Downloads througout this site are in PDF format.

What is the NFED

The NFED is a unique central resource for all equestrian information from in & around the New Forest & Central Southern England. It exists in digital form only, but you are welcome to make hard copies of any sections that you may find useful.

Who runs the NFED

The site is owned by Claire & Steve Kitcher, run by Steve with input & advice from gratefully received from many others. ( Please see the "Meet the Team" page.) Having a single, full time administrator/editor/web editor means that if you have a problem or query, you won't be passed around and can always talk to Steve. As the site is run from home, there are no set office hours & you are welcome to call 365 days a year up until 10.00pm. If we are not at home, you can always leave a message or call the mobile.

Who benefits from the NFED

Anyone with an interest or love of horses, ponies, riding or driving. Particular those living in Central Southern England.

Is the NFED just for New Forest Ponies?

No. Although we breed New Forest ponies ourselves and are always pleased to promote or help anyone involved in NF ponies or commoning, the NFED is for all equestrian information.

What area does the NFED cover?

We are based at Sway in the the New Forest, but the NFED covers the whole of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, the Isle of Wight & well beyond. The classifieds regularly receive enquiries from all around the country & mainland europe.

How did it start?

Claire's first art Website was designed, built & launched in 1998 by myself. At the same time, I started producing the schedule for a friend, Sally Mace, who is secretary for the Bashley Horse show. It seemed a logical step to put the Bashley horse show on the Internet along with a schedule for downloading. Even though it was early days, the feed back was very good, so it seemed a good idea to offer the service to other local shows. The NFED has grown from this.

Why do you do it?

Although at the beginning it was felt there was a real need for a service such as the NFED, it was also an excellent way to advertise both Claire's equestrian art & our own Website building services. The NFED has grown up into a respected & well used Website, offering a real service to the equestrian community which turned into a full time job for Steve in May 2009. Claire has now come away from the NFED to concentrate on her paintings.

How do I become listed in the directory?

Go to the directory, click on the "Submit New Listing" link, fill in & submit the form.

My Business doesn't fit under any of the existing categories?

New categories can be added if required.

How much does it cost to be listed?

Standard listing cost £40 for 12 months. Full affiliate webpages are available for £10 per month, including a directory listing & preferential positioning in the directory A to Z, monthly updates & your own website address (NFED Subdomain). See the Business Promotion for full details.

Why is the directory no longer free?

The Business Directory was free of charge for 8 years with the intention of giving a fully comprehensive directory of equestrian services in the area and providing the very best service to our users. Although it sounds a great idea, it is not that easy. Keeping a directory up to date is a very difficult task when you do not have regular contact with the individuals or companies listed. A directory that is not kept up to date can cause more problems than no directory at all. By charging a nominal amount we have regular contact with all advertisers & can provide a far better service, whilst allowing them to take control of their listings for regular updates. Anyone can still add their name to the Phone Book free of charge.

Why is the Directory listed oldest at the top & the Classifieds Newest at the top?

The Business Directory has always run this way giving top position to the oldest & most loyal advertisers. Unlike the classifieds which are browsed regularly, people tend to go to the directory looking for a definite service in a particular area & will therefore take more time to find the correct person or business. The listings are also listed in the the advertiser A to Z & can be searched, so a lower listing is not a disadvantage.

How long will it take to become listed?

Approved Directory entries are normally posted within 48 hours of payment has being received

What is the Mailing List?

By joining the mailing list, you will receive the latest NFED updates & important news for the area by Email. You can unsubscribe whenever you like. Click Here for further details

How can I help?

If you find the NFED useful please tell everyone you know!! If you know someone who is organising an event, please make sure it is listed on the diary & if possible get them to submit a schedule, followed by results. You can download, print out & display a poster or logo in your car, at your yard or local tackshop. If you have any ideas for the NFED, want to become more involved or have something you can offer, please get in touch.

Are the NFEA & Horsewatch related

No but we are happy to host sections for non profit organisations that are of interest to the NFED visitors.

Can my business have a page on the NFED?

Yes, see Affiliate pages.

Can I join the NFED?

No, we have no membership apart from the forums.

How do I find anything?

The NFED has grown into a very large site. We have done our best to make navigation logical, but if you still have problems have a look at the site map, or use the search facilities.

Are the Classifieds successful?

Yes, generally very successful. The site receives thousands of visitors everyday, most of whom have a look through the classifieds. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes on search engine positioning and cross linking. We also subscribe to the Google adwords scheme, paying for sponsored links on the Google network, featured ads are published on Facebook & Twitter via RSS feed. This said, we cannot work miracles: Providing the animal or item is saleable, it is up to the advertiser to create a good advert, post a good photograph with the correct price. If we could guarantee sales, we would be very rich!

How do I resize a photo for my classified advert?

Please see Photo Help for full details, examples and an online photo resizer.

Why don't new classified adverts show in What's New?

What's New only includes site updates that are carried out manually. Automated updates such as: Classified ads, Forum Postings or Event diary entries are not included, but may be included in the RSS feeds including Featured Ads.

How do I get photos from my show on the results board?

Email or post the results (on disk) & photos to us & we will set it up for you, free of charge (Email is preferred). Unless by prior arrangement, the maximum number is 16 photos, all results must provided in MS Word or plain text. If you would like to have more than 16 images shown & offer prints for sale, please see the NFED Photo Service section for further details. If you submit photos, it is your responsibility to ensure you have copyright or the photographers permission.

Where are the NFED offices?

There are no offices. It is run from our home in Sway, with everyone involved keeping in contact by Email.

How many visitors does the NFED get each day.

The visitors numbers do vary depending on the day of the week, but there are normally several thousand per day.

Why are not all the local shows in the diary?

The diary is user submitted, it is up to the show or event organisers to enter their own details in the diary. We will enter details if we are aware of an event.

Is the NFED run by Hampshire Police?

No, we are in regular contact through the Horsewatch scheme, & we have received several donations from Hampshire Police Authority. This has enabled us to sponsor further shows & therefore publicise the NFED.

I have made a mistake in the diary, how do I correct it?

Email the editor with full details & we will gladly correct it for you.

How do I add my show schedule to the downloads page?

Email the schedule or post it to us on floppy disk or CD, we will then add it to the page for you & let the mailing list know it is available.

Would the NFED sponsor our show?

Please contact us, it depends on the size of the kitty at the time!

Why are the results from the last show I attended not on the site?

The results are user submitted, in other words it is up to the show organisers to submit their results to us, we will then post them on results page. Of course, they may not be aware of this free service, so please tell them.

Who decides what is included on the NFED

We are always open to suggestions & welcome your comments through Email or the support forum. The sections that are run for other organisations such as the NFEA & Horsewatch, are run in agreement with the individual committees. There is no committee involved with the NFED & the editor has the final decision as to what is included.

If your question has not been answered here, Feel free to Contact Us or use the Support Message Board