We Visit Kennet Valley Driving Group

On Thursday 16th Jan John Neweell, myself and Jane accepted an invitation to visit the Kennet Valley Driving Group near Marlborough. The weather forecast was awful but we made our way up there and were just in time to join the group morning drive out. The drive out with three horses was on the roads due to the wet winter making the fields out of the question.
It turned out to be a lovely sunny day, if a bit cold in the wind at a much higher altitude than we are used to!

The Kennet Valley Driving Group drive two days a week all year round in some wonderful rolling countryside favoured by a number of racing stables with gallops on the drier tops of the Downs.

Two of their three horses are French Comtois draft horses, a breed that we have been considering as a third horse to join Maggie and Marmite ever since we saw one when we went to the SW Carriage Driving Conference last year.
These horses live out, but are clipped and rugged because they can get so hot and sweaty in their thick winter coats.

The Comtois is a heavy, strong breed with a lovely temperament which is ideal for RDA groups working with disabled people.

It was a most interesting and enjoyable visit and we were made so welcome by a marvellous group of volunteers. We drove back into the rain clouds in Dorset well pleased with our day out in Wiltshire.