In this week’s edition of Horse & Hound magazine (17 September), we feature a behind the scenes look at Gatcombe Park Stud, where Princess Anne keeps a small herd of Suffolk horses alongside other rare breeds.
Tullis Matson, founder and director of Stallion AI, visited the stud to meet the Princess Royal’s herd. He has a longstanding passion for the breed, starting with a personal connection through his family and becoming a major thread within his career.
During the visit, he saw how this heavy horse breed’s traditional working qualities remain very much in use, and how Suffolks are playing their part in a much bigger conservation story.
Latest Videos FromHorse & Hound
Tullis’ work to improve breeding prospects for the critically rare Suffolk has helped develop reproductive technologies that have since been used in conservation work with endangered species, including white rhinos and elephants.
During his visit to Gatcombe Park, Tullis rode, drove and chain-harrowed with the horses before joining Princess Anne to meet some of her mares.
“My passion for the Suffolks really comes from an annoyance that we forget at our peril just how good they were at working,” said the Princess.
She believes there is still a place for these historic heavy horses, from estate work to logging and other jobs where their strength and relatively light footprint can be an advantage.
“There are places where having horses working makes a difference,” the Princess added. “They make less mess, they’re neater and can work in smaller places.”
For Tullis, however, securing the breed’s future will require both practical opportunities and innovative breeding technology.
“These horses, the female line, are the future,” he says. “These are the horses that helped us save the elephants and the rhinos.”
With thanks to D&H, who facilitated ambassador Tullis’s interview at Gatcombe Park
