30/01/2026
STALI from BIRDSMOORGATE
Stali was born in 2005 in Devon and travelled north to Windy Gowl as a six year old. He was a stunning pale blue dun with plenty of fire and zizz to match his handsome looks and he settled in well to life climbing the Pentland Hills. After a while he changed ownership to a lady who was a regular here and although it went smoothly, he proved just a little too lively for her when faced with such wide open landscape.
Then Alison Walker from Cheltenham appeared and offered him a wonderfully busy home in England so off he went back down south and we had to sadly wave goodbye thinking we would never see him again. Alison was into long rides, pub rides and the like and quickly built up a great relationship with him.
In Alison’s own words - “ Stali became a bit of a traveller. His first trip with me was from Scotland to the Cotswolds then within the month he was off down to Exmoor, Brecon, the Lake District, Surrey hills with his new friends. This was one of many trips through the years. He never faulted when asked to take lead or support a young horse and every person we met on route would comment on his good looks and gentleness.
Pubs were his favourite trips out always including a pack of crisps. He helped me through two hip replacements and on recovery four weeks out of hospital he stood solid so I could get on and go for a short ride which I kept from my doctor. That’s how much I trusted him. So when he had to have surgery on his leg he was the perfect patient with 3 months box rest.
Stali would always keep the peace in the herd, however could take out an electric fence post with a single tug to get to fresh grass, or roll under a rail, a first for the yard! He was a joy to ride anywhere on road or mountain track, took out race horses on gallops and shocked riders who underestimated his speed. Not sure what he could not do and made me look forward to ride anywhere in any weather however could turn on a sixpence if a deer jumped out.
So happy he could have such a lovely retirement in a herd of old friends and amazing guardians. One in a million!”
We were so delighted to see Stali come back to Scotland in May 2024 to enjoy his latter years in the peace and quiet of our Scottish hills and to meet up with some old friends. At first he joined the active group of youngsters and non riddens in the Scroggy and then last summer we moved him to the oldies field as he had become less mobile and was preferring the slower way of life.
A great horse that had a full life and a peaceful end and a great ambassador for the Icelandic horse.
