Sustainable Circus to travel Scotland by horse

In an interesting twist on the debate over animals in circuses, a new company, The Travellers of Elsewhere will be using horses to pull their wagons on a 200 mile tour of Scotland in July.

The company will also use solar power for electricity in a show that will mix circus tricks, storytelling and music to put across a message of sustainable living, a green lifestyle and tree-planting.

They could end up travelling by shanks' pony, however. At the moment they have raised enough money through crowd funding to buy one horse and cart and are hoping to raise enough for another two horses... but will go through with the tour even if they fail to raise the capital.

If you'd like to contribute go to indiegogo.com

According to organiser Kenn Musso: “In an age of digital entertainment, we must remember what actually makes up a quality experience. Creative expression, positive community, shared laughter, music, and celebration – are all possible, and often more genuine, without depending on sophisticated digital or mechanical technologies.”

For more on horse-drawn circuses, read Circus Mania which includes an interview with retired ringmaster George Pinder about the days when his family's circus travelled that way as a matter of course 100 years ago.