The Kildare branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association supported by Kildare County Council Heritage program recently brought together an exhibition to highlight the important involvement of the Irish Draught Horse in military History. The exhibition is running in the Curragh Military Museum located in the Curragh Camp, Co Kildare and runs from 17th to 24th August to coincide with Heritage week.
The exhibition was opened by Lieutenant Colonel Des Healy Museum Curator, Brigadier General Dave Dignam GOC Curragh Camp and Patricia Young chair of the Kildare branch of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association.
The Irish Draught horse is still listed as an endangered breed and the exhibition hopes, not only to highlight the involvement of the breed in the military along with its versatility but to also promote the breed itself. There are exhibits and original memorabilia and a wide range of stories and facts on the value of the Irish Draught horse and the roll it has played from the Crimean war through the Great war and to its ceremonial duties today in the Household Cavalry.
The Army equitation school is represented for it’s role in promoting the Irish horse in the sporting field and the Garda Mounted Unit for its current use of the horse in active service.
The exhibition is free to visit and is open,
Monday 19th – Wednesday 21st August; 10am-12.30pm; 2-4.30pm
Thursday 22nd August; 2pm-8pm.
Saturday 24th August 2pm-5pm.
Report and pictures by Jessica Soley BHSI
We will have a follow up Report in our September Issue of Irish Sport Horse Magazine.