VISITORS will get the chance to see a horse-driven cider mill in action at a local cider company's open weekend this month.

Featherstone the Gypsy Cob arrived at Fair Oak Farm in Herefordshire when he was five months old. Now he’s working the cider mill.

He has been nurtured and trained at Fair Oak by Vika Engel, who taught him to drive. And this autumn, at the start of the cider season, he has been tutored in the mill by Wendy and John Lloyd of Llanigon. They own the two horses who have worked the Fair Oak mill for the past ten years, Pye and Tommy.

‘Feathers’ has grown up to be a calm, good-natured horse, and initial fears over his size have been proven unfounded.

"We were a bit concerned that he might grow too broad for the mill, as it’s such a narrow space," said Hilary Engel, of Fair Oak Cider.

"But in fact he’s just the right size. His ears just fit under the beams as he goes by.

"We had one or two trial runs so that he could get used to the set-up and the crunching noise of the apples."

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Fair Oak Farm's 17th-century derelict cider mill was brought back into service in 2011 with the help of Fair Oak Cider's elderly neighbours, local carpenter Chris Robinson, some careful detective work, and several strokes of luck.

Horsepower came for the first time in 100 years in the form of young gypsy cob stallion Pye in 2014.

In 2017, Tommy joined the team. A little taller than Pye, he just fits under the low beams.

And in September this year, the team at Fair Oak was thrilled when new face Featherstone actually milled a batch of apples, and made his first half-barrel of cider.

Guiding him in the mill was David Wilkins, also known as Red, who was also new to the process. Now they both seem to be taking it in their stride.

This year’s open weekend, when visitors will be able to watch Featherstone at work, will be Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, from 11am to 4pm, at Fair Oak Farm, Bacton, HR2 0AT.

Feathers will probably have finished milling by 2pm, but will be happy to receive admirers in the afternoon.

For more information contact Hilary Engel, 01981 241 210