Mearhbarrow

Mearhbarrow was first founded in 1902 when it started out as a racing stable for thoroughbreds.The facilities were closed during the Second World War and reopened as a private stable in 1947, its services expanding into a riding school in 1957. The school was then purchased by Mark Boone in 1983 who started taking the centre's focus back towards competing. In 1990s half of the ownership moved to Maura Broughton, and the other half was later inherited by Boone's godson Isaiah Pace.
Today the facility focuses on breeding fine Warmbloods for show jumping and eventing, and Andalusians for dressage with occasional coldblood trotters to honour the stables' history as a racing stable. Currently we have two stables with one under construction, three training fields and several large pastures for our horses, as well as a foaling shed. There's also a cross-country course nearby and several long bridleways cross the fields and woodlands.


Our facilities are surrounded by woodlands, fields and moor. We have two cross-country training tracks and kilometres after kilometres of riding tracks cross our lands. We also have a show centre where all the major competitions are held as well as a large race track, both turf and dirt available. A veterinarian clinic is only a 30-minute drive away.





Stallion stables, currently has space for 14 horses.




Our centre has for the most part given up racing in favour of eventing, show jumping, and dressage, but we still have one flat racer to honour our history -Akhal Teke stallion Luqman, now 11 years old. Age is slowly starting to get to him and that can be seen in his less than flattering results so retraining him has become the elephant in the room. He still has the heart and will to run, though, and so far that's exactly what we intend to let him do.


Like Punk, racing isn't dead -only changed. This is a North Swedish Trotter MBS Håbrand, one of our most promising horses, competing in harness racing. Out of twelve starts he has been beaten only four times! Six times he's been in the top-3 and twice he's placed as either 4th or 6th. He is somewhat more heavily built than your average trotter, but that doesn't slow this powerhouse down! To him, to live is to move and he does stay outdoors for most of the year -the only way of keeping him from breaking out of his stall. He's not a genius, but his easygoing nature makes him a trainer's delight. Currently he makes a decent harness racer, in the future a great one if trained properly. His secondary discipline is still open; his tendency to forget where his breaks are may not presage a future in dressage anyway.



16-year-old British Warmblood stallion MBS Atlas was one of the first horses to be born in our renewed equestrian centre, and he is competed and cherished by yours truly. In this picture, Stubbornness and relentlessness were required in the Rayville Jumpers show when it started pouring while Atlas was being warmed up, and went on for three hours or so. No ribbons or prize money were brought home that day, but Atlas was better than ever, and that's what matters most! His results in competitions have changed from OK to very good to terrible, but he has a lot of character and a stunning red bay coat to make up for it in breeding. He has one offspring now, MBS/R Oceanborn, who's inherited his unpredictable turn-out in competitions, as well as his ambition.

MBS/R Oceanborn.


Our handsome colt Gjestar is showing promise in both carriage driving and dressage. He's also got enough energy for two, and one can be certain that if he's seen standing still he's only taking a short breather before bolting off again. It's a good thing he hasn't been shoed yet as the rest of the herd makes sure he doesn't get too cocky, although he does push his luck from time to time again. Even Devon Bacerra, our rider specialised in eventing, who usually doesn't shy away from anything considered buying a new safety vest before even thinking about breaking him into saddle. The picture was taken after his mane was clipped for the first time.


Skyfarer is an 8-year-old British Warmblood gelding whom we use for eventing. He's lately being ridden mainly by Tuisku Holt who's recently joined the Young Riders Club, but up until now his primary trainer has been Devon Bacerra. Here we have the two on our cross-country track, preparing for their -for the time being- last eventing competition before he becomes Tuisku's horse.
I'm slowly beginning to warm up to Sky. Life is no beauty pageant, but I must admit that when we got him he was ugly like a bomber and had the agility of a duckling, but it appears there is a swan somewhere in there after all. His jumping technique has improved greatly thanks to Devon's dedication, and now that his hideous steel grey coat is properly greying out he's starting to look like a proper horse instead of an over-sized donkey, poor thing.


One of our most promising offspring pedigree-wise, MBS Flying Wish competes now on the First level of dressage, and has placed three times out of four entries! She's still young and rather skittish on bigger arenas, as is to be expected.