‘The Heavy Horse Experience’ aims to give you a flavour of what it was like to handle and work with a Shire or Clydesdale horse. The emphasis is on ‘hands on’ from the moment you arrive. No experience is necessary; all our horses are true working horses still used on the land and probably the last working horses in Shropshire. Come and experience a ‘ton’ of real horsepower for yourself!
Before the Great War, tens of thousands of heavy horses provided the power on the farm, and did a multitude of jobs in road transport around our towns and cities. The arrival of the tractor and motor lorry put the heavy horse population into a near terminal decline. As a result today there are less than 3000 Shire horses and 900 Clydesdales left in the UK.
A typical Experience is usually one or two people. However, we can cater for parties up to four. Once booked, a day is your group’s alone. We do not put complete strangers together. A typical day starts at 9.30 am and lasts until 5.30 pm.
Given the variety of options we can offer, it has proved impossible to produce a comprehensive price list.
Outline of a ‘Heavy Horse Experience Day’
1. Introduction with Tea or Coffee
2. Meet your horse for the day.
3. Groom the horse, checking shoes and hooves, preparing for the day.
4. How choose and fit the right harness, from bridle to collar and plough set.
5. Learning how to long rein your horse around simple obstacles, using your voice and ploughman’s lines.
6. Return to the stable, remove the harness and hay and water your horse.
7. Break for lunch, and a chat about the horses and horseman over the last 150 years.
8. Fit a cart harness to your horse, and put the horse in to a two-
9. Driving lesson using a traditional farm cart, doing a variety of manoeuvres.
10. Return to stable, remove harness and groom your horse, at the end of a fun day.
Please note that the above is a guide only, and we may vary the day, given the unpredictability of nature, the weather and working with horses.
Whenever we can, we offer the opportunity to do a real working job on the farm.
For example harrowing the fields with a pair of real working horses, in Canadian Amish harness. Something not seen much these days.
We are open year round, subject to the weather and daylight hours. All experience
days are on a pre-
If you require overnight accommodation, B&B or somewhere to camp or park a caravan, we have several quality contacts in the local area.
We are based near Telford, Shropshire. When we have received your completed booking form we will supply a detailed map and directions.
For more details, including a free DVD of ‘The Heavy Horse Experience, and a booking form, please your full postal address and telephone number .
Please be assured that we will not pass on your details to any third party.