The fire horses were fearless and fast.

Today, wailing sirens announce the approach of massive fire trucks, but starting around the 1830s in some American cities, it was sturdy horses that got the apparatus and firemen to the fire scenes. Up to that point, men were the only form of horsepower but with the arrival of the horses a whole new era of four legged firefighter was on the horizon.

In 1832 the New York City Mutual Hook and Ladder Company was short of men to pull their wagon due to an epidemic of yellow fever so they invested in a horse to do the job. This wasn’t a popular move and other stations made their feelings known by shaving the horse’s mane and tail and painted a white stripe down its back. The final insult was that the men beat the horse to the next fire. However, with the weighty new equipment, it was clear that more than just manpower was needed and while the horses were initially grudgingly accepted, they eventually became loved and revered by their caretakers, and the public.

Initially these New York fire horses were stabled near the station but too much time was wasted opening the stable doors and walking them over to their harnessing area. The horses were then moved right into the fire halls and their training had them in place, harnessed up and literally galloping on the spot in their eagerness to get to the fire within 15 to 20 seconds. The stabling of horses right inside the fire stations became the norm.

In the video we can see that the horses’ stall doors opening and the horses moving into their hitching area and the harness was dropped onto them from above. In 1871 a quick hitch was created by a Massachusetts firefighter who developed a quick-locking hame and this went onto be patented as Benny Hames and Collars all over the United States.

As with every horse discipline, some horses are better suited than others at their jobs and the same held true for fire horses. First of all they had to be strong, sturdy and fearless. They had to stand quietly as the fires roared nearby and had to pull heavy equipment up and down hills at breakneck speed. Mares, geldings and stallions were carefully evaluated and trained. There were also weight requirements and the horses pulling hoses had to weigh 1100 pounds, the steamer horses had to be 1400 pounds and the hook and ladder horses 1700 pounds. They were teamed up with horses of similar colour and weight when possible.

Horsepower times three!

While some horses had on the spot training, Detroit had a training facility and it was here that the horses were schooled in a makeshift fire station with apparatus, alarm bells, harnesses, hanging quick hitches, a hospital, feed room and a racetrack. The horses were graded as they progressed and over time, many of the stations complemented their facilities with horse ambulances and farriers. It is estimated that out of 100 horses only a handful might make the grade and become a fire horse.

A fire horse’s companions were both the men and the station dogs who worked with them as a complete team. Dalmatians, the quintessential fire dogs were originally used as coaching dogs by the wealthy in the British Isles who enjoyed their unusual spots and knew they could run for many miles. The breed was later adopted by the fire stations. The dogs were great company for the horses but more than that they ran ahead or beside the horses and equipment barking madly while clearing a path, getting people and other dogs out of their way. They were also invaluable as guard dogs and stood steadfast beside the horses and equipment when they arrived at the scene of a fire, or were moved away from the hot embers and smoke of the burning buildings.

Sadly, the days of the horses as fire fighters were waning. Around the 1920s, city managers began to look at their ledger books and it was clear that new mechanized equipment was cheaper to keep although, it was often pointed out by the horse lovers, it did break down frequently. This change was not popular with everybody but it was gathering momentum and when a final false alarm fire charge was created in Detroit on April 10, 1922, more than 50,000 people gathered to watch as a final charge was made. Many wept openly as Peter, Jim, Tom, Babe and Rusty dashed down Woodward Avenue. The horses never returned to their fire station but were retired.

A fire horse’s life pounding the streets took its toll and the average working life might be as short as four or five years though some were able to work longer. Many of the fire horses were sold to do other jobs as haulage horses or milk horses but they never forgot their old jobs and when they heard an alarm they were ready to race to their posts to pull a ladder truck or reel wagon. The horses were also said to be able to guide a person to any fire box located in the city.

In some cities, the fire horses arrived much later and in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the fire station got their first two horses in 1902 and others were added right up until the 1930s. Bill and Doll were very popular with children and tourists and acted as mascots for the fire station. They were retired in 1938 and firefighter Hood O’Neil, who cared for them and adored them said, “Those horses even watched the men climbing the ladders, as though fearing for their safety. I never had to touch a whip – they knew what to do and almost where to go. The old fire station just isn’t the same without that pair, believe me.”

Behave Yourself – Winner of the 1921 Kentucky Derby.

