Lucy Thomson

Status
Business Owner

Equestrian Qualifications
BHSI (Sm) & List 3 Dressage Judge

Brief
Lucy has extensive experience in both business and equestrian sectors.  Using the former to finance the latter she was able to receive coaching from some of the world’s best trainers.  The Training the Teachers of Tomorrow Trust and Captain Mark Phillips are both of particular influence, and it is their classical, internationally recognised methods, that are applied in our riding school today.

With this training Lucy successfully competed in all three of the main affiliated disciplines: three-day eventing, dressage and show jumping and her daughter Amelia is now following in her footsteps. 

All of Lucy’s family have been influential in developing Lavant House Stables.  Her son Charlie is employed full-time as Groundsman, whilst Tony, Lucy’s husband of 30+ years is always around carrying out a wide variety of tasks which includes all of our IT and telecommunications, as well as repairing everything the horses seem able to damage on a regular basis!

Tony Thomson

Status
Joint Owner of Lavant House Stables

Relevant Qualifications
IT and Communications

Brief
Married to Lucy Thomson for over 30 years, with children Charlie and Amelia, Tony has always provided the support-structure any business needs in order to thrive, but especially so an equestrian one!  Horses break/destroy just about everything, so constant repairs is definitely on his list, however Tony’s real skills lay in IT and telecommunications. 

As a result Lavant House Stables has an enviable IT and telephone system, certainly beyond the standard to be found in most equestrian centres.

Full-time employed elsewhere, Tony spends his free time keeping the systems updated at Lavant, repairing the latest breakage,  adding illumination – and most importantly for the kids at Lavant – is the person responsible for making sure the Club Room vending machine is kept  fully supplied with goodies, all of the time!

Amanda Kruger

Status
Chief Instructor

Equestrian Qualifications
BHSI

Robert Pickles

Status
Team Coach

Equestrian Qualifications
FBHS, List 3 Dressage Judge, International Equestrian Coach

Brief
It is impossible to describe Robert and everything he has achieved in his life to date, therefore we will just tell you about his role at Lavant and leave his excellent website, www.robertpickles.com to tell you about Robert and what he can undoubtedly do to help everyone involved in equestrianism in one role or another.

Robert comes to us once a month for a full day to predominantly provide training for the senior members of staff.  Occasionally during these days some of Robert’s professional pupils will also attend as well as our more advanced rider-clients.  Spectators are always most welcome and there is no charge to attend.  Days normally run from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dates are available from our office by calling 01243 530460 or e-mail riding@lhstables.co.uk.

These regular training days are invaluable to this business because not only do they provide top international training on-site but also ensure we keep up to date with all of the latest coaching techniques – particularly as it is so easy to fall behind such methods as a small business.  Staff are not just developed towards equestrian teaching qualifications but are also seriously produced as riders and in all areas of general horsemanship – so it is not just a question of us falling behind but more importantly Robert making sure we stay well ahead, as we are determined to do with everything within the riding school sector!

Robert is a clear, articulate and sympathetic coach whose classically correct training methods are relaid in an inspirational manner that can be understood by one and all – so why not come and see for yourself?

Amelia Thomson

Status
Business Trainee & Riding Instructor

Equestrian Qualifications
BHS Stage 3

Brief
Daughter of Lucy Thomson, Amelia has been brought up surrounded by both horses and a family business.  A keen and bold rider who loves to event, hunt and jump any large fence, but who also needs to knuckle down to the discipline of dressage if to excel as an event rider, which is what Amelia really wants to do.

Having grown up with her wonderful pony Eddie, who may not have been taught any dressage but was regularly seen with Amelia jumping the top of the wings, the big, handsome, grey gelding Pepper sort of came along next, a horse that is a full four hands bigger than Eddie!  With Eddie and then Pepper inspiring Amelia to take up the discipline of eventing more seriously, towards the end of 2011 the lovely purpose-bred event horse Quinn and then in 2012 Jim were added to Amelia’s “string”.

Jess Callander

Jess is a seriously dedicated member of staff and whatever she turns her attention to she does well – no easy task when part of this is organising the yard team in the Yard Manager’s absence.  The array of tasks the yard team have to get through on a daily basis would make most peoples’ hair curl – co-ordinating this to happen, as in Jess’s case when Jade is not here is a role quite definitely not for the faint-hearted.  Couple this with teaching duties, which Jess was born to do, and one can understand just how special our staff have to be, especially if to excel in their roles – as undoubtedly Jess does.

