Campaign to Keep Horse Riders Safe on Rural Roads

Horse riders have been deemed vulnerable road users by the Welsh Government.

They are listed in the vulnerable category alongside motorists, young people, older drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

The horse riders are named in Wales’ official road safety document which outlines the administration’s policy until 2020.

The document says horses and their riders, as well as carriage drivers, are vulnerable on the road network.

Cheval Liberte is based in north Wales and we welcome any approach to keep horse riders safe on the road.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents more deaths occur on rural roads than on urban ones. Rural areas have a larger number of horse riders using the roads.

The Welsh Government is keen to work with representatives of the horsing community to find out what their concerns are and adequately address them.

It is estimated that there are around three million horse riders in Great Britain and many of these, including children will ride on the country’s roads.

Horse riders are entitled to use the road and ROSPA argues that it is the responsibility of both riders and motorists to act responsibly.

Even though horses are big and strong they are still easily frightened.  In fast-moving traffic or anywhere where there are sudden loud noises, it's not unusual for a horse to panic, no matter how well trained they are. It is difficult to ascertain accurate statistics for road accidents involving horses. However, the British Horse Society estimates that there are 3,000 such accidents each year, around half of which occur on minor roads.

Speaking about the framework, Wales’ Transport Minister Edwina Hart said: “Working together, I believe we can improve upon the progress made and ensure that everyone is safe on Welsh roads.”

Cheval Liberte Alphabet – D and E

Let’s continue our unearthing of everything to do with the Cheval Liberte business in our special alphabetic blog series. For earlier chapters, simply scroll through the blog posts, especially if there is a particular letter you are interested in.

Design – Design is absolutely crucial at Cheval Liberte. From the moment an idea is conceived until the finished product is in situ on site, the design process is at work. A theme you will encounter a lot as we talk about various aspects of the business is comfort for the horses and every element of design is keyed into making this particular challenge successful.

Doors – Over on our main website, you will find a decent selection of stable doors, from the Club and Haras models, which are part of our standard range, right through to our Prestige stable doors. Check out the information on our website and call us for more details if you see something that fits the bill.

Equestrian – According to Wikipedia, the word equestrian is “always a reference to horseback riding”. The founders of Cheval Liberte are both riders and breeders of horses, so the passion for the industry is genuine and the experience is real, so the company certainly fits in well with the equestrian world.

Queen’s Love of Horses Shown in Pictures

To mark the birth of Prince George a rare collection of photographs have been released of the Queen, highlighting her love of horses.

The family snaps were taken by her mother and father who were then known as the Duke and Duchess of York.

Queen Elizabeth II has had a lifelong affection for horses and the photographs prove that. She started to learn to ride aged 3 and she was a proficient rider by 6.

In one of the photographs the four year old Queen is seen sat on her Shetland Pony named Peggy. The pony was a gift from her Grandfather King George V. Here at Cheval Liberte we wondered what type of stable she would have had? One thing is for sure our ranges of internal stables are fit for any royal horse.

A second photograph shows the young Elizabeth pretending to ride a small toy horse. She is captured in the garden of Naseby Hall in 1928.

The photographs which predominately have an equine theme are all part of a private family collection. They will mark the early years of Queen Victoria through to the modern day.

In May, the Queen also took part in a BBC programme called The Queen: A Passion for Horses. The programme, presented by Clare Balding included footage of her naming newborn foals and inspecting her animals. 

Cheval Liberte Alphabet – B and C

In the first part of this blog series, we looked at Cheval Liberte via the letter A and our challenge was to bring you something relevant to the business for each letter of the alphabet. So, what have we managed to unearth for the letters “B” and “C”?

B

Blanket Racks – A Blanket rack does it exactly what it says on the tin! It’s essentially a rack or a bar that can fixed to your stable walls so that you can conveniently store your horse blankets. If the blankets have become wet, these racks also come in handy when trying to dry them.

C

Comfort – Comfort is a really important word at Cheval Liberte simply because all of our products are designed with the comfort of horses as the main priority. This is closely followed by issues like security etc. However, first and foremost we are passionate about horses, and their comfort and well being will be considered through each and every design decision. If horses are content, it actually makes the job of looking after them so much easier.

If you want to learn more about us, please visit our main website at www.cheval-liberte.co.uk and tune in next month for the next slice of our alphabet.

Top Tips to Keep Stables Secure

When looking to purchase stabling there are a number of issues to consider including security.

Equestrian yards and stable blocks can be targeted by thieves who are looking to make off with valuable riding equipment.

Police advice horse enthusiasts to ensure their equipment is marked and recorded with their postcode. This will ensure that when recovered it can be taken back to its rightful owner.

Recently, bridles, bits and other items of tack were taken from stables in Northumberland.

Horse riding equipment including saddles and bridles are expensive to be replaced and opportunist thieves are taking advantage, say police officers.

Here at Cheval Liberte (UK) Ltd take security of stables very seriously and are happy to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime think about the following crime prevention methods to safeguard your stable from being broken into.

1.       Have adequate locks on gates surrounding your yard.

2.       Mark all tack with your postcode.

3.       Think about installing CCTV cameras.

4.       Photograph your horses and equipment so if they are stolen you have something to show police.

5.       Have security lighting around your stables.

6.       If possible, wheel clamp horseboxes.

7.       Horses could be targeted too – remember to micro chip your animals. However, never padlock a stable when your horse is inside.

There are a number of things to consider when choosing stables or American Barns including internal stables, doors and windows. Whatever you decide rest assured we can discuss all your security needs.

The Cheval Liberte Alphabet: All Things Stables and Horses - A

Welcome to the Cheval Liberte alphabet. Over the course of several blog posts, we will be bringing you details about the company, our products and the industry in general in a series of short “alphabetic” sections. We may not manage the full 26 letters (unless we cheat on a few) but we will try and bring you something interesting for each one.

So, let’s start at the beginning:

American Barns – These American style barns are certainly grand in appearance and certainly look the part if you have the space to accommodate them. Having said that, here at Cheval Liberte we are able to build them per your size requirements, so you can still have that great “big country” look even if you only have a small amount of land.

Access – It’s blatantly obvious (but it fits in with our alphabet) that all of the barns on our website are designed to provide great access for both horses that need the shelter and security and those that will be working with the horses and entrusted with caring for them.

If you are interested in our range of American Barns, please feel free to visit us and see our full selection over on our main website.

Grandest Stables Ever Built On Show

The Chantilly Estate in France – home to the grandest stables ever built has opened its new Museum of the Horse.

Covering 6500 square feet, the museum will be housed in the different rooms of the Cour des Remises. The carriage garage complex from the 1700s has been entirely restored since 2011. The rooms form a half-circle next to the world famous Great Stables.

There will also be a large room dedicated to artwork depicting horses.

At Cheval Liberte we know how important stables are and so do the organisers of the Chantilly Estate.

Housed in the western part of the Great Stables are two of the most important French historical carriages. The Imperial ladies’ brougham and the Berlin of the duc de Condé have been recently refurbished and restored to their former glory.

If you have an equestrian yard and want to turn your barns into something great we would be happy to help you so feel free to contact us.

Any derelict structure can be turned into a great stable and options can include large individual American Barns or Internal Stables which come in a Standard or Prestige Range.