06/09/2026
NESS’S STORY — PART TWO ✨🐴
The Heavy Horse bug… and the day she went to buy ONE Suffolk Punch!
After that New Year’s Day declaration “I want to have ploughing lessons with Heavy Horses” Ness was determined to make it happen. She had a few ‘hands-on’ days at the Weald & Downland Museum in Sussex, where she became friends with Rob Dash, who owned Shire Horses in Surrey.
Ness found a field near home and Rob would travel down on a Saturday with his horses, Josh & Trueman, so she could learn to plough.
Rob was incredibly patient and more than happy to share his knowledge of working horses.
And the Heavy Horse bug just kept getting bigger🐴
Eventually, Ness asked Rob the question that would change everything:
“Where can I buy a Suffolk Punch?”
Rob told her about the Southern Counties Ploughing Match and suggested she speak to Randy Hiscock, a Suffolk Punch breeder from Dorset. So off Ness went.
Walking around the field, she spotted several Suffolk Punches tied up to a lorry, being plaited.
She approached a man and asked:
“Are you Randy?”
“Yes,” came the reply, accompanied by his usual cheeky grin. 😂 And what followed was a very long conversation!
So long, in fact, that Randy’s wife Janie was trying to hurry him along because Ness was making him late. 😂
But Randy clearly wanted to know exactly who this woman was who was so interested in his horses.
That week, he phoned Rob and asked all about Ness. Was she capable of owning Heavy Horses? Did she understand how much they cost to feed and look after?
Thankfully, Rob reassured him that Ness would be absolutely fine. Randy then invited Ness to come and see his horses and the youngstock he had available.
And this is where the story takes a very Ness-shaped turn…
She went to buy ONE Suffolk Punch.
And, in true Randy fashion…
She came home with TWO! 🐴🐴
And so began another huge chapter in Ness’s Heavy Horse journey.
But little did she know that there were more Suffolk Punches, more adventures and some very special characters still to come.
Including a pair of three-year-olds from Cornwall who would bring a whole new chapter to the story.
PART THREE COMING SOON…
