Award Winning Highland Folk Museum loses one of its star attractions, ‘Rosie’ the Clydesdale horse

The Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore, is very sad to announce the death of one of its most popular attractions, ‘Rosie’ the Clydesdale horse.

Aged nineteen, ‘Rosie’, registered with the Clydesdale Horse Society had been born ‘Camford Lady Jane’ in 1987 Wigtownshire from where she was bought by Ruaridh Ormiston of the well known Badenoch horse keeping family.  From early on Ruaridh, a long time supporter of the Museum, lent ‘Rosie’ to the Museum particularly during the tourist season where visitors got to know her and sometimes to see the foals that she had.  Latterly Ruaridh gifted ‘Rosie’ to the Museum particularly recognizing her popularity with all and her importance to the Museum.

A firm favourite with not only the staff but also new and regularly returning visitors, ‘Rosie’ had been at the Museum for at least twelve years.  With her typical Clydesdale reddish brown and white ‘roan’ colour and not overly large size, ‘Rosie’ was the perfect representative of the traditional but now rare Scottish breed for the Museum’s 1930s interpreted farm.  Not only was she an attraction but she had also been a key member of the Museum team; in the earlier days hauling logs used in such as the Museum’s reconstructed 1700s Highland township and at times in the cart helping to being in the harvest.

Bob Powell, Curator of the Highland Folk Museum and a lifelong heavy horse enthusiast himself said: “Rosie will always have a special place in the memories of all of us involved with the Museum but also of the many local and other folk who knew her too.  It’s the same as losing a good friend”.  

On the question of the Museum getting another horse, Bob said that yes they would in due course look for another Clydesdale but that they would not be rushing as ‘Rosie’ had so many attributes that will be difficult to replace.

25 Oct 2006