Nothing says “May” like the running of the Kentucky Derby, this year to be held May 4th at Churchill Downs. People will be standing at the track rail, and glued to their TV sets and computers urging on their favourites in the first leg of The Triple Crown of Racing.

But, for every winner, there are always losers and sometimes the sure bet, the horse with the pedigree, the speed, stamina and ace jockey topside just aren’t good enough. There are a myriad of factors that can turn a winner into a loser in an instant: a bad start, getting bumped, rider error, tripping, or the dread of every trainer, owner and jockey, doping. Let’s look at some past Derby favourites and see what caused them to lose in their quest for the Run for the Roses.

Willie Shoemaker, who misjudged the finish line and lost to Gallant Man the 1957 Kentucky Derby.

Gallant Man: The Power of Suggestion

The night before the 1957 Kentucky Derby, the people who trained and raced Gallant Man had a meeting at Brown’s Hotel to discuss their race strategy. Amongst them was the famous jockey Willie Shoemaker, who held the world record for number of professional victories for 29 years. Also in the group was trainer Johnny Nerud who said that the horse’s owner, Mr. Ralph Lowe had had a dream in that Shoemaker misjudged the finish line and lost the race.

The next day at 4.33 p.m. the Derby was in full swing and Gallant Man was in the lead ahead of Iron Liege in the stretch. Then, Shoemaker, in a nightmarish split second error, did misjudge the finish line and stood up in his stirrups. He realized instantly that he had made a terrible error and regrouped but it was too late. Iron Liege beat Gallant Man by a “dirty nose.” In the YouTube video you can actually see him rise up in his stirrups just before the finish line.

As time went on Iron Liege campaigned well but it was clear that Gallant Man was made of better stuff; he won the Belmont Stakes by 8 lengths and also won the Travers Stakes and the Jockey Gold Cup. Later he was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.

Blue Larkspur: For Want of Mud Calks

Col. E.R Bradley felt that another Derby win was close at hand. His horse Behave Yourself had won the 1921 Derby, and his other horse Bubbling Over took the 1926 win. In 1929, it was time for another victory and Blue Larkspur looked like the horse to do it but, Lady Luck was out of town that week for the Bradley stable.

The rains poured in torrents just before the Derby and the track was slick and mucky. Then, to add to the problems, H.J. “Derby Dick” Thompson, the head trainer was in hospital with appendicitis. The assistant who took over didn’t have the gumption to insist that the horse be shod with calks (also spelled caulks) for added grip in the mud when the blacksmith came around. Bradley must have been fit to be tied as his horse slithered and slid over the greasy track and came in fourth, beaten by five lengths by Clyde Van Dusen – a gelded son of the famous Man o’War – who did have calks on his shoes.

Larkspur was later able to prove himself in the Belmont when, once again, the track was a wet mess but, this time, he had his calks on and won. He also won the Withers Stakes and after a layoff won the Arlington Classic by five lengths. He was later unofficially named Horse of The Year in 1929. But, Col. Bradley wanted more wins and he got them in the 1932 Derby with Burgoo King; and the 1933 Derby with Brokers Tip.

Native Dancer’s only loss was at the 1953 Derby.

Native Dancer: Twenty Two Wins, One Loss

The 1953 Derby seemed like a foregone conclusion as Alfred G. Vanderbilt’s grey colt Native Dancer, who was sired by the 1945 Preakness Stakes winner, Polynesian was in the field. The race goers loved him and the American public adored him; he could do no wrong. Best of all, a new invention called the television meant that if you couldn’t be at the race, then it came to you in fabulous snowy black and white. Of course, like many star equines he had his quirky side; he was a difficult horse who pulled exercise boys off him, tossed people around if he didn’t get his way and would only come in at night for his dinner when he felt like it often leaving his groom waiting for hours. However, the ‘sometimes’ gentle giant adored his travelling companion, Black Cat and her kittens and he played with them in his stall.

Sadly, the Derby win was not to be for Native Dancer that day and after the race his jockey Eric Guerin was taken to task by the press; one reporter writing, “he took that colt everywhere on the track except the ladies’ room” But, to be fair, the horse was given a rough ride during the race and was bumped twice. Going into the first turn Money Broker bumped him and The Gray Ghost of Sagamore raced wide down the backstretch trailing Dark Star who was setting the pace by 10 lengths. In the stretch, jockey Eric Guerin steered him to the outside and into second place.

