The Ringwood farmer who won't swap his horses for tractors

Robert Sampson, 56, is the fifth generation of farmers in his family and, just like his ancestors, relies on horse power rather than tractors.

Robert Sampson. Pictures Phil Yeomans/BNPS

He takes out four horses at a time onto the 265 acre farm and uses them for ploughing, sowing, rolling, chain harrowing, bell carting and hay turning.

Mr Sampson is so determined to keep up the old-fashioned method that he has converted tractor machinery to be carted around by the horses.

He has used agricultural machinery for some jobs such as trimming pastures, but since his tractor broke down 10 months ago he has been doing it by hand.

His traditional techniques hark back to a bygone era of farming and he often stops passing cars in their tracks when he uses horse and plough.

Robert with his team of working horses. Pictures Phil Yeomans/BNPS

Mr Sampson concedes that he could complete the work on his farm a lot quicker when using a tractor, but says he prefers equestrian power.

His broken down tractor would normally be able to do the work of 16 horses.

He can plough two acres of land when using four horses, instead of 10 with a tractor, and harrow just 10 acres of land instead of 60.

And only seven acres of grass will be cut with horses instead of 20 with a tractor.

Mr Sampson, whose family own Harbridge Farm, near Ringwood, Hants, said: "My father never fully mechanised the farm and we used horses in conjunction with tractors.

"We have been on this farm since 1882 and never not had working horses on it.

"Using horses is slow but for some jobs they are better and the only thing that we use a tractor for is topping and trimming the pastures.

"We converted tractor equipment to go behind a team of horses, similar to the Amish in America.

"You cant get the equipment these days, otherwise you have to use old equipment made for horses years ago, so you have to make your own.

"We have 265 acres of land and they work on anything and everything.

Robert with his father Tom in the 80s. Pictures Phil Yeomans/BNPS

"I'm doing my bit to save the environment because I am producing my own fuel and I am self-sufficient with the horses whereas I don't even know what the price of red diesel is these days.

"I do it because I enjoy it, I love it. People think I'm mad and there are times when I think I am."

His wife Barbara, 56, said: "Robert gets a lot of pleasure from it, he personally prefers horses.

"We have a big tractor but that's been in two bits for the last 10 months because the engine is broken.

"Anyone else would have got it mended within two weeks but Robert hasn't bothered."

The couple breed and sell workhorses on the farm which they train by taking youngsters out in a group with a more experienced horse.