About The Horseboating Society

The Horseboating Society

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The Horseboating Society was formed at an inaugural meeting on January 19th, 2001, at The Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port. The primary aim of the Society is to preserve and promote horseboating.

Elland, towed by Queenie, on the Rochdale Canal near Littleborough, during the 2002 Jubilee Journey around the South Pennine Ring

The Society has about 100 members, aged from 10 to 88! Organisations also belong, so the Society represents over 1,000 in total.

The objectives of the Society are to promote:

communication and co-operation between persons and organisations with an interest in horseboating;

responsible operation of horsedrawn craft on inland waterways;

training of crew and horses to acquire the skills necessary for horseboating;

maintenance and restoration of the waterway environment to a standard suitable for use by boathorses and horsedrawn craft;

preservation, restoration and maintenance of the various types of horsedrawn craft;

education of the public about the history and present use of horsedrawn craft;

research into the skills, people, horses, boats, structures and equipment involved in horseboating;

retention of horseboating information in archives.

Bonny tows Olive through Stalybridge

Queenie and Elland in Manchester

The Society needs to raise funds to cover a variety of costs, especially those involved with horsedrawn journeys, which provide practical training for members and help promote the Society and horseboating across the country.

The Society is in receipt of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant covering a programme between 2005 - 2008.

Many of the journeys have depended on Sue Day, chairperson of The Horseboating Society, providing the horse, harness and horsebox.

If you would like to join, click here for more information.

Download the Horseboating Heritage Guidance document.