Following his loss at Churchill Downs, Native Dancer won the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, and the Travers Stakes. He never lost again that season and was named Champion Three Year Old Colt. He was voted United States Horse of The Year in 1952 and 1954, appeared on the cover of TIME magazine, was the first thoroughbred TV star and TV Guide rated him as top icon of the era.

Native Dancer’s exceptional genes were passed onto the famous Canadian racehorse and sire Northern Dancer by Nearctic whose dam Natalma was by the Native Dancer.

Holy Bull: Dreaded Doping Demise

In 1993, Rachel Carpenter, heir to the A&P fortune, left her trainer Jimmy Croll 19 horses in her will when she died. He sold all but one, keeping Holy Bull and the horse thanked the man for his faith in him and went on to win the Florida Derby, the Met Mile, the Travers Stakes, the Haskell, and others.

In 1994 on Kentucky Derby day the odds on the horse were 11-15 and people thought he was a sure winner but something was obviously very wrong. He was dopey and lethargic and lagged behind the field finishing a disappointing 12th out of 14 runners. Croll insisted that the horse had been drugged with Halcion which is a sedative. “They got to my horse,” he told the Los Angeles Times.

Croll said he knew who’d done it but refused to name names, and no blood sample was taken. He also said that he knew a man in Kentucky who had 4,000 pills and was somebody who was in a position to get to the horse. Croll said he was interviewed by the FBI, but nothing ever came of his suspicions that the Derby horse was sabotaged.

Holy Bull went on to dominate several more big races and was named 1994 Horse of the Year. He was retired in 1995, and Giacomo, one of Holy Bull’s sons, won the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

In this year’s Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher has Verrazano, Palace Malice, Revolutionary, Overanalyze and more than likely Charming Kitten in the mix so his chances of a walk to the winner’s circle are good….very good! But, before we count our chickens and anticipate a walk to the cashier’s window with our winning tickets, we have to remember that nothing is ever a foregone conclusion in racing. On May 4th we’ll once again watch with bated breath to see if the preferred horse wins without fail or fails to win and goes down in history as another favourite loser.

Sgt. Reckless learning her job.

What is it about some dogs, cats and horses that sets them apart? Some seem to have a sixth sense and then, something else that makes them almost human. Is it personality, a character trait or a quirk that they have developed that endears them to us? In the case of a little mare named Reckless it was all of the above and then some. Reckless was the ultimate war horse and she seemed to understand that her job was more than carrying ammunition, supplies, telephone wire and the wounded; she recognized that she was also the ultimate spirit booster for her boys. Reckless was in the United States Marine Corps, an unusual job for a horse but in this case it was the perfect job for a very unusual horse. And while much has been written about this little mare, events have recently unfolded to ensure that she will never, ever be forgotten!

Reckless who stood around 14.1h.h. (and was therefore technically a pony,) was bought for $250 from a young boy Kim Huk Moon at the race track in Seoul, South Korea. He desperately needed money to buy his sister an artificial leg when hers was blown off in a mine accident. He loved his horse Ah-Chim-Hai (translated to “Flame of the Morning”) but he loved his sister enough to make this sacrifice. His decision created history.

Reckless was bought in 1952 by Lieutenant Eric Pedersen, commanding officer of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Antitank Company, Fifth Marine Regiment with his own money. He needed a way to carry ammunition to the front lines for the 75mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon during the Korean War that raged from June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953. Not only was she expected to march right into battle, she was often a walking bomb herself with the ammo strapped to her.

Platoon Sergeant Joseph Latham was put in charge of Reckless and with the arrival of a pack saddle sent from the States by Pederson’s wife, Reckless’ training went full speed ahead. He taught her tactics that saved her life many times. She learned how to step over lines, ignore battle noises and when touched on the leg she would get down and lie low. He also trained her to head towards a bunker when incoming rounds hit behind the lines and she heard the command “Incoming, incoming!”

Reckless loved a beer with the boys.

Reckless was given other jobs too and these included laying communications wire, a task that she excelled at laying out more lines in one day than a dozen men could. She also carried grenades, small-arms ammunition, rations, sleeping bags, and even barbed wire.

