What is a Horse Drawn Caravan?

The caravan The caravan is designed to be as comfortable and as compact as possible - yet light enough for one horse to pull. Accommodation It has sleeping accommodation for 4 (or sometimes 5) persons, and a cooker, sink/wash-basin, kitchen equipment and seating to allow holiday meals to be prepared and served in the caravan. Internal lighting is also provided. The diagram below shows the lay-out of a typical modern horse-drawn caravan. History This kind of caravan has been used with modifications for over 150 years by Irish people living a nomadic life-style. Today's `Travelling People' or 'Travellers', as they are now called, inhabit modern trailer caravans pulled by vans or lorries and very seldom live in horse-drawn caravans. These itinerant people have a long-established interest and involvement in the breeding and training of draught horses. Many of the quiet horses used by our visitors have their origin in the breeding pool developed by these `Travellers'. Practical Information It contains compact and cosy seating and berths for four persons (Sometimes operators provide a fifth bed, sometimes at extra cost) Bedding and sheets are provided. Visitors should bring their own towels. A twin-flame or four-flame gas cooker, cooking and cleaning utensils, water container, crockery, cutlery and tea-towels, are all part of the kitchen equipment. Lighting is provided by gas, electricity, electric batteries, or candles. The sink/wash-basin, the table, hanging-space, drawers, shelves and built-in cupboards complete the picture. A horse-drawn caravan is about 5 metres long (about 7 metres with horse yoked), over 2 metres wide and weighs maximum 750 Kg.