Driving a Horse Drawn Caravan

Instruction

You will be given instruction and practice in leading and driving the horse and caravan before leaving on your tour. Particular attention will be paid to road safety, going through gateways, ascending and descending hills, etc.. The instructor will travel with you for some distance to teach you the correct method of controlling the horse on the road. Whenever the situation demands it, your horse should be led at the head.

When travelling up-hill or down-hill, passengers should walk to avoid over-working the horse. When other road users have difficulty in passing a horse-drawn caravan on a narrow road, the horse should be controlled at its head, and the caravan stopped until the other road user has passed.

Some few roads are quite unsuitable because they are too steep, too narrow or too busy. You will be advised to avoid these. However, if you happen upon a hill that seems steep, it helps to wonder whether a normal adult would manage to cycle up the hill without difficulty. If so, the horse will manage it.

Routes

Horse-drawn caravan operators vary in that some have fixed routes for you to travel and others arrange routes with you by discussion at the base before you depart on your tour. You should always contact the operator before varying an agreed route.

Some operators permit visitors (by prior arrangement) to stop at any location attractive to them and request parking and grazing from an unknown farmer. This is normally granted in Ireland - the Land of a Thousand Welcomes.

 

Problems

Should you unexpectedly experience difficulties such as a tyre puncture or a loose horseshoe, the operator is available on the phone and will rectify the problem as promptly as he can.