In March of 1953 Reckless showed everybody what she was truly made of. During the Battle of Outpost Vegas it was written that, “The savagery of the battle for the so-called Nevada Complex has never been equalled in Marine Corps history.” This particular battle “was to bring a bombing seldom experienced in warfare … twenty-eight tons of bombs and hundreds of the largest shells turned the crest of Vegas into a smoking death-pocked rubble.”

It is almost a miracle that Reckless wasn’t killed as she gamely walked across the death zone rice paddies and up a steep 45 degree angle hill on the mountainside to bring the ammunition to the firing area. Sgt. Major James E Bobbitt recalled that, “It’s difficult to describe the elation and the boost in morale that little white-faced mare gave Marines as she outfoxed the enemy bringing vitally needed ammunition up the mountain.”

But, this wasn’t just a one-time trek. Reckless did it over and over without putting a hoof wrong; in fact she did it 51 times over a five day period and 95% of the time she was alone. In all she carried 386 rounds of ammunition totalling 9,000 pounds which equals almost 5 tons. She also shielded four Marines from enemy fire, carried the wounded and, when she was wounded herself, she kept on going.

Reckless must have been a source of inspiration time and time again to the battle weary Marines and they were devoted to her. Sgt. John Mr. Meyers who served with this gallant lady recalls that, “I would feed her, so every time she’d see me, she’d trot over and I’d give her an apple a day. She knew exactly where I slept and she’d come in the tent and lick my face to wake me up, so she could eat.”

Reckless also liked the taste of chocolate bars, hard candy, shredded wheat, peanut butter sandwiches and mashed potatoes. She drank beer and cola, and sometimes a little whiskey or bourbon but Latham who had grown up with horses was careful of what the adoring marines fed her. She had free rein of the camp after she decided living in a bunker didn’t suit her and on rough nights she often slept in the tents with the men; they just moved their sleeping bags over and she stretched out nearby.

Reckless arriving to the USA from her Korean duty.

After the war the Lt Col Geer wrote a letter to Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps requesting that Reckless be brought back to the USA. The answer he got stated that she was not Government property so government funds would not be allocated. Luckily, Stan Coppel, the executive vice-president of Pacific Transport Lines, had read about Reckless in The Saturday Evening Post article and he offered to have her brought back on one of his ships from Yokohama to San Francisco free of charge. Apparently after the article, the American public were outraged that one of their “marines” would be left behind so this may have spurred on Coppel!

Reckless lived at Camp Pendelton and though she became the property of the First Marine Division Association, but she was cared for by the 5th Marines. On August 31, 1959 she was promoted to Staff Sergeant by General Randolph Pate, the Commandant of the entire Marine Corps: 1700 troops marched past her and there was a 19 gun salute to honour her.

In 1955 she appeared on the very popular Art Linkletter show, and over the years walked in parades and made celebrity appearances.

The 21st Commandant, Gen Pate, wrote: “In my career I have seen many animals that have been adopted by Marines, but never in all my experience have I seen one which won the hearts of so many as did…Reckless.”

In 1971 Reckless was again honored when the First Marine Division Association erected a memorial at the entrance to the base stables. On Nov. 10, 1989, the first race at Aqueduct, NY was named “The Sgt Reckless” through the efforts of former Marine Charlie Murphy, who worked at the track, and Bruce Lombardi, secretary of the New York Racing Association.

In 1990 Life Magazine created a special edition listing the 100 all-time greatest heroes and Reckless was on that list. Then, as so often happens, the little mare faded into obscurity. Even four years ago there were only a handful of websites that mentioned her. That is when California movie writer and producer Robin Hutton chanced to come across the story of Reckless. She was looking for some inspiration for a series pilot on horse racing and perhaps it was fate or luck that brought her and Reckless together. She was smitten with the story titled Sergeant Reckless – The Mighty Marine that she found in her Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover’s Soul. The story was actually focused on the birth of Reckless’s first colt but she says that the description of the little mare’s antics had her laughing and she wondered why she had never heard of this horse before?

She knew that she had to get more information on this amazing horse. She started out to write a screenplay but along the way she met and spoke to so many of the Marines who had served with Reckless and the ideas just kept snowballing. “These men had their own Reckless pictures to share and their own personal stories to tell me so I decided to write a biography and do a documentary as well. I have collected over 150 pictures.”

