点评:We booked the Meet the Shire Horses experience as a treat for my mum. The horses are absolutely beautiful and clearly exceptionally well cared for. The staff were fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about the horses. Cannon Hall Farm itself is immaculate, very well organised, and we had an excellent lunch in the White Bull Café afterwards.
Unfortunately, we both came away feeling that £98 for two people was expensive for what was included.
The pre-arrival information didn’t quite match our experience. We were advised to wear long sleeves and full-length trousers and told we’d need to dip our footwear when entering the animal areas. On the day there was no foot dip, and staff, along with some other participants, were wearing shorts and T-shirts. As it was a very hot day and there was no shade, we ended up much hotter than we needed to be.
The website also says you’ll have the opportunity to feed the Shire horses, but that wasn’t part of our experience. We enjoyed stroking the horses, learning about them and then brushing one.
The part that felt most disappointing was that it did not feel like a premium experience. During the talk in the lower barn, members of the public were able to stand on the other side of the gates, listen to the talk and ask questions of the staff. They were simply enjoying their visit, so this isn’t a criticism of them at all, but it did blur the distinction between the paid experience and the general admission. It even felt a little awkward at times when people were asking if they could come in while we were taking part. A dedicated area for the talk, or a little more separation from the public, would make it feel much more like the special experience you’re paying for.
There was also a fairly steep walk up to meet one of the horses that had been brought in from the field. On such a hot day, I noticed someone pushing a wheelchair user up the hill, which looked very challenging, so it’s worth bearing in mind if anyone in your group has mobility issues.
Overall, we enjoyed meeting these magnificent horses, and the staff really were excellent. I just felt the experience itself didn’t quite justify the £98 price tag. With a few tweaks to make it feel more exclusive and ensure it matches what’s advertised, it could easily become a five-star experience.
翻译:我们为妈妈预订了“邂逅夏尔马”体验活动作为惊喜。那些马匹实在漂亮极了,显然得到了无微不至的照料。工作人员也非常出色:友善、知识渊博,而且对马匹怀着由衷的热爱。坎农霍尔农场本身也打理得井然有序、干净整洁;活动结束后,我们还在怀特布尔咖啡馆享用了一顿美味的午餐。
不过遗憾的是,我们两人都觉得,对于所提供的服务而言,两人共98英镑的收费还是偏贵了。抵达前得到的信息与我们的实际体验不太相符。我们被建议穿长袖衣服和长裤,还被告知进入动物区前需要给鞋子消毒。但当天根本没有进行鞋子消毒的程序,工作人员以及其他一些参与者都穿着短裤和T恤。由于那天天气极其炎热且没有阴凉处可躲,我们最后热得不堪忍受。
网站上还说我们有机会喂饲夏尔马。不过那并不在我们的体验范围内。我们很享受抚摸马匹、了解它们的习性,甚至还给一匹马刷了毛。
最让我们感到失望的是,这并不像是一种高端的体验。在下层马厩的讲解环节中,普通游客可以站在围栏另一侧,聆听讲解并向工作人员提问。他们只是在尽情享受这次参观而已,所以这绝对不是对他们的批评。不过这确实模糊了付费体验与普通入场之间的界限。有时,当我们正在参与活动的时候,有人询问是否可以入场,这让人感觉有点尴尬。如果能有一个专门用于讲座的区域,或者与普通观众有更多隔离措施,就会更像是一种值得花钱购买的特别体验了。
此外,要走到牧场去见其中一匹被牵来的马,需要爬一段相当陡的坡路。在那样炎热的天气里……我注意到有人推着坐轮椅的人上山,那过程看起来相当艰难,所以如果团里有人行动不便的话,这一点值得留意。
总的来说,我们很享受与这些出色的马儿互动的过程,工作人员也相当优秀。不过我觉得这个体验本身并不完全配得上98英镑的票价。只要稍作调整,让它显得更具专属感且更符合宣传描述,它完全有可能成为一次五星级的体验。