Foxhill Spencers Wood

Ritzyroo

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Hi - I may have - what do you want to know? I was there from 1993 until they went into recievership in 1996. I still keep in touch with some people from there. Give me a shout back!!
 

Rana

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I lived locally from 1984 until now. I think a chap called Aidan Webb took over the carriage driving business, and still runs it from part of the old Foxhill premises. Most of the premises was sold off as industrial units, so not much of the old yard exists now.

Ditto Ritzyroo, what would you like to know? :)
 

millhouse

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Hi - I may have - what do you want to know? I was there from 1993 until they went into recievership in 1996. I still keep in touch with some people from there. Give me a shout back!!

I am trying to contact David Goodey. I worked for him when he was at the original site in Whiteknights Park, and would like to know how he is. I can go right back to when he started the business with just three horses - Bonnie, Bob and Harding.

Any information would be much appreciated please.
 
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Rana

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Haven't heard anything about him recently, but I gather he was still local-ish in 2003.

Might be worth trying Haydn who runs a carriage business from a nearby site now:

http://www.hwcarriages.co.uk/index.htm

I think he worked for David when it was still Foxhill so he might know. Otherwise, hopefully someone else might be able to help.
 

Ritzyroo

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Blimey - Millhouse - you are going back much longer than I know of.
I groom for Haydn who does still operate from the Spencers Wood premised.
Last time I saw David was about 6 years ago - I believe he had a leg amputated due to gangreen. His brother Robert was with Jo Perry - they had a son (people speculated that it may not have been Roberts child). I think they move over Basingstoke way??

I thought you wanted to know what happened to the horses etc. Sorry I cannot help you with previous history.
 

millhouse

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Blimey - Millhouse - you are going back much longer than I know of.
I groom for Haydn who does still operate from the Spencers Wood premised.
Last time I saw David was about 6 years ago - I believe he had a leg amputated due to gangreen. His brother Robert was with Jo Perry - they had a son (people speculated that it may not have been Roberts child). I think they move over Basingstoke way??

I thought you wanted to know what happened to the horses etc. Sorry I cannot help you with previous history.

Thanks Ritzyroo for the information, and I am sorry to hear about David. I will enquire again on the threads to see if anyone else is able to give me more information about him.

I remember Robert - he was younger than me - we had happy days at Foxhill Whiteknights, but I also rode Bonnie at Spencers Wood in 1972/3. She was getting on then, but still a great jumper. I last saw David in The Old Elm Tree at Beech Hill around 1978. I know he recognised me, but we were unable to speak as we were both in different parties.

Thanks again and kind regards
Millhouse
 

rosemarie

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David Goodey died on the 26th Sept 2011 from a heart attack, his funeral was on Oct 6th at Salisbury Crematorium. His brother Robert did not attend but sent a wreath.
 

millhouse

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Oh, I've only today read this, and am so so sorry. David taught me to ride, and I worked with him at Foxhill within the university campus on Whiteknights Park during the '60's. Many many happy memories. RIP David. God Bless.
 

frizzboy

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Blimey - Millhouse - you are going back much longer than I know of.
I groom for Haydn who does still operate from the Spencers Wood premised.
Last time I saw David was about 6 years ago - I believe he had a leg amputated due to gangreen. His brother Robert was with Jo Perry - they had a son (people speculated that it may not have been Roberts child). I think they move over Basingstoke way??

I thought you wanted to know what happened to the horses etc. Sorry I cannot help you with previous history.

Who's son was he then?, I thought he was roberts
 

frizzboy

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Blimey - Millhouse - you are going back much longer than I know of.
I groom for Haydn who does still operate from the Spencers Wood premised.
Last time I saw David was about 6 years ago - I believe he had a leg amputated due to gangreen. His brother Robert was with Jo Perry - they had a son (people speculated that it may not have been Roberts child). I think they move over Basingstoke way??

I thought you wanted to know what happened to the horses etc. Sorry I cannot help you with previous history.

Who's son was he then?, I thought he was roberts
 

Rollin

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I know this is an old thread. I was just looking to see if I could find the Blue Peter video of Foxhill, starring Hayden Webb, who is certainly still around with his Geldlanders.

I live on the Breeder's Forum but bought my first horse from Foxhill in 1995. I still have him, he is 36 years young, barged out of his box yesterday evening at 10.00pm to flirt with the mares and annoy our stallion.

Here is a photo taken in December, me 65 him 35 our first 100 years together. I think he is the last Foxhill horse.

IMG_0379_zps23fc50b0.jpg
 

Nikkiever

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Just came across this thread. I spent my entire childhood at foxhill the late 70s. All of the 80s and right up to the end and auction of everything. Going filming being the biggest pleasure of my childhood. Productions like time bandits. By the sword divided. Morcambe and wise show. An entire episode of a series called horses for courses. Set around foxhill. And later productions and movies 3 musketeers. Black beauty princess caribou to name a few. David taught me to ride as a child. Horses who stick in my mind are Bonny. Bullet prairie lad (my fav) Albert sally. Humpty and dumpty. Then later on Kerry duard. Diamond and jubilee and the Hungarians My best friend is matt (jim) Gardner. I remember such names as debbie Kay. SImone. Alison head. Peter gibson then later on jo Perry and many others. I see Haydn around occasionally. Would love to catch up with anyone
 

Vness

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Hi does anybody remember my mum who use to go riding at fox hill stables early 70s.
Her name is sheena curnow
 

RichGood

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Hi, Nikki, I am jo and Roberts son, I remember sally, diamond and jubilee as we had them when I was a child. They've told me all about the other horses they had, I see Debbie Kaye quite a bit, and Peter Gibson when I go to reading
 

RichGood

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Don't know if anyone is still reading this but anyway,
Hi, I'm Richard, son of Robert and jo, I've heard a lot about fox hill and we had a few of the old horses and I heard of all the films and series they did, did a couple myself with Debbie,
Sad about my uncle david, never got to meet him
I do go to reading sometimes for the carriage sale,
Glad to read that people liked the riding school
 

Whitenightrider

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Yes, I do remember your Mum. I lived in Whiteknights Rd and had riding lessons on Bonny.
I then, aged 12, used to help out at the new site and looked after a donkey called Zachariah.
Your Mum Sheena was my first crush!
She was so pretty and very competent and capable getting horses ready for show.I always had great sandwiches for lunch and Sheena said she’d love me forever if I gave her a sandwich - I did, but sadly she didn’t!

My Dad used to work near the old Gillette factory at Ampex, off the Basingstoke Road. There was a pub opposite, might be Duke of York, and an old Grey from Foxhills lived out his days there.

I remember David and Robert well, although they teased me a lot. I always remember Robert,being chased by an old Billy Goat at the Whiteknights stables, next to the lake.
 

Rollin

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Strange to get an alert for this old thread. I just received a Christmas card from a friend I used to ride with each Sunday, she did the accounts for David Goodey. She still has five horses but bemoans the loss of off-road riding with the ever expanding building in the Reading area.
 

LizzyW

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I came across this post and it brought back very fond memories of when I learnt to ride at Foxhill Riding stables in Whiteknights. It was about 1962/63 when a friend suggested i go with her. I remember they put me on Sherry and I was told she could only trot. Thinking about it now maybe she was bought as an ex hackney horse. I recall the wonderful smell of the tack room, where all the saddles where kept. It cost 7 shillings and 6 pence (about 38p) for an hour's ride. David Goodey would be in the tack room with a rather glamourous lady called Sue. She would take your money and book you in for the following week. My favourite horse in the end was Silver. Sue would be seen riding him sidesaddle sometimes with full outfit and top hat. The other wonderful horse was Billy, a black cob. I think David would ride him when he went to shows with Sue. Robert Goodey's pony when he was young was Molly. When he was older he would take Molly and another pony, Robin (I think they were section A welsh ponies) in harness and carriage drive them. Oh my goodness - I remember the horses, but not people, apart from Lorna who I thought was also a Goodey. She would ride Bonny. The horses were Dusty (shetland) Peter and Admiral, Duke (very lazy would just stand in the field with rider kicking furiously to try to move him!) Every Sunday if you were lucky you could ride the ponies at the end of the day (had to be bearback to a field somewhere I think in Sindlesham). Robert or David would then pick us up in a Landrover. The horses would work really hard at the weekends, especially if they were popular like Silver and Billy. As I type a few more memories are coming back, but you are probably bored by now!
 

The-Bookworm

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I rode there in 1988.
Courage, Tufty and Peter.
I recall the article that went into either horse and pony magazine or pony magazine talking about the filming side of things.
It was great to see- anyone still got a copy. I had a photo taken almost where they took the shot.

I fell off in the paddock out back messing around with Courage. I took him out there in his own and realised pretty soon I had no control whatever. Fantastic way to take yourself down a notch though. These days schools are terrified of people coming off. I just walked back, got on and went back into the field- because I had another five minutes of the lesson left. I just stayed a bit nearer the yard. :)
 

Celtic Fringe

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What a fantastic thread :) I work in the University and have often thought that campus would be a great place to ride - though I'm sure the ground staff would not agree! Foxhill House is now the School of Law but the wilderness and other areas are probably fairly unchanged. It is a pity that many of the surrounding areas are so built up now - when I moved to Reading over 20 years ago much of what is now Lower Earley was still fields.
 

LizzyW

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When I used to ride there I had no idea that the University was there- I was about 10 years old. I do recall having to go out onto the road to get to the woods, rather than ride down past the lodge.(It was very quiet then) How on earth we managed to gallop through those woods! There was a rival yard, I think called Jacks on the junction of Redlands and Elmhurst Road. I used to ride quickly past on my bike..lol.
 

salsabubblegum

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Don't know if anyone is still reading this but anyway,
Hi, I'm Richard, son of Robert and jo, I've heard a lot about fox hill and we had a few of the old horses and I heard of all the films and series they did, did a couple myself with Debbie,
Sad about my uncle david, never got to meet him
I do go to reading sometimes for the carriage sale,
Glad to read that people liked the riding school

Hi Richard


Do you still supply horses for film and tv work? I’m looking for horses to add to my portfolio , especially able to do carriage, jousting, carry novice actors and gun work, if not do you have contacts? Kind regards Sally Henwood
 

millhouse

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Hi Everyone
I haven't been on Site for ages, but I have today found and read all the replies on this thread. I am so thrilled! Must have known some of you that rode at Foxhill Whiteknights. I taught basic riding skills for David in those 'happy' days.
Millhouse
 

millhouse

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I remember some of those horses you have mentioned. Bonny was my 'charge' and I absolutely adored her. Peter was a wonderful looking Welsh Mountain pony - grey. Admiral I believe was an Exmoor. Often Bonny & Admiral were turned out together. Later it was Bonny & Peter. Molly ..... well, where shall I start??? She was a wonderful little demon. She would take the catch out of the oats box, which was sited in her stall, get her head in, and yes you've guessed it - have a wonderful time! Then it was down to one of us to ride it off of her!!! She also would get into Whiteknights Lake and swim round the field divisions to get where she wished to be. I recall a time when David had to wade into the Lake and retrieve her.

I remember Lorna, and actually gave her basic riding instruction. Diane was her friend and she would ride Admiral. I have a photo of her up on Bonny.

I wonder if Lorna can recall the ex-racehorse we stabled and were lucky enough to ride - Gallant Lad! He was a horse of some note in his racing career.

Bob was a large grey Welsh Cob who could be very stubborn, but was such a likeable character. Harding was massive. A flea-bitten grey with a wonderful temperament - simply a gentle giant! I believe Harding was employed to pull the Lord Mayor's coach in the parade in London.

Does anybody remember Trigger, Bud or Rusty?
 

SMcKen

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My sister and I used to ride at Foxhill stables in 1971/72. I was only 4 but remember Bonny, Sherry, Tuffit the little black shetland and even still have a photo of me and a little grey that must be Peter! That was the start of my obsession with horses which has never stopped. :)
 
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