Horse drawn carriage holidays

[slipperandpjsmum]

I would like to go on holiday in the old style gypsy caravans with horses. Has anyone been? I can only find a couple of companies on line in Ireland.

[hazeldog]

I know quite a few people who live in wagons and ive seen waggons for holiday rents that are stationary in a field but I've not heard of holidays where you're actually going down the road. You could try advertising on a website called dragon driving to see if you could find a private person who would take you for a holiday. Its not as romantic as you might think though. The reality of horse drawn life is digging a hole to go to the loo, living outside rain or shine as wagons are just sleeping spaces, chopping wood, fetching water and moving constantly for grazing. Not to mention the hassle from people that comes with being a traveller and being very visible. It can also be quite dangerous. There have been a number of accidents recently when my friends have been going down the road and been driven straight into by motorists. I would seriously consider staying in a waggon on someone's land.

[hazeldog]

What animal welfare issues would those be? I don't know anyone who takes better care of their horses better than true horse drawn travellers. Those horses are their only transport and their livelihood. Don't talk bollocks about a lifestyle and a people you clearly know nothing about.

[mummymeister]

hazeldog the issue is that the horses would as i understand from the OP be the holidaymakers responsibility for the week/2 weeks whilst they were having their holiday. Travellers of course take good care of their animals but who can be sure that someone on holiday with sole charge of an animal would do the same. sorry you felt it necessary to have my post deleted because in some way you felt insulted. my concern was that people with no experience of horses could just "borrow" them for a holiday.

[hazeldog]

There's no way a holiday could possibly work like that. I can see you didn't mean to cause offence. nobody would lend their horses and waggon to a stranger the owner would have to travel with them. I'm sure thats how the holidays in Ireland would work.