However a documentary and a book were just the start. Hutton helped get support for a memorial to Sgt. Reckless that is scheduled to open in July 26, 2013 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va. near the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va. It will include a statue in Semper Fidelis Memorial Park next to the museum and an exhibition of items, including one of Sgt. Reckless’s horseshoes and photographs. Everybody is welcome.

Artist Jocelyn Russell with her Reckless statue.

The statue of Reckless was created by Jocelyn Russell and it shows the determination in the eyes of this game little mare as she carries heavy ammunition up a steep track. But, while her eyes show heart and grit, there is also kindness there.

Sergeant Reckless won many awards including: two Purple Hearts, a Presidential Unit Citation with star, Good Conduct Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. She wore her Purple Hearts and a multitude of others on her scarlet and gold ceremonial blanket when she was making appearances.

Reckless died in May 1968 and it seemed as if she might become another forgotten hero. However, fate intervened and in July 2013 in a beautiful shady forest at Semper Fidelis Memorial Park in Quentico, Virginia we will honour the Reckless courage, spirit and determination. In doing so we will say a heartfelt thanks for the many lives she saved and the many men she inspired over 60 years ago.

For more information, visit the www.sgtreckless.com and like her page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/sgtreckless

Check out this video with a song about Reckless. A note from the producers of this video:

We would like to thank Cindy for including us in her blog and that we’re proud to be part of this tribute to a true war hero.

Sgt. Reckless where ever you are…may you always have green grass, a shady tree and cool water, you’ve earned it girl.

Thank you,
Randy Nagel, Sharon Anderson and Chas Williams

And this video depicts a graphic portrayal of her war experience.

Moifaa wasn’t the prettiest horse but he had a great temperament.

Ask almost anybody to name the world’s greatest steeplechase and most will say “The Grand National.” What is it about this four-mile four-furlong (two and a quarter mile) race that has captured the hearts, minds and imaginations of race enthusiasts since its inception in 1839 and remains the “one to win” in racing circles? Little known jockeys and horses have become overnight sensations, and sure winners have fallen – literally – by the wayside as the 30-jump race that attracts over 154,000 spectators is never a foregone conclusion. But fancy hats, celebrity watching, pomp and pageantry aside, bookmakers estimate that around £500 million ($777,880,000 CAD) will be wagered on Saturday April 6th at British racecourses with John Smith’s Grand National at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England accounting for the bulk of that.

The Grand National has seen more than its share of thrills, spills and stories so unreal that they are hard to fathom. One of the best loved stories in Grand National history deals with Moifaa, an ugly duckling who made headlines even before the race was run and eventually became a King’s favourite.

Would the Real Moifaa Please Stand Up?

The tale of Moifaa weaves truth and fiction into a sensational story that begins in New Zealand. Moifaa wasn’t a horse that attracted attention thanks to great looks. He was tall at 17 hands with a big head and some say his head and shoulders were like those on a camel. However, his ability to jump made him a winner in numerous races with his owner/jockey Alf Ellingham; together they won 11 of 16 races in his first season, including the prestigious “Great Northern” at Ellerslie in Auckland. A wealthy businessman, Spencer Gollan, bought the horse for his daughter when he saw how well the horse jumped paddock fences when Moifaa was startled by an earthquake. Initially the daughter refused to ride the, “ugly looking bloody thing,” but his pleasant temperament won her over.

Gollan’s friend, the Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VII) had won the Grand National with his horse Ambush II in 1900 and Gollan embarked on a similar quest by entering Moifaa in the 1904 Grand National. The next roadblock was getting the horse to England, a major undertaking in those days of steam ships and primitive equine shipping methods. The ship left New Zealand and almost got to Liverpool before a storm blew up in the Irish Sea. The captain, knowing that his ship was going down, opened Moifaa’s stall door and let him roam on the deck and later presumed him dead. A few days after, a fishing boat pulled into a remote island and found an exhausted horse at the water’s edge, loaded him on their boat and made for England. The story gained momentum as reporters all over the globe assumed that the horse was Moifaa, the horse who swam 50 miles to safety and later won the 1904 Grand National.

Aintree 1843 by William Tasker (1808 - 1852).

