Bonnie
Bonnie is one of our favourite mares at Combe Hay Farm. She is an 8 year old lightweight cob who’s very kind-natured and loves attention. She loves being photographed and enjoys her days grazing in the fields. When nobody is looking, Frank often feeds her a sugar lump or two!
Mocha
Mocha is a Percheron Cross who’s first in and last out at feed times! She has a strong build and a kind nature, but she doesn’t let anyone get in her way. Her coat changes colour slightly with the seasons, and she has had two foals, Cappuchino and Azera.
Summer
Summer is a skewbald (brown and white) cob. Her nature is very kind and gentle, and she’s normally found at back of the herd – except at milking time when she gets impatient and likes to put her head over the milking shed door while she waits. Out in the fields, she enjoys rolling in the muddiest puddles, so she always needs a good brush down.
And meet the Family
Frank Shellard
Frank has been involved with horses all his life. On a trip to Belgium, he learned how mare’s milk is used for health and beauty, and decided to bring the magic back to the UK. He plays an active party in the mare’s milk community, sharing ideas and enthusiasm with other farmers around the world. His job is to manage the grazing land, the winter feed, and the breeding programme. It’s quite a workload, but a bottle of mare’s milk sets him up nicely at breakfast every day.
Alison Smith
Frank’s daughter, Alison is front of house for the farm. Her duties include everything from running the yard, milking the mares to bottling and packing. Since she started drinking mare’s milk, she’s found it’s been great for her skin and given her loads of confidence and energy.
Brett Smith
Brett is Alison’s husband, and he’s the man behind the scenes, doing everything from tractor driving to milking the mares. He has worked on several local farms, from bringing in the harvest to milking cows.