Heavy horses “race” in France

Heavy horses will drive the Route du Poisson in a 24-hour relay race in France starting in Boulogne and finishing in Paris later this month

The Route du Poisson is a bi-annual event, which takes place in France on 28-30 September 2001. Teams of 20 horses will cover the distance between Boulougne sur Mer and Paris, retracing the original route taken by the waggoners carrying fish from the coast to the Paris restaurants.

The event was first organised by the French government and National Stud Farm to re-generate interest in French driving horses. It has since proved immensely popular, drawing more than 200,000 spectators and opening up to European competitors.

Allthe horses are driven, and prior to the Route du Poisson they undergo a training programme to ensure they can cope with their leg of the journey.

Hilary Self of Hilton Herbs, who was approached about sponsoring a team, said: “When I heard about the “fish run” I was struck by how similar it sounded to endurance riding. We are looking forward to being involved in the event, and hope that our experience of endurance will be of some help during the race.”

Hilton Herbs have supplied the team horses with herbal supplements, fly sprays, and shampoos to help them cope with the rigours of training. The company will continue to provide herbal and homeopathic products throughout the race.

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