Visitors Looking For A Different Day Out with Entertainment, Excitement and Education Should Travel to Rural Lincolnshire and Visit…….

The Attraction In The U.K. With The Truly Unique "Hands On" Animal Experience.

"Many previous visitors have likened this to "swimming with dolphins"!"

WHERE ELSE DO YOU HAVE TO BOOK A PLACE TO VISIT A FARM?

QUITE RIGHT, IT'S NORMALLY UNHEARED OF………. BUT THIS FARM IS NOT THE USUAL VISIT!

For a start the whole Centre is a charity to care for older and handicapped horses. It has a very limited budget and is run entirely by volunteers!

Sam a 20 year old (Bay) Shire horse

Visitors on the "Morning/All Day" experience have the chance to actually touch and feel some of the largest horses in the world.
They can even move them about and groom them if they wish.
All this is done following a very important "initiation" period.
It is vital to arrive well before the 11am start!
(Complimentary coffee or tea at 10.30am)

There are small ponies for small people too, BUT children have to be strictly supervised at all times. And STRICT means STRICT!
Children who can not behave should not come to this session!

(Visitors of a more nervous disposition should not be put off. They can watch at a safe distance.
Despite many having initial nervousness; the Centre has a huge success record with people arriving saying they are frightened or even terrified by horses. At the end of the day most have forgotten that fear!)

Safety of the visitors is paramount; therefore numbers on the programme are strictly limited.
At peak times of the year, there is no doubt this programme could well be oversubscribed.
PRE-BOOKING IS RECOMMENDED.

Morning/All Day visitors stay in a group until lunchtime at 1.15pm.

The horses those visitors will "work" with are of varying breeds and the programme includes explanation of their origins and history. Where they live now, what they can do, what they used to do and what they eat etc. In fact everything about them!
VISITORS MUST REMEMBER TO BRING THEIR CAMERAS!

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AFTERNOON VISITORS:

This is for those that wish to walk around on their own.

There is access to horses, but more limited and no grooming or conducted talks.

It is still possible to touch and stroke the big horses and some of the ponies. There is also access to the vehicle workshop/museum, building, audio tour of the vehicles and a half-hour video display of the horses at work and at home.

The afternoon session begins at 1.15pm the same time as lunch is served in the tea-room.
Hot and cold snacks ETC available at very reasonable prices!

Afternoon visitors are not allowed in the stable yard beyond the visitor Centre.

The whole area is wheelchair friendly, the site is level and there is no need for those who are not good on their legs to walk very far at all.

AT ANY TIME DURING A VISIT "FEEDING THE HORSES IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED"
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS

HEAVY HORSE DRAY RIDES.

This is what most visitors come for.
This year these are changing too!
All rides are half hour duration (approximately) the dray negotiates attractive country lanes and will be stopping at the new memorial on the WW2 Spilsby Airfield.

There is only a maximum of three to four rides during the afternoon; this depends on the fitness of the horses and the drivers!

Pre booking for this experience is recommended at all times!

Care costs of big horses is not cheap and of course is 24 hours and every day of the year.
During 2001 the Centre was very fortunate to find the services of a first rate farrier who is willing and able to shoe and care for their feet.
This is the first time in many years that we have managed to get a "proper" craftsman.
Horseshoes do not last very long on the road and with regular exercise and extended rides these costs are considerable higher.

Unfortunately we are hearing of attraction closures almost every day.

(The Long standing Courage Shire Horse Centre at Maidenhead has closed and is selling all its horses and equipment in March.)

As a sanctuary we have a permanent and "long standing" commitment to our resident animals, but we have to earn that income to pay the bills.

Families, no matter what their taste in entertainment, have to travel further to visit Centres that offer something very different.

All in all we believe we offer a thrilling experience to those who wish to spend all day here.
It is certainly worth the journey!

At the same time, for those who want a shorter programme, the afternoon will suit them, too!

We sincerely hope that everyone who loves animals will take this chance to see some of these magnificent animals that played such an important part in our history and heritage!

OUR 2002 SEASON BEGINS ON "GOOD FRIDAY"

www.northcote-horses.co.uk

N.B. This part of Lincolnshire has a wealth of other family attractions very close together.
Certainly sufficient to make a long week end very enjoyable! More details available if you wish!