The last horsemen - Charles Bowden

A century ago, power on farms was provided by five million heavy horses. They were the pride of rural Britain and the men who worked with them were the elite among farm workers. But today heavy horses are almost a thing of the past. They might be seen in all their glory at agricultural shows decked in glistening harnesses and paraded around the main ring, but generally they are a distant memory. Except for one place: Sillywrea Farm in Northumberland, the last farm in Britain to be worked solely by horses. The Last Horsemen is the inspiring story of John Dodd and his family who have lived on Sillywrea for more than 150 years, and for all that time, horses have been the only source of power. Telling the inspirational story of a year in the life of John Dodd, his family, and the farm, this book compellingly evokes the beauty of the countryside. With a farming industry that seems to lurch from crisis to crisis, learning from people who have chosen an alternative way of life becomes ever more important. The Last Horsemen is a truly inspirational opportunity to view, first hand, scenes rarely played out in Britain's countryside in the 21st century.