Knowle Rock Racing
"A little bit special"
Dominating its own lovely valley in the heart of the county of Somerset in England's west country lies Knowle Rock.
Back in 1991 this old house and its surrounding farm land was known to few but the immediate locals. Indeed, it is so well off the beaten track, overlooked by no one, that most people were simply unaware of its existence. The name Knowle Rock is derived from the impressive fossil-filled and greenery-clad outcrop of stone which, positioned on the highest ground, stands sentinel over the house and garden. From here the broad fields slope gently down to the boundary woods of oak, beech, hazel and hornbeam through which winds a wide stream. The centuries old house of Knowle Rock once presided over its own hamlet of humble dwellings, all trace of which have long since disappeared except for some grass covered mounds and various tumbled collections of stones.
In 1991, captivated by this rare setting, Keith and Corinna Turner bought the farm, which had hitherto been home to 400 pedigree Romney sheep, and set about creating what today is recognised by many as that "somewhere special for horses".
Measure by measure as the weeks and months went on, the vision gradually became reality. Buildings were purpose-built or redesigned, fields were improved and safety fenced - and an alarm system installed ensuring total security from unauthorized visitors. With the facilities in place, and
tranquility assured, the scene was set to give horses of all disciplines a much-needed rest and/or recuperation. The Turners firmly believe, and prove it all the time, that a horse's physical well-being and appearance is directly related to the state of its mental health. That is why a "certain atmosphere" is so important, and is very much present at Knowle Rock. It is the first impression that the horse experiences as he walks off the horsebox on arrival; there should be no sense of pressure, no hurry and no worry. Racehorses in particular are, by the very nature of their job, subjected to a great deal of pressure. Heavy demands are made of them, both physically and mentally. Therefore, it is not surprising that when horses arrive at Knowle Rock for a well-earned rest, they are often very tense, anxious, remote and lacking in confidence. Eventers and dressage horses alike have also benefited from the complete "rest-cure". They are all given the time to revert to being just horses, to inter-react socially with each other, and gradually to thrive again. Then Paul introduces a programme of exercise tailored to the individual horse in preparation for their return to racing.
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Contact Corinna Phone 01963 32138.
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