Mearhbarrow (also known as Mearhbarrow Stables) is a large equestrian centre

located in Grey Horse Valley, Collingwood in England, was first founded in 1902

starting out as a racing stable for thoroughbreds. The facilities were closed during

the Second World War and reopened as a private stable in 1947, its services

expanding into a riding school in 1957. The school was then purchased by Mark

Boone in 1983 who started taking the centre's focus back towards competing.

In 1990s half of the ownership moved to Maura Broughton, and the other half was

later inherited by Boone's godson Isaiah Pace. 

Today the facility focuses on breeding fine Warmbloods for show jumping and

eventing, and Andalusians for dressage with the occasional coldblood trotter or

Flat Racer to honour the stables' history. The white main building has survived

over one hundred years (with some heavy renovation) and has had two wings

added to it over the years, currently holding 18 spacious stables and is dedicated

to mares and geldings only. Our stallion facilities for 16 horses standing several yards away from the rest of the centre have lately become useless after we purchased a large stable from Ericka Varner (via ES) that's now actively used for all of our horses. The three wings of the facility can hold 12 horses each. The entirety is surrounded by several large pastures and few smaller paddocks. We have three outdoor arenas, one covered arena and two indoor arenas, as well as one horse walker, and a race training track for our racers and eventers. The foaling shed is located right next to the owner's house.

 

The Grey Horse Valley was named such for the horse-shaped hill figure found in the far South-West corner of the valley. The figure is something of a tourist attraction and has found its way into our crest as well. Its origins are unknown, but it is believed to be linked to the horse remains found in the barrows on the nearby moor -from where the name of our stables originates.

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Our facilities are surrounded by woodlands, fields and moor. Not too far from our facilities is the Grey Horse Valley Competition Centre. It has five outdoor arenas, one meant solely for dressage and one for show jumping, the rest being multi-purpose, and one large indoor arena, similarly multi-purpose. Close to the centre there is the camping ground with a dozen cottages meant to house the riders and their grooms as well as those visitors who couldn't book a motel room in time in the nearby town. The horses can be boarded in the stables by the indoor arena. On the Eastern side of the centre there's also the six-lot racetrack that has seen both flat racers and harness racing. A veterinarian clinic is only a 30-minute drive away.