VIV KLINDT explains about the transformation of a farm at Hannington.

Bydemill Farm has a core holding of 400 acres, and in addition to this we have 200 acres of rental land, which is a mixture of grassland and arable.

The farm has been in the Hussey-Freke family since the 1600s - only once leaving their ownership for a short period in the 1950s, when the Fry's chocolate family owned the estate.

Our family has managed the farm itself for over 30 years, with my wife and I taking over the management in 2001, when my father retired.

It was a dairy farm at this time, with a 200-pedigree friesian dairy herd in June 2003. But due to the ever-failing milk price, the decision was taken to sell the herd.

Following this, an auction was held at the farm and the majority of the dairy herd were sold, leaving us with a few retired girlies, who we felt should live out their time with us, and some in-calf heifers which we intended to sell at a later date.

We now have a 100-strong beef suckler unit, which runs alongside the arable operation. This has provided reasonable success over the last three years, and to see mummy bring up her baby has been a nicer way of farming.

We needed to look at other opportunities to diversify, allowing us to maximise the use of the grassland available to us.

After many hours of research, discussion and deliberations, we decided that, with the mixture of skills and experience we had between us, a livery yard was definitely the best option.

How did we reach this conclusion?

Well, my wife has been around and riding horses for over 30 years and they have always played a large part in her life, both from a competitive, but more importantly from a companionship point of view. We have owned our own horses for over 20 years and realise how difficult it can be to find suitable supervised premises and grazing for them, with fantastic off-road riding.

Our aim is to successfully provide every horse and owner with a comfortable, secluded yard. This, coupled with the fact that we both enjoy people, is the reason we started out on this new venture.

In spring 2007, we managed to obtain planning for 22 stables and, with the backing of the owners, began the conversion of a 1928 cow barn into internal stabling for horses - the results of which are stunning and far excel our wildest expectations.

The building itself is now so aesthetically pleasing. Four months ago the roof was beginning to sink as the old wooden supports were rotting due to the years that it had once housed the dairy herd.

As farmers, we are being encouraged to diversify into leisure activities, and this project has not only preserved a lovely old building but will now bring joy to many people and their horses.

The first phase of this project, with 11 Monarch loose boxes, is now completed.

The livery yard is set in 400 acres, with grass tracks for excellent riding in picturesque countryside and easy access to an extensive network of bridleways.

The setting is secluded and private, with 24-hour supervision, allowing horse owners to relax and enjoy the countryside after a hard working week.

The four horse owners and horses that are already here are very happy and love the whole ambiance of the yard, riding and setting.

We fully support a controlled worming programme for all horses - either in or entering the yard, and can accommodate grazing for those of us that have horses prone to laminitis.

The paddocks are newly electrically fenced, and can easily be divided to accommodate owners' requirements.

We offer an all-inclusive monthly charge so that you do not have to worry about storing or sourcing hay and straw during the winter months.

We have already received several enquires over the last couple of weeks as the nights start to draw in and the horses start pushing through their winter coats.

Winter will be upon us again before we realise, and the luxury of being able to muck-out in the dry is one that I relish.

We still intend to remain a working farm with a suckler herd and arable crops, but this project has been the most exciting and rewarding since taking over the management of the farm.

The barn now has a new life and is more than we ever could have dreamed it would be. It is now our intention to move forward to complete the conversion and sympathetically restore the remainder of the cow yard and buildings and, in the fullness of time, add a school to the existing amenities already available.

Come and see us and view Bydemill Farm Livery, as it is something we are very proud of. We are only four miles from the outskirts of Swindon, on the northern side.

  • For further information and viewing, contact Hardy and Viv on 01793 762269 or 07884 257152.