Now, for the truth. There were actually two ships that left for England at the same time both with horses aboard bound for the Grand National: Moifaa and two other horses in one ship and a second ship carrying two horses. Moifaa’s ship actually got to England safely, but the other ship, the S.S Thermopylae, struck a reef off Table Bay on the Cape of Good Hope on January 25th 1901. The ship was sinking but one crew member swam back and was able to free one horse before the ship went to its watery grave taking the second horse Kiora with it, or so he thought. However, Kiora was later found exhausted but alive and continued on his way to England and in 1904 he did run in the Grand National against Moifaa.

Moifaa didn’t shine in his first three races in England and his jockey for the Grand National, Ben Ellis, was passed over in favour of a journeyman jockey Arthur Birch. Moifaa was racing against Ambush II, King Edward VII’s horse and another popular horse Manifesto was making his final appearance at the age of 16. Moifaa was rated at 25/1.

The fences that year were bigger than normal but this was a bonus for Moifaa with his height and jumping ability. Inquisitor went down at the fifth fence and Birch gave Moifaa his head and they crashed through the fences leading to the finish. He was challenged at the infamous Becher’s Brook on their second time around by a horse called Detail who was just two lengths behind but he got tripped by a rider less Ambush. Moifaa streaked across the finish line eight lengths ahead.

The King was so impressed that he bought Moifaa and the next year the ugly duckling was set to race in the Royal colours. Race day dawned and all who mattered were there in the stands including the King with his “friend” Alice Keppel, great grandmother of Camilla Parker Bowles, (Prince Charles’s wife) as his arm candy. Sadly, even the favourites fall and Moifaa went down at Becher’s Brook on his second time around and never raced in the Grand National again as he had developed breathing issues.

This photo shows Moifaa at King Edward VII’s funeral in 1910 with the King’s favourite dog Caesar right behind. His collar read, “I am Caesar. I belong to the King.”

The King gave Moifaa to his friend Colonel Brocklehurst and Moifaa hunted for many seasons in Leicestershire. The King himself was an animal lover and his two favourites were not forgotten even after his death. At the King’s funeral in 1910, it was Moifaa who walked behind the gun carriage at the funeral with the King’s boots backwards in the stirrups and the saddle empty*. And, right behind Moifaa, walking with a Highlander soldier, was little Caesar, the King’s favourite dog who was placed ahead of dignitaries and heads of state including King George V and eight other Kings in the procession.

The Moifaa trail grows cold at this point, but it is presumed that he lived out the rest of his days nibbling the grass in his Leicestershire paddock, thinking of his home in New Zealand thousands of miles away, his Grand National win and the key part he played in a King’s funeral procession.

*The custom of the riderless horse is believed to date back to the time of Genghis Khan, when a horse was sacrificed to serve the fallen warrior in the next world. The caparisoned horse later came to symbolize a warrior who would ride no more.

Horse racing has come a long way since the 1500s when races were held in fields between two horses.

The four-day 2013 Cheltenham Festival from March 12-15 in Gloucestershire, England is almost at the starting wire and this major festival and racing event is a must go, must see fixture on many people’s calendars. And, whether people soak in the atmosphere, imbibe in a pint or three or enjoy the passing parade of two- and four-legged characters, the one sure thing is that betting will be a part of the day. Horse racing is considered the cornerstone of the British betting industry and major player Paddy Power’s 2013 Cheltenham Festival presence will be felt as punters bet at the track, call in, text in or click in their bets. How racing and betting have changed through the ages!

The Starting Post

Horse racing got its first leg up when English Knights returned from the Crusades with swift Arab horses. These horses were bred to English mares and the well-heeled British nobility wagered bets on these faster, lighter animals. Thanks to King James I, who ruled from 1567 to 1625, the then small town of Newmarket was established as the centre of organized horse races, which were often across open fields between two horses. Oliver Cromwell banned racing in 1654, but apparently saw fit to keep some racing horses at his own stables while, under Queen Anne, horse racing became a professional sport, race tracks were built all over England and the breeding, training and selling of race horses became profitable. The Jockey Club, the governing body that still exists today, was formed in the 1750.

Modern Innovations

Horse racing continued even throughout the dark days of WWI and WWII and the “photo finish” was a new innovation in 1947, as were starting stalls for flat races in 1965. With the advent of televisions in the ’50s and ’60s horse racing was there to be enjoyed by all and is now second only to football (known as soccer in North America) as the most widely televised sport in England. In 1961 betting away from the race tracks came into being and betting shops in the towns sprang up; today this form of off track betting has increased with online betting and cell phones. Today at many tracks, enthusiasts can watch and bet on simulcasts showing multiple races from tracks all over the country on t.v. screens.

