Duration: Four weeks (or two times two weeks), or for just two weeks, with start dates between March to November.
For adults (min age 18 yrs) on gap years or sabbaticals from
their careers or who are considering changing careers; for people who are due to start an equine\animal related course
or who have finished one; for those who want practical work experience to assist their CV and employment prospects, and for those who want to learn to carriage
drive, gaining experience whilst working in a professional carriage
driving yard.
After training as necessary, you will care for the horses, prepare the horses, carriages and harness for teaching, training or exercise, assist the trainer, provide after care for the horses, carriage and harness. Undertake yard and field duties.
You are expected to work on your own initiative and contribute ideas and previous training learned to the care of the horses and the running of the yard. You will be given an opportunity to run the yard as if it was your own. You will gain training on 'natural horsemanship for carriage horses' and how to carriage drive as listed below.
"Really enjoyable time. I learnt lots about carriage driving from the explanation, observation and lots of practice. The review at the end was very useful for recapping and remembering. Thank you for a wonderful time (even in the rain!)". K Dolan
You will learn how to:
Apply health and safety to all aspects of caring for passengers, horses and carriage driving Assess a horse for his suitability for driving Learn the names and function of all parts of the harness and carriages Harness up a horse using different harness Quote advantages and disadvantages of different types of harness Fit a harness according to the horse and carriage Put a carriage to a horse and take it away in the correct way Drive using the English Coaching Method Balance a two-wheel carriage Drive a two and four-wheel carriage Drive in a straight line, in circles, in and out of cones and change paces Drive on the road and gain road sense from a carriage driver's perspective, and using the correct direction signals Cope with a potential accident or breakage of parts of the carriage or harness Drive different horses Train a horse to carriage drive - know what steps to take Drive an intermediate level carriage driving test Use a 'natural horsemanship' type approach to carriage horses
Carriage driving will be undertaken in fields, on roads and off-road tracks (using the two thousand year old Roman Fosse Way track) in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Optional extras include individual or small group coaching in:
Interviewing techniques - being interviewed Cost Effective Marketing Networking to Boost Business Leading and Managing a Firm How to Handle Difficult People Effectively New Business Development Skills Starting a New Business Selection Interviewing Techniques - interviewing others Managing Stress in the Workplace Effective Client Management Effective Staff Management Appraising Staff Effectively
There is an opportunity to take a practical exam to gain an in-house Cotswold Carriage Driving Certificate at the end of the internship.
You will be required to complete an application form and attend an interview.
You do not need to have previous experience with horses, although it is an advantage if you have some knowledge of them. Non-riders often pick up the skill of carriage driving more quickly than riders. E-mail cotswoldcarriagedriving@yahoo.co.uk for an application form.
We may be able to split the internship into two, two week parts to make up the four weeks.
Fee payable to Cotswold Carriage Driving: £975 for four weeks based on five days a week. If you need accommodation, see below. The training\work experience may be taken as two x two weeks. For just two weeks work experience ~ training, the fee is £600.
There is an abundance of Cotswold accommodation in the area, from farmhouses B&B, self-catering, guest houses and hotels including three B&B and self-catering accommodation providers in Long Newnton. Go to:
There are wonderful walks in the area, the famous Westonbirt Arboretum, Abbey House Gardens (home of the ‘Naked Gardeners’), Malmesbury with its medieval market cross and Norman Abbey and ‘Royal’ Tetbury with its antique shops, tea rooms and the famous Prince of Wales’ Highgrove shop are all worth a visit.
The Fosse Way which forms the border of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, is brilliant for mountain biking and walking. Built by the Romans to link Bath to Lincoln in virtually a straight line, the Fosse Way was 'designated a Royal Road in the twelfth century and was under the King's (Henry II) protection. By law, it had to be wide enough to allow two wagons to pass each other or sixteen armed knights to ride side by side' (source: Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir p122). It is a track nowadays that extends some three to four miles in each direction from the B4014 road that links Malmesbury to Tetbury and it provides some of the best off-road carriage driving routes in the country.
Water sports are available at the Water Park at South Cerney.
Kemble Airfield provides a great opportunity to have a flying lesson or have a gliding lesson at Cotswold Glidibng Club (www.cotswoldgliding.co.uk).
Go to Gift Vouchers Carriage Driving for full details
