Horseboating Society Facts for Kids

Boathorse Queenie

The Horseboating Society is a special group in the UK. Their main goal is to keep alive and share the tradition of horseboating on Britain's canals. They started on January 19, 2001, at the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum. It's the only group in the UK focused just on horseboating.

What is Horseboating?
Amazing Journeys and Awards
Horseboating Gallery
See also

What is Horseboating?

See also: Horse-drawn boats

Long ago, horses were super important for moving things on canals. They were like the engines of the Industrial Revolution. These strong horses pulled boats along the waterways. They worked until the mid-1900s.

Today, horseboating helps us remember those times. It shows us how families and workers lived on the canals. They used horses to move goods all over the country.

Amazing Journeys and Awards

Horseboat descending Marple Locks

The Horseboating Society has done many cool things. They help keep the history of canal boats alive.

Maria's Special Trip in 2006

On August 4, 2006, a special event happened. Robin Evans, who was in charge of British Waterways, joined the horseboat Maria. This was at Portland Basin, where two canals meet. Maria is a very old wooden narrowboat, built in 1854. It still uses horse power today, with no engine!

Robin Evans got to try driving Queenie, the boathorse. He also helped move Maria through Hyde Bank Tunnel. He did this by legging the boat. This means pushing the boat with your feet against the tunnel walls. This trip was extra special because Maria used to carry limestone on this route. The Society recreated this journey more than 100 years later.

Journey to the World Canals Conference

In 2007, the Society took a long trip. They went along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the World Canals Conference in Liverpool. They received a grant of £42,500 to help with this journey. This money also supported other activities for the conference.

This trip was part of a "Coal and Cotton" event. It celebrated the canal's history of moving coal from Leeds and Wigan to Liverpool. It also brought cotton from Liverpool docks to Leeds. Maria carried sacks of coal and cotton samples. These were provided by the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Horseboat under tow

Standedge Tunnel Adventure in 2008

In May 2008, NB Maria was pulled by a horse again. This time, it was on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. In 2006, Maria was the first boat in 60 years to be "legged" through the Standedge Tunnel. This tunnel is the highest, longest, and deepest canal tunnel in the UK.

This time, a UK government minister and a local Member of Parliament helped. They took turns legging Maria through the huge tunnel.

Elland's Long Pull in 2012

In 2012, another horseboat, NB Elland, made a big journey. It was pulled by a horse along the entire Leeds and Liverpool Canal. People believe this was the first time such a trip had been done in 68 years. The journey ended with a demonstration pull through the new Liverpool Canal Link.

Awards and Partnerships

In 2008, the Horseboating Society won an award. It was called the "Commended" award in the "Historic Environment" section. This was part of the annual Waterways Renaissance Awards.

The Society works with many other groups. These include British Waterways, the Boat Museum Society, and the British Horse Society. They all work together to protect and promote waterways and their history.