Horse Welfare
Horse Welfare At Windsor Carriages
"The horses were absolutely stunning — magnificent in both presence and temperament — their beauty matched only by the elegance with which they moved through Windsor. Their impeccable training was evident in every step, creating a sense of calm, confidence, and grace that made the entire experience feel effortless and magical.” November 2025
Horse welfare is not a feature of our business.
It is the condition under which we operate.
The horses are the foundation. Everything else is structured around their welfare.
Our approach has evolved deliberately. We no longer run multiple rotations throughout the day. Instead, we host one carefully planned experience per operational window, allowing full preparation, flexibility and recovery time.
Horses are not an element of our work. They are its centre. Every decision, from how often we host, to where we travel, is shaped around their well-being first.
Because we host your entire visit, we can adjust the horse element as required. Routes are pre-planned and risk assessed. Weather, ground conditions and estate activity are reviewed in advance. If conditions are unsuitable, we modify early and without compromise.
Our horses live with their coachmen and families, receiving daily care within a stable family environment. Their condition, behaviour and comfort guide every operational decision.
Work is structured, limited and purposeful. Each horse follows a carefully managed routine balancing activity with rest, turnout and recovery. Over the past decade, we have reduced working schedules and introduced additional human support so that physical and mental demands remain light and sustainable.
Retirement is planned. Horses remain with their families as companions, continuing to receive lifelong care in familiar surroundings.
OUR FOUNDATIONS
Centuries of Care and Craft
Horse Welfare
Our horses are family, not a workforce. Their working hours, turnout, lifelong care and operational planning are carefully structured and documented.
Sustainability
Carriage travel is inherently low-impact, and we actively reduce and offset our wider operational footprint.
→ Read more about Sustainability
Heritage and Craft
By working horses in their traditional role, we preserve rare skills and sustain a living connection between Windsor’s landscape, history and people.
Kindness in Practice
Our promise is simple: to operate with restraint, respect and long-term responsibility.
Stewardship
Stewardship Beyond Tradition
Placing the horse at the centre of our work is one part of responsible custodianship. Windsor is a living estate sustained by people, craft and continuity.
The same principles that shape how we work with our horses also shape how we take part in the wider community. If carriage heritage is to continue, it must be understood and passed on with care.
Through our schools programme, charitable partnerships and local collaborations, we contribute where we can , helping keep this tradition visible and grounded in the town that has sustained it.
Our Professional Standards
Windsor Carriages operates under formal regulatory, safety and compliance frameworks. Our standards are structured, documented and regularly reviewed.
Staff Requirements
• Medical examinations (renewed every three years)
• Enhanced DBS clearance
• Safeguarding certification
• Security vetting
• Accessibility and inclusive service training delivered by the Royal Borough
Horse & Carriage Safety
• Annual veterinary inspections confirming soundness
• Annual carriage roadworthiness inspections
• Public Liability Insurance up to £5 million
• DEFRA WATO Certificate of Competence for horse transportation
Operational Standards
• Proprietary Windsor Carriages Hackney Carriage operating procedures
• Annual risk assessments for all regular and special routes
• Minimum five years’ commercial carriage driving experience for coachmen
• Ongoing team training informed by over three decades of professional practice
Compliance & Data Protection
• Event indemnity insurance
• GDPR compliance and cybersecurity training
• PCI DSS compliant payment processing
• ICO registration for data handling
Professional Affiliations
• Visit Windsor Partnership
• SME Climate Hub
• British Driving Society
• British Horse Society
Commission your Windsor Visit or Event
Every visit begins with a conversation, where we take time to understand what has brought you to Windsor and how you would like the day to unfold.
From there, your visit is carefully shaped with attention to pace, place, heritage, and hospitality.
‘“Absolutely everything was perfect and beyond my expectations.
It was relaxing, informative and magical."