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A little bit about us
Our main aim is to have the best natural care and environment for your equine bestie.
We are a family run small croft. I am Elissa, my husband is Stephen and we have one daughter. I have been in love with horses all my life and was on my first pony when I was just 18 months old! I have had many ponies and horses over the years and have had alot of experience with some amazing people both here and overseas in Australia. I have a Dutch Warmblood black mare called Wilana, who is my dream horse, a real black beauty, and she is forever teaching me in so many ways and always entertaining me!
We have over 50 acres of land, 7 stables within a large agricultural shed with a feed and tack room. Hard standing for the winter months and wet weather times, and outdoor arena with a rubber surface with floodlights so it provides all year round riding. We do DIY, Part, Full Livery and Holiday Livery. We have many other services and also have equipment and an arena for hire. We are very lucky to have Susie Nicolson BHSAI, a very qualified Riding Instructer who can teach ALL levels right next door to us, who is a very relied upon for her advice, teaching and also as a friend.
We intend on nothing but improvements with more stables for the future and an indoor riding arena. We do enjoy an easy laid back life with no fuss, so if you think you’d fit in, then come and join us, we’d love to have you on board!
Company history
We are one of two livery yards in Shetland. We have the first and only rubber surface riding arena in Shetland. We started in July 2007 but due to not having the adequate facilities etc we decide to spend the past year sorting out the stables, parks, hardstanding and have reopened in May 2009 and intend on improving the facilities, hoping to have a roof over our 20 x 40 arena very shortly. We have such big plans for this place and hope that you will check in on us from time to time to see how we are getting on.
Having a Livery Yard has always been a dream of mine and I am a very lucky girl and have made my dream come true, with A LOT of help from my hubby Stephen! Thank you Stephen for everything you do for me and put up with my forever coming ideas and plans, you are a true star!
We are set in the Westside of Shetland, just 10 miles from the main town, Lerwick. We have stunning views from all areas around us and seem to always have the best of the weather. As they say ' It's always a fine day on the Westside!!'.
If you are ever passing and see the sign 'Brakes' then please come up we'd love to meet you!
Testimonials
Lesley Gardiner,14 years old - Livery tenant from September 2007 to May 2008
heya x
I LOVE BRAKES !!!!
its lyk da best place in shetland!!!
its amazin how much brakes is comin on coz wen u first moved in it wis just a normal croft den u transforned it into a horsey place with stables and everything. =D i loved havin a pony up there and i hope i can get a pony dis year too. wish chancer wis still here tho.. =( i will never forget him. but oh well spk l8r LG x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
[btw ur website is so AWESOME! its even cooler than awesome coz am on it tho =P haha xxxx]
Hi Elissa, What a wonderful website, I really do wish you every success in your new business venture!! How exciting!!! Good Luck!!
You go girl!! Sarah x
Hi, Your place sounds heavenly, I am always trying to persuade my hubby to move to one of the Scottish Islands. We have Exmoors and a Welsh Cob Sec D, I am sure they would love it! Thanks, Fay Faulkner
Congratulations on your new venture - it will be so awesome to have somewhere to ride at long last which is purpose built - Hurrah for Brakes "Freedom" and go Stepho - you talented dude !!!! Lisa Chapman xx
Good for you at the brakes,Delighted to see someone else improving things for the shetland equines and the horse fraternity.good luck julie sales m.i.a.c.e.
Happy 30th Birthday on 17th July - luv Lisa and Smithy xxxxx - July 2009
Really enjoyed the arena session with Susie on Tuesday night as usual she was awesome - roll on the next one. See you for Natural Horsemanship on Friday, hopefully we will have well behaved mares after it !!! , Lisa - August 2009
Keep the good work up - Brakes just keeps going from strength to strength. You have improved the facilities big time in such a short space of time. I am particularly impressed with the relaxed and friendly atomsphere. Looking forward to my next visit, Lisa Chapman - (holiday stay Aug 09, with her horse and pony) - Sept 2009
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!! lovely big stables, fantastic schooling arena, great turnout and even better social life!! My boys love it and so do I!!!
Thanks to Elissa and the freedom of Breaks. Lu, Abs and Jonty xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Lucy Wilson a current tenant) - Jan 2010
'Hi Elissa, just to let you know that putting April (our new 2yr-old Shetland pony) to Brakes was the best thing we could have done. It's been a lot of fun, and we're really glad you guys are on hand to dish out the good advice and horsey tips and don't laugh too loudly when April gets the better of us. She's happy, we're happy, so thanks and keep up the good work. Irene, Jon and April xxx' - Feb 2010
Hey...just been nosin @ ur site! Ur arena looks ammmaaaaaaazin!! Cant wait 2 try it out when Im up in the summer with Nobley Knees Noble!!
x x x x - Melissa Hunter - May 2010
I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for taking such good care of my boy(and me!!)whist I was unable to. Brakes is the best! :) xxxLucy - June 2010
I spent 2 weeks holiday up at Brakes with my horse and pony and having previously lived in Shetland 4 years ago with my mare was worried about taking her back up as back then there wasn't really any proper facilities for horse and rider. However, we finally hit dry land, Elissa picked us up from the boat and when we arrived at Brakes all my worries vanished. Both my mare and shetland pony settled in straight away as if they had been at Brakes for years and my mare was so settled she even had time for a holiday romance with Pilgrim, Elissa's youngster!! The atmosphere is so relaxed and everyone at the yard are extremely welcoming and helpful. The arena is fantastic and one of the best surfaces I have riden on and my lesson with Susie was great and she taught me loads in the space of an hour and left me feeling a lot more positive about my riding...Noble certainly enjoyed it as it was the 1st time she has ever had her ears forward for the entire lesson!!
So thank you Elissa and co for making me feel so welcome, I really enjoyed my stay (just wish the weather had been better :P) and Brakes truely is an amazing place...well done its just what Shetland needs! If I ever move back up to Shetland I know where my horse and pony will be living!!
Luuurve Melissa, Noble and little fat Haze. xx xx xx xx - July 2010
Big thank you to Elissa and Susie for their excellent support - KT is so settled at Brakes when she has her short stays and abosolutely loves her work in the arena. Keep up the good work and keep promoting the relaxed friendly atmosphere - it makes owning horses a pleasure:-) Lisa, Winnie and KT xxx - July 2010
Realy enjoyed our 4 days at Brakes, the coaching sessions with Elissa were awesome. Can't wait to come out again, Lisa and KT xx - August 2010
Hi - thanks to Susie and Elissa - superb coaching and advice - right as usual !! Lisa, Winnie and KT (Back to Brakes shortly :-) - October 2010
Awesome yard - Go Lucy for all your hard work along with Elissa - it is much appreciated, Lisa x - November 2010
Well done Elissa and Lucy the "clipping team" - good job done - Princess KT appreciates it. Can't wait to come out and ride shortly, c u soon, Lisa x - April 2010
If you want to say anything about our site, Livery yard etc then contact us and we will add it to our page!!!