Dear Blogger
Message from David Shearan. What a great opportunity for families, and especially children, to see heavy horses at work, as they would have done hundreds of years ago.
Harrowing with Heavy Horses
Help needed on the Cliffe
How do you fancy exercising your muscles whilst helping with the heathland restoration on the Cliffe? How would you like to see the heavy horses in action and maybe have a go yourself. Can you spare a few hours on either Sunday 9th or Monday 10th August or both?
The heavy horses will be back that weekend with harrows to scrape up and gather the bracken litter. Teams of volunteers are needed to collect the litter and load it onto trailers so that Rangers from the Shropshire Council Countryside team can remove it. The bracken litter will be used elsewhere as a mulch.
The lady who manages the horses is offering to run short sessions showing how the harness is fitted and how she works the horses and you can have a go on the reins too if you want.
Anyone can come along and for as long as you like. If you are young and fit and strong then you might want to do several hours or even both days. If you are not so young then you can do as little as you want or just watch the others. Come on your own or as a family but bring gloves and a rake if you have them, and bring refreshments if you plan to stay for a few hours.
Start time is likely to be 9am and finishing time 3pm so you can come along any time within that period.
Please let David Shearan know if you want to come and tell him what day(s) and time(s) suit you so we can manage the numbers properly and safely.
David's email address is dave.shearan@icloud.com
