The big move - loads of questions alert!

[martlin]

My big relocation is getting closer and closer... I'm moving to Heckington near Sleaford in Lincolnshire, together with my animals and OH. I have 7 horses, 2 dogs, a cat, 12 cows, 60 or so sheep, a groom and a partner and whilst the living quarters are sorted, I need a bit of help with finding the following (not necessarily in order of importance):
1. A decent equine/large animal vet, call me strange, but would prefer male, with no nonsense pragmatic approach to life and animals.
2. A very good farrier, who would be willing to take on some very well behaved and some not so well behaved horses, no remedial shoeing needed, but meticulous attention to detail and individual approach to horses a must.
3. A hay/hayledge supplier - reliable.
4. Nearest Sainsbury's or Waitrose
5. Decent feed merchant
6. The best Italian restaurant you can think of, preferably with a real Italian chef

Any suggestion very, very, very welcome

 

[TicTac]

Try word of mouth from people local to the area, yellow pages or google!!!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

I'll give it some thought...

Vet wise you have Oakham Vet Hospital - big equine practice with about 5 Equine vets - have MRI scanner, huge facilities - also do farm animals and dogs cats etc. Not close for small animals but most people in this part of the world (and from further afield) use them for hosres, there is also Chine House (based near Grantham) who are very good and do equine as well as other animals- are others but those two would definately cover your part of the world and can vouch for them.

Sainsburys is in Grantham/Bourne/Peterborugh and you nearest Waitrose would be either Newark or Peterborough.

Don't know farriers in that part of the world - you are a bit further east than me, same for hay/hayledge.

Feed merchant - CWG, Chandlers for a start - both will deliver

Italian restaurants - if you want to eat in Melton Mowbray (small Italian community), Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough I can help - I'm afraid Sleaford again is a bit out of the way for me.

Let me know if I can be anymore help.

 

[Tiffany]

WOW - thats going to be some move

Only one I can help you with is the haylage. We buy ours off Lincs Forage. PM me if you want contact name and No.

Good luck moving

 

[martlin]

Wow, Slinky, that's very good, thanks

 

[CrazyMare]

I don't know if Chine House are close enough - my geography of Lincs is poor, however they are fantastic.

There is also Tower Equine - not sure quite where they are based in relation to where you will be but worth a look?

Mr Gulley is a FANTASTIC farrier based in Melton, I used him for years, but I changed to his qualified apprentice as it started to get very expensive, but for skill and knowledge you can't beat him IMHO. OH uses Alex Mercer based in Melton too - at the Defence Animal Centre, he is very good too.

 

[martlin]

That's a second vote for Chine House - will have a look at them

As to farrier - I worry that Melton will be a bit far for anybody to come to me

I'm not very good at geography either, but know there is a cattle market at Melton and it not my closest one, the closest is Newark and that is 30 miles!!!

 

[debsflo]

sainsburys grantham,lincoln and small one sleaford.waitrose newark.excellent equine vet at hougham but all women.heard good reports about neil ingram,avenue vets grantham.pm me re farrier..chandlers at belton grantham for feed ,tack,rugs etc

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Don't worry about the distance - its quite usual over here for farriers/vets etc to travel - they all cover huge areas and will tell you if you are just a bit to far! Melton would be nearer than Newark - but there is a Waitrose in Newark!!

 

[martlin]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't worry about the distance - its quite usual over here for farriers/vets etc to travel - they all cover huge areas and will tell you if you are just a bit to far! Melton would be nearer than Newark - but there is a Waitrose in Newark!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, OK then, my farrier travels to me about 20 miles atm and moans at me constantly that I'm costing him a fortune in diesel and road rage

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Hehe! my farrier also does my friends and they are 'round the corner' at 12 miles away!! Seriously they all have to travel over here - as you will discover it can be bloody miles to anywhere!!

 

[PennywithHenry]

I'll get the contact details of my mums hay/haylage supplier if you like? It's fantastic quality, very reasonably priced and she gets her friends etc to order theirs at the same time as the more they buy the cheaper it is lol

Oh, you'll only be a little up the road from her!

 

[martlin]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll get the contact details of my mums hay/haylage supplier if you like? It's fantastic quality, very reasonably priced and she gets her friends etc to order theirs at the same time as the more they buy the cheaper it is lol

Oh, you'll only be a little up the road from her!

[/ QUOTE ]
That would be really cool, thank you very much

I can feel a hacking buddy coming up

 

[PennywithHenry]

Duh I totally forgot about this, I'll ask her tomorrow and PM you!

As for hackng she's currently breaking her 17.3hh in if you want some fun? ;0)

 

[Thistle]

Talk to Baydale, she is round there.