone, competed in the pony club often beating the others in dressage because of his calm rhytmical gait! Took to fancy dress at carnivals like a duck to water. Many enthusiasts followed Robin’s career with interest. Sadly the week before I got married Robin was killed by lightening in his field and from then until recently I have not had the fortune to own a Highland myself.
During my training for my BHS exams we always trained on Hiqhlands first before we were let loose on the bigger hunters.  The theory behind this was that if you can get a highland to go sweetly for you, you would use tact and diplomacy not bullying tactics arid therefore you became more of a thinking rider.
Even our jumping lessons started on the highlands what we found was that as they were very comfortable in their paces the rider could concentrate on their position over the fence once this was established then the hunters gave you a feel of the bigger fences.
Corisande of Keir was a particular favourite for jumping as she was very fluent in her movement and I think she emulated the stags she was bred to carry. I feel that the highland pony has been a major part in my life and certainly has given me wonderful experiences. I have shown at the Royal Highland, Doune and Dunblane, Alnwick, Kelso, Kinross,Stirling and Perth shows in hand and under saddle, acted as rider for Mrs MacFarlane when She was judging the ridden classes worked for a season at Georgie Henschels trekking centre run with Highlands at Aitnacriche, Aviemore and of course had more than ten years stud work with the Keir ponies.
We prepared some of the geldings such as Ailenach, Stuich and Ember to go up on the hill shooting. That was great fun. We used the deer saddles and one of the poor students donned a set of antlers and was heaved over the saddle and waddled around the indoor school and then up and down the local roads then bravely into the field With stags weighing in at anything up to 28 stone we often had to put up two students to emulate the weight. I luckily was nearly always ground crew as I had a very strong arm and I was told a good calming influence on the ponies. Poor old Stuich was very nervous of the floppy antlers and frequently the deer” was deposited in the middle of the school! I think if I remember correctly he only did one season on the deer! I believe he left his handler behind on more than one occasion and as the stalkers were not adept horse handlers. The pony handlers had their firm favourites and tended to ask for the same ponies each year Ailenach went every year, sadly, as he was also a firm favourite with us riders. He looked very much like Rhum Bloodsotne in colour with a reddish grey body and long flowing silver mane and tail.
Spending time after my training travelling around England and latterly in Wales I have decided to return to my roots, where they started with Highlands and hope in doing so I can introduce a few more avid followers to the wonders of the Highland breed and with some luck and good fortune perhaps my staff and I will breed a champion pony for the show ring that will give the native Welsh cousins a run for their money!
My greatest debt of gratitude must always go to Thea MacFarlane (Mrs Mac) who introduced me to Highlands. I dedicate this web site to her and the Keir Highland Ponies..

Sue Scourfield   Tel: 01 646 682513