Margaret Vickery

Jade Horspool

Status
Yard Manager & Riding Instructor

Equestrian Qualifications
soon to be BHSAI (currently completing her portfolio)

Brief
Jade ensures every horse regardless of age, size, ownership or value gets the 100% care he or she deserves.  Imparting the same qualities to her team, it is unsurprising every horse at Lavant House Stables looks as consistently top notch as they do regardless of the season.

Always helpful and smiling, and clearly always putting every horse first, Jade is a huge hit with our liveries who have great confidence in the quality of care and expertise that Jade and her team extend when caring for all our equine friends – consistently, every single day!

Jade is also an excellent riding instructor and helps out in this area too when  required. 

Lucy Graham

Status
Office Administrator

Qualifications
BA Art History (hons), Executive PA Diploma

Brief

Before coming to us Lucy used to be head receptionist for Cath Kidston in London. Everyone likes Lucy, it is impossible not to.  Being sensibly mature , always pleasant, always helpful, able to communicate well with anyone, Lucy is also a gentle, steadying influence on her peers, so is quite definitely a big asset to Lavant House Stables! She also loves Adolf (Lucy T’s dog).

Victoria Fitch

Status
Part Time Office Administrator

Qualifications
Bsc (hons) Accountancy

Becky Grant

Status
Yard Assistant/Trainee Instructor

Equestrian Qualifications
BHS Stage 2

Equestrian Qualifications
We knew Becky would end up working full-time with us before Becky did it seems!  Why?  Because right from day one, when Becky joined us as a Weekend Assistant, she seamlessly slotted straight in with the rest of the team. 

Working her way through our part to full-time employment, this is the ideal way for all career staff because both sides have the opportunity before commitment to work out if this is what works for them.  However that was never in doubt with our bright and ambitious Becky!

Becky is a dedicated member of the team, she will make sure that all the horses are 100% looked after and cared for.

Alice Taws

Status
Junior Instructor/Yard Assistant

Equestrian Qualifications
BHS Stage 2

Brief
Alice is one of our success stories.  One of the first people to join our Membership Scheme which opened in April 2001, Alice rode with us every week alongside her brother and mother and continued on to become one of our highly valued Weekend Assistants for several years.  On completing her further education Alice moved into the commercial sector for work and didn’t take long to decide her heart remained with the horses.

So back Alice came to us as a ready made and up to speed Yard Assistant and is now training on to become a qualified instructor which we are sure won’t take long with the depth of experience already in her background.

Alice is brilliant with the children and is one of the favourite instructors!

Maddy Ball

Status
Yard Assistant/ Trainee Instructor

Equestrian Qualifications
B.SC (Hons) Animal Science

Charlie Thomson

Status
Handyman

Relevant Qualifications
NVQ Level 1 Agriculture & Horticulture

Brief
Charlie is Lucy’s son and on completing two years of further education at Hartpury College learning relevant agricultural skills he came and joined us full-time under the title of “Handyman”.  This really means Charlie does just about anything and everything we need him to do within his range of skills!

The most important by far is Charlie, his Kubota tractor and the huge sucking machine he tows behind it, picking up the 1,500 droppings the horses leave in our fields every day – this is a lot of poo!

Charlie also strims, mows the grass, cleans and maintains the vehicles, and gets on with pretty much any task the rest of us ask him to do.   He also, without fail, makes a cake every weekend for the team to eat over the following week.  Like us all, Charlie rides regularly having had ponies at home from a young age and has a riding lesson each week at Lavant.

It is impossible not to warm to Charlie with his gentle kindness, lovely manners, natural empathy with the animals and rather silly sense of humour!

In honour of our Charlie, the chosen charity of Lavant House Stables, which we have supported since 2001, is the registered charity “Charlie’s Challenge”, which has done an amazing job over the years raising both awareness and serious funds for research into children’s brain tumours.

Jacky McPherson

Status
Coaching Advisor & Activities Assistant

Relevant Qualifications
Science Teacher & BHS Stage 1

Brief
Other than Lucy (Thomson) Jacky has been at Lavant longer than anyone, joining us as a riding school client in 2000. 

Over the years we have learned to truly value Jacky’s expertise and passion as a full-time teacher in state education.  Jacky has helped us immeasurably with improving the quality of the instruction we supply – particularly with regard to children.  Teaching children is more complex than adults as each age group requires a slightly different approach and with very little guidance within the equestrian industry itself when it comes to teaching children, it is understandable just how high a value Jacky’s input is, particularly when linking us into the structure of the educational system.

So Jacky helps train and develop the team plus demonstrates various practical child teaching skills when helping us out with the activity days and Pony Club competitions during the school holidays. 

Last but not least is Jacky can be counted on to be the first person to volunteer when we need help and it is always reassuring to know we can hand Jacky one of the major voluntary roles and know it will be dealt with efficiently and with her typical gusto! 

Every business needs a client like Jacky Mac (as we call her) and when she retires we definitely want first nabs!

Laura Pattison

Status
Weekend Assistant

Relevant Qualifications
Pony Club C Test

Brief
Laura started riding at 10 years of age and joined us in 2009 after being recommended and due to wanting to become a Pony Club member.  When not riding with us and helping out as one of our highly valued Weekend Assistant Laura is a full-time student, attending Southdown’s College to study Animal Care.

Laura has shown a particular aptitude for designing artistic costumes with regard to her equine/human fancy dress outfits which are both imaginative and created with remarkable flair – so much so that everyone here now awaits all of Laura’s creations with excited anticipation!

Zoe Parfoot

Status
Weekend Assistant

Relevant Qualifications
Pony Club D+

Brief
Zoe has been riding with us for years and is now a valued member of our Weekend Assistants.  Our Weekend Assistants are teenagers selected from our regular client base for paid part-time work during school holidays and have one weekend day assigned to them for a full day’s work every week.  Zoe certainly has the right demographics for becoming an able Weekend Assistant having ridden with us every week now for six years and also rather conveniently lives just around the corner.

Helena Bissex

Status
Weekend Assistant

Relevant Qualifications
Pony Club C Test & BHS stage 1

Brief
The multi-talented Helena can turn her hand to any job we ask her to do – Helena used to cover our reception on Sundays but she now works on the yard instead due to Vikkie working in the office.  Originally riding with us a regular pupil, Helena moved on into horse-ownership by buying Fraser and keeping him with us and then progressed further to become a valued part-time member of our team whilst pursuing a full-time equestrian degree at Merristwood College.  Helena’s mother Jane ran our Pony Club for a number of years and lifted it up to the level it is at today so we have much to thank the Bissex family for! 

Everyone likes Helena, it is impossible not to.  Being incredibly mature for her age, always pleasant, always helpful, able to communicate well with anyone, Helena is also a gentle, steadying influence on others in her age group, so is quite definitely a big asset to Lavant House Stables!

Alice Maltby

Two Stroke

Status
Mascot/Pet/VIP

Relevant Qualifications
Nosey and loves recognition

Brief
Deciding where to put this much loved donkey on the our website was initially a dilemma, then we decided because Two Stroke is quite definitely responsible for very positively promoting our business over a number of years, the Meet the Team page was decided as most appropriate.

Nowhere at Lavant House Stables is out of bounds to this highly intelligent and amenable donkey including, it seems, our offices.  So named in Ireland because he can do whatever a two stroke engine can do, he really is extraordinary – if you haven’t yet met Two Stroke, you are quite definitely in for a treat!  

When recently asking our Equine Vet Pauline Williams to give us an approximate age on Two Stroke, her typical Yorkshire-roots reply was to quip whether we wanted AD or BC ….  Two Stroke is so old he has no teeth, so his age really is anyone’s guess!

Diesel

Status
Two Stroke’s Companion

Relevant Qualifications
None really – mate to Two Stroke is the closest one can get!

Brief
Diesel arrived in the autumn of 2008 from Wales because Lucy was fed-up with our existing and much loved donkey Two Stroke living in her office and thought a companion would provide some relief – which the new arrival sort of did, but only because Two Stroke then spent the first two months of Diesel’s arrival chasing him with ferocious teeth bared all over the site.

Diesel was an unusual purchase – frustrated that we could not buy a donkey for love or money from anywhere or provide the most perfect life-long home for a rescue donkey either (and that is definitely another story for another day), I resorted to something I swore I would never do, I searched for a horse, or in this case donkey, on the Internet.  

So along came Diesel who was sourced as a too-timid beach donkey from Wales, and with him came a three-year-old Gatsby who the Welsh owner of both thought might interest us.  Both were dropped off and both proved the most efficient escape-artists ever, so we learned very quickly why it was worth this Welshman’s time and effort to drop the pair off to us! 

Diesel is a great companion to Two Stroke (eventually and having been shown the office set-up) but Diesel will never be able to replace his mentor …. however and perversely the pony that came with Diesel, Gatsby has proven to be an invaluable asset to all of us – and that is definitely another story (see Gatsby).