TWO equestrian establishments in Eskdale were on the itinerary of a group of equine students on a two-day study tour.
They got the chance to learn straight from the horse’s mouth when visiting a number of establishments, including James Ewart Racing near Langholm and Kevin Jardine’s business at Solwaybank Farm near Canonbie which rehabilitates and rehomes racehorses.
The seven HND students from SRUC’s Oatridge campus in West Lothian also visited Floors Castle Stud in Kelso, the Borders Donkey Sanctuary in St Boswells, Geoff and Elspeth Adams’ pre-training yard at Rhymer’s Ha near Melrose where horses are prepared for going into training at a racing yard and the foxhounds at the Buccleuch Hunt.
Gillian Turnbull, equine lecturer, said: “The objective of the study tour was to let the students see how various different types of yard in the industry function, some of which tie in with the units they have learned about on the course.”
Student Emily Stewart said: “The trip was really interesting. It showed how much work there is to do with horses in Scotland.”
SRUC offers a range of equine and horse care courses from National Certificate to HND level at Oatridge.