Parimutuel betting comes from the French words Pari Mutuel and was invented by Joseph Oller in 1867. All bets are placed in a pool; the house ‘take’ and taxes are removed and then the payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool amongst the winners. At many tracks a tote board – short for totalisator –calculates and displays the bets already made. This type of betting is used for horse and dog racing, jai alai and any other events that are of short duration where participants finish in a ranked order.

The Totalisator, (also known as the “tote”) was invented by Australian Engineer George Julius to remove the large amount of human calculating required in the betting system. It was first used in Aukland, New Zealand in 1913 and then made its way to the USA in the 1920s.

Handicapping is the practice of predicting and quantifying the results of a horse race based on many factors including: has the horse raced well over the past few races; who is the jockey; what is the track condition; have they raced recently; have they been injured; are they using the same trainer. Hundreds of so called fail proof handicapping systems and books have been written over the years to help die hard betters try to get an edge over winning but there are always unforeseen circumstances that make these systems unreliable.

The Tic Tac Man…sadly this human phenomenon is going by the wayside thanks to modern betting methods.

The Mystery of the Tic Tac Men

Until about 10 years ago, when hand-held devices and cell phones came on the scene, Tic Tac men were the norm at English racecourses. Wearing white gloves for better visibility, these gents would pick their spot at the track, stand on a wooden crate or box by the rails and then, using verbal slang along with complex hand and arm movements, take bets and indicate odds to each other.

The language of Tic Tac is based on Cockney Rhyming Slang (CRS) and backslang, a form of phrase construction from the East End of London: a common word is replaced with a rhyming phrase of two or three words and then, in almost all cases, the secondary rhyming word is omitted. Here are some examples from Wikipedia: “telephone” is replaced by “dog” (= ‘dog-and-bone’); “wife” by “trouble”(= ‘trouble-and-strife’); “eyes” by “minces” (= ‘mince pies’).

In racing terminology there are many slang phrases including: Rock Cake – Tic Tac slang for a small bet;Kite – Tic Tac slang for a cheque and Knock – Tic Tac slang for to owe money and not pay up.

The hand and arm motions along with barely imperceptible twitches can takes months to learn so that they can be done smoothly and quickly. Tic Tac is a dying art with its own culture and history and while there Tic Tac men were the norm at horse or dog tracks years ago, now you might only find two or three.

Racing for Change

Racing for Change is a new initiative created by Racing Enterprises Ltd, the commercial arm of British horseracing. Their website Love the Races is aimed at the novice and infrequent racegoer who wants to “have a flutter” or bet and take in the atmosphere with some knowledge of what racing is all about.

One of the greatest challenges facing racing today in Britain is how to make it more appealing and less complex for the younger generation. With countless other high profile sports available that are easier to understand like football many see the winds of change as necessary even if slightly painful.

The modern age of technology has seen the Tic Tac men go by the wayside. Add to that is the difficulty in betting with fractions which are considered “outmoded and unfamiliar” to the younger generation who now deal in decimals. Finally, the use of old betting odds slang such as Bottle (2/1), Burlington Bertie (100/30), Cockle (10/1) and Double Carpet (33/1) may fall out of fashion and favour in an effort to have horse racing gallop into more modern times.

The Bilsdale Hunt is considered the oldest in England.

Writing about the History of Fox Hunting rounds out my trio of blogs which included the History of The Stirrup Cup and the History of The Hunt Breakfast. However, fox hunting is a topic that can get hackles rising so please note that this article neither condemns or condones fox hunting; it is simply a gallop through the ages from start to finish!

Since the time when man was an unattractive ape like and rather simple minded fellow, he has hunted game of all sorts to fend off starvation. By the Middle Ages, hunting became more than a quest for lunch or dinner and it began to take on the form of a pastime for the wealthy and the aristocrats who used it for social interaction and training for war.

As the centuries went by, man sharpened his skills and his weapons and eventually began using hounds and horses to help in his quest. England has long been associated with fox hunting and it was in Norfolk around 1534 where farmers organized their neighbours and friends along with any available dogs to chase the foxes who were killing their chickens, other small farm animals and leaving holes in their farmland. These hunts were rough and tumble affairs and were nothing like the hunts of today with their traditions, language, attire and customs. Imagine large, plodding draft horses pressed into service with their working bridles on and weather beaten farmers astride surrounded by an eclectic group of shaggy canines ranging from large guard dogs to diminutive ratters in a frenzied mass and that would pretty well sum up the first hunts.

Over 100 years later more formal and better trained canine packs were formed and The Bilsdale Hunt in England is often credited with being the oldest formed hunt started in 1668 by George Villiers, the then Duke of Buckinghamshire. George was apparently quite the Man about Town and the nursery rhyme: “Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie, kissed the girls and made them cry” refers, apparently to him!

“The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable”
~ Oscar Wilde in “A Woman of No Importance” 1893

Hugo Meynell (June 1735 – December 1808) has been called the father of modern fox hunting or The Primate of the Science. He became Master of Fox Hounds (MFH) for the Quorn Hunt in Leicestershire in 1753, so named after his home Quorn Hall in Quorndon in North Leicestershire. He continued as Master for forty-seven years and is credited with breeding new hounds with greater stamina and a better sense of scent.

The sport of deer hunting went into decline with 900 Inclosure Acts (also written in the modern form Enclosure) between 1750 and 1860. Open land was separated into fields and fenced for farming, forests were cut down, roads and canals split hunting country and the Industrial Revolution found many country folk moving into the cities looking for work. However, fox hunting continued to develop as the wealthy saw this as a sport not to be missed especially with time on their hands between doing little and doing nothing. They began to create social events around hunting and many wealthy landowners actually had their own packs for their private use.

Women in smaller numbers did enjoy hunting also and as one blog states, “if you were rich and could, you did.” Hunting was and is not for the faint of heart though, and many Victorian and Edwardian ladies showed up for the pre-hunt breakfast or stirrup cup only, preferring not to get dirty, sweaty and bedraggled by a three or four hour cross-country dash. The creation of the “leaping horn” on side saddles by either the French in 1790 or the British in about 1830 – take your pick – made jumping while out hunting much safer.

The Montreal Hunt Club house. This photo taken in 1886 is a composite; each horse and rider were photographed and placed individually.

In 1650, Englishman, Robert Brooke imported foxhounds to Maryland in the United States and Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax is credited with the first organized hunt for the benefit of a group as opposed to a private hunt in 1747. Apparently George Washington and Thomas Jefferson also owned their own packs of fox hounds and enjoyed the thrill of the chase. Washington often wrote about the hunts near the nation’s capital in his diaries and on one occasion when congress was in session, some congressmen jumped on their horses and joined in.

The earliest established foxhound club was the Montreal Hunt in Canada, 1826 and in the United States, the Piedmont Foxhounds were established in Virginia in 1840.

Hunting in North America has a slightly different flavour than hunting in England. In Lt. Col. Dennis J. Foster’s book, “Intro to Foxhunting” he explains that: “Through the years, North American foxhunting has developed its own distinct flavor that is noticeably different from British foxhunting. The most obvious difference is that in North America the emphasis is on the chase rather than the kill. In addition, a large number of hunts chase the coyote, rather than the fox. The coyote population has increased by large numbers throughout the United States and Canada. It is bigger, stronger and faster than a fox. In Britain the goal is to kill the fox. Because there is no rabies in the British Isles, the fox population is extremely high and fox are considered vermin.”

Fox hunting has been a controversial sport for decades. It was banned in Scotland in 2002 and in England and Wales in November 2004 with the law enforced from February 2005. Hunts these days are permitted to “drag hunt” whereby hounds follow a scent laid just before the hunt. Fox hunting with hounds is practiced in countries including Australia, Canada, France, India, Ireland, Italy, and Russia whereas the Burns Inquiry in England reported that fox hunting was “not practiced or is largely banned” in Spain, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

An Edwardian hunt breakfast with The Montreal Hunt. Photo courtesy of Notman and Son

The English hunt and American hunt breakfast are as much a part of riding to hounds as the stirrup cup.

In days of olde, around 1890, gents of the leisure class in England spent their days fishing, hunting birds on shoots and, of course, hunting. A long day spent topside a horse called for solid sustenance and the English country breakfast was usually taken with a plethora of weