Ella at Three Counties Show

Ella at Royal Welsh Show

Ella in Royal Welsh Show Centenary Cavalcade

Dot at Staffordshire County Show (actually in a wood!)

Children from St Anthony's School, Solihull at 2007 Oaks and Shires (sic) with Ella

Working horse demonstrations

Award news!

Our 'Small Action Ring' demonstrations at the Royal Welsh Show (Forestry Section) 2010 have been awarded a Silver Medal by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society for the educational value and the Gold Medal for best overall stand awarded by the Royal Forestry Society

Quote!

Robin Mackenzie of J & M Associates has organised shows and rings in which I have been involved for years; The Town and Country Festival, The Royal Show, The Three Counties Show and the C.L.A. Game Fair. He wrote to me after the C.L.A. this year:

"Hi Doug
I do not think I have ever known you late for a display in all the years we have worked together. Still I enjoy every display you do as it is live. You react not to “the script” but to what Ella is doing – or not doing. You explain so well how you work and why. You always draw and keep a crowd who are interested in what you are doing. It is all so logical and sensible that people can quickly understand the scene and how horses still have an important role to play. Thank you for all your quiet support and help. It is always a pleasure to work with you. With very best wishes Robin"

2010 dates.

2nd and 3rd June. Staffordshire County Show, the " Wood Fest". Set in its own oak woodland setting, the Childer Wood team and friends. From felling trees to finished timber products in the Staffordshire County Show Woodfest. A great few days, good weather and record numbers. Back next year!

6th June. Sandwell. What a busy day it was.

18th to 20th June Three Counties Show at Malvern. My 'local' show and a much improved event. Weather was kind but the show was more improved than ever. Brilliant!

19th to 22nd July. The Royal Welsh Show. There for all 4 days! And then straight to

23rd to 25th July. The CLA Game Fair. Ragley Hall, nr Worcester.

6th to 8th August. Kemble Steam Fair, near Cirencester.

20th, 21st and 22nd August; Levier, France, for Franche Comte Terre de Traits.

August Bank Holiday. Part of the team at Coed Ryal in South Wales.

August 28th. Stock Gaylard Oak Fair

18th and 19th September. hArt in Clissett Wood.

23rd to 25th September APF International Forestry Exhibition, Cannock Chase.

1st, 2nd and 3rd October. Wyre Forest visitors' centre for the FC.

2011 dates

26th and 27th March Weston's Cider. A local demonstration at Much Marcle to schools and to the public in aid of the Air Ambulance

Horse Logging Show Demonstrations

Doug Joiner is a full time professional horse logging contractor. He works over a wide geographic area as well as the long term management of the woodlands at Childer Wood Heavy Horse Centre near Ledbury.

Working with horses,with their flexible power and delicacy, enables a quality of woodland management that can hardly be equalled by other means.

The work is on all terrains and in all woodland types. He works in both soft and hard woods, from first thinning through to final crop using a comprehensive range of traditional and modern horse logging equipment and harness. He specialises in short contracts, able to move a team of cutters and horses for extraction onto a site and offering a cost competitive service. He works for statutory, national and local bodies, various woodland and wildlife trusts and many owners of small woodlands.

The horses he uses are 'Ella' a 17 hands high Percheron mare, ‘Jacob’ a 17.2 hands high Percheron gelding, 'Dot' a 14.2 hands high coloured cob mare, ‘Thistle’ a 14.2 hands high coloured cob mare and 'Diamond', a 14 hands high Dales mare. On most contracts he will use two horses working them half a day each. On the steepest sites Dot, Thistle and Diamond will do the bulk of the work and on the bigger timber Ella and Jacob come into their own. If the timber is very large, the equipment big or the extraction route very long, two or more horses will work as a team. Ella is the horse he usually takes to shows for demonstrations.

Doug Joiner takes his demonstration to shows all over the country. In addition to time in the ring, the demonstration includes a static display of harness, equipment and photographs. It is a chance for the public to meet a genuine working horse - a rarity nowadays - and for everyone to find out more about the role of the working horse in contemporary forestry.

Doug also undertakes related horse work such as mechanical bracken control, trains horses for work and runs training courses for aspiring and started horse men and women.

Doug is Chair of the British Horse Loggers, the national body for horse loggers and his work has won national conservation awards. He is also Chair of the British Horse Loggers Charitable Trust and is the driving force behind the British Festival of the Working Horse 2012.

Doug works with five horses. "Diamond" is a 14hh Dales mare, "Ella" a 17hh Percheron mare and "Dot" a 14.2hh coloured cob. They have recently been joined by "Thistle" a 14.2hh coloured cob and "Jacob" a 17.2hh Percheron gelding.
He has been demonstrating horse logging at shows since 1994.