Drayman Adrian Noakes gives his charge a drink (16887/08)MORE than 100 people gathered to watch the four Wadworth Brewery dray horses go off on their summer holiday.
The shire horses, Buscot, Royal, Tom and Barron, are enjoying a well earned break from delivering Wadworth beer around Devizes town centre.
They set off last Friday from their stables in Devizes to Poulshot where they spend their two week holiday in a field owned by Major John Bartholomew, former chairman of Wadworth.
Former and current employees of Wadworth and their families gathered outside The Raven pub in Poulshot where all four horses were served a pint of Wadworth 6X by landlady Susan Henshaw.
As happened last year, Barron consumed more beer than the other horses, knocking back at least two pints.
The horses enjoyed the attention of the public who patted them, then they made the short walk to the field where they were to be set free.
Their ears pricked up in anticipation and people were already waiting by the gate of the field to make sure they had a good vantage point.
When the horses arrived, the draymen took off their bridles and the horses belted off.
Tricia Hurle, marketing assistant at Wadworth said: "You could hear the ground shake as they thundered by.
"The horses got very excited when they saw the grass and when the draymen took off their bridles they shoot off like rockets with their heels kicking. It was a wonderful sight."
The horses return to work on August 15 and, during their absence, beer will be delivered to town centre pubs and off licences by the more conventional means of a lorry or van.
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