Go on a course: driving heavy horses

Experience the origins of horsepower. By Guy Foreman

'The last time I visited the Weald & Downland Museum, it was to learn about some of the smallest creatures they run courses on: bees. This time, it was to experience the largest: heavy horses.

'I’ve always had a rather romantic view of these animals – the shire horse pulling the dray or dragging the plough – and been in awe of their brute strength. At first glance, they lived up to my expectations, towering majestically over our group of six, assembled beside the stables for the day’s course.

'John McDermott, the visiting tutor, and his daughter, Claire, took a hands-on approach, helping us to attach the reins and harnesses to two British Percherons, and talking through the variety of styles of tack used for different jobs. Then we split into two groups – half of us taking up the exhibition and racing trap, while the others got to grips with the plough.

'I started on the trap. Grasping the reins, I truly appreciated the animals’ power (more responsive and with better acceleration than the car I drove there), and also how graceful and manoeuvrable they were.

'The ploughing was trickier. We practised the original method, walking several metres behind the horse dragging the plough, and using a long set of reins to keep the horse in a ‘straight’ line. My lines looked as though a spider had crawled across the wet grass.

'During lunch (a ploughman’s, of course), John and Claire regaled us with stories of the exhibitions and competitions in which the horses have taken part. They also told us about the decline of heavy horses in the UK, which means that some of these magnificent breeds are close to dying out.

'In the afternoon, we set out in a huge cart with one of the museum’s resident shire horses. We took turns navigating bends and tight corners, with museum visitors looking on in envy as we trotted effortlessly past. It was a great way to experience the origin of the word horsepower.'

Driving Heavy Horses, a one-day course, takes place at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex (01243 811363; www.wealddown.co.uk).

 Click here for the full Country Living course directory 

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