An endurance rider and her husband have developed an innovative way of keeping toddlers safe and involved at the yard.
Gloucestershire-based Adam Farley thought up the idea last October when he was looking after his then 18-month-old son Ollie while his wife Rachael Claridge was in Australia.
Adam was kept busy looking after the family’s four horses and two dogs, as well as working full-time.
“He was thinking of a way to keep our toddler safe,” Rachael told H&H.
“He bought a bucket, cut a couple of holes in it, fixed it to the wheelbarrow and stuck Ollie in it.
“It meant he could walk from the yard to the field with hay and buckets of feed with just the wheelbarrow, rather than taking the pram too.
“Ollie loved it. He could face his dad and see the horses.”
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Ollie with stallion Silver Zenif
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Rachael is now developing the product, the Barrow Buggy, and hopes to market it to the general public.
“We have a prototype and are now trying to get it mass produced,” she said.
“We’ve made adaptations to the original to make it safer and are trying to get a patent.
“We have a company which makes wheelbarrows that is interested in making it for us.”
The couple have also looked at introducing cushioning to the seat, which can be adjusted as children grow to keep them secure and comfortable.
The initial design was shared on social media and has gone viral.
“I’ve been amazed by the reaction on Facebook,” added Rachael.
“I’m really excited about it. Lots of parents try to juggle farm and equine life [with children] or it could even be used for gardening.”
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.
