Kilvahan Horse-Drawn Caravan requires visitors to stay at its base in the Slieve Bloom mountains of County Laois for the first and last nights of their tour. The base provides landscaped caravan parking, picnic gardens, toilets, showers and a lounge with a fire stove. The base is also a restored working farm that provides access to a wide variety of animals including sheep, dogs, pigs, goats, llamas, cats, camel, donkeys, miniature ponies and zebra. The company has 16 caravans available to choose from and is open from April until October. You can also arrange for transportation from the Dublin and Shannon airports to the base.
Kilvahan Horse-Drawn Caravans
Tullibards Stud Coolrain
County Laois, Ireland
011-353-57-873-5178
horsedrawncaravans.com
Mayo Horse-Drawn Caravan Holidays Ltd.'s base camp, "Carra Caravan and Camping Park," is approved by the Irish tourist board, Fáilte Ireland. Tourists are required to spend the first and last nights of the tour at the camp, which offers a kitchen, library, telephone, showers, toilets, television and laundry equipment. The village of Belcarra, where the camp is located, has many shops and pubs, as well as a free-fishing area, a post-office and an indoor sports center.
Mayo Horse-Drawn Caravan Holidays Ltd.
Belcarra, Castlebar
County Mayo, Ireland
011-353-94-903-2054
horsedrawncaravan.com
Clissmann Horse Caravans is open from late spring to mid-autumn, and visitors can have access to their caravan by 4 p.m. on the date of arrival. The company has a transfer arrangement with local taxi companies to pick up visitors from the Dublin Ferry-port, Dublin Airport and Dun Laoghaire Ferry-port. Since there is no food available at the base, visitors are encouraged to bring enough food to last for two days.
Clissmann Horse Caravans
Cronybyrne, Rathdrum
County Wicklow, Ireland
011-353-404-46920
clissmann.com
All three caravan operators have some things in common, including the caravans themselves. Each caravan can sleep four people. Caravans have internal lighting, kitchen equipment, a cooker, seating and a sink. Aside from modern amenities such as the gas cooker, the caravans are based on traditional designs used by the Irish "Travelers" for more than 150 years. Bedding and sheets are provided, though visitors are encouraged to bring their own towels.
None of the companies require visitors to have any experience with horses. Every horse has been tested for its health, road behavior, temperament and driving skills, and has had plenty of experience with people. The typical breeds used for caravan service are Irish Draught, Traveler Horse, Shire and Clydesdale. You will be instructed on the proper care and maintenance of the horse, and you should contact the tour operator if you notice anything amiss.
Finally, horse-drawn caravans have no driving lights, so they must be pulled off of the road after dark. Designated pubs, hotels, farmers and guest-houses provide overnight facilities to visitors traveling by horse-drawn caravan in exchange for a fee. At a minimum, they provide grass for the horse, rubbish disposal, parking for the caravan and sanitary facilities. You will receive instruction in road safety rules for driving and guiding the horse, and you will be encouraged to avoid roads with dangerous terrain and roads that are too busy.
