Experience Stourhead’s Woodland Heavy Horses

This summer, step back in time when visiting Stourhead and experience a traditional method of woodland management as heavy horses take to the estate’s ancient woods! From Monday 18 – Wednesday 20 August and again on Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 August, two magnificent shire horses will be working in Top Wood, part of the National Trust’s 2,650-acre Stourhead estate.

These horses are helping to extract timber as part of Stourhead’s sustainable woodland management plan, while also giving Wiltshire visitors the chance to see a rare and historic practice in action.

Learn a Traditional Approach to Woodland Management

Rather than using heavy machinery, Stourhead has turned to horses to carry out important forestry work on the steep woodland slopes. With machine access being a challenging factor to steep areas on the estate, the horses are the perfect solution to nimbly extract the timber through the trees. This simultaneously helps to minimise soil compaction, pollution and disturbance to wildlife.

By working with horses, the Stourhead team is following continuous cover forestry principles – a sustainable approach that opens the tree canopy, encouraging ground flora to thrive and allowing natural regeneration of the woodland.

Why Horses, Not Machines?

Horses provide a low-impact, environmentally friendly solution to woodland management:

- They reduce soil damage in damp areas where machinery could cause lasting harm.
- They are more manoeuvrable in tight woodland spaces.
- Their work supports local biodiversity by helping maintain a healthy balance in the woodland.

The timber they extract – mainly beech, ash, and oak – is processed locally, providing firewood for the estate and woodchip to fuel Stourhead’s biomass boiler.

Meet Stourhead’s Working Shires - Flynn and Dime

The timber work is being carried out by Wessex Working Horses, run by James Foster, who will be bringing along his two impressive shire horses - Flynn – a 15-year-old, standing at 16’2, with years of experience in forestry work. And Dime – aged 11, standing at 17’2, who has a particularly inspiring story. Dime was rescued by HorseWorld as a two-year-old after being found in poor condition. She suffered irreparable tail damage and needed surgery to remove it, but today she enjoys a happy working life as part of the Wessex team.

Both horses wear traditional-style harnesses designed for the 21st century, use bitless bridles, and are shod only on their front feet. Together, they can pull up to 1.1 tonnes of timber through woodland that modern vehicles struggle to navigate.

Watch the Horses at Work

Visitors are warmly invited to watch the horses in action at Stourhead and learn more about this heritage craft. Guided tours will leave from the waterwheel at 11am and 2pm on working days, offering a fascinating insight into how woodland was managed for centuries before modern machinery took over.

Plan your Visit to Stourhead

Don’t miss this chance to experience a living tradition in one of Wiltshire’s most iconic landscapes – and to meet the hardworking heavy horses helping to shape Stourhead’s woodlands for the future.

Dates: Monday 18 – Wednesday 20 August & Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 August
Tours: 11am and 2pm, leaving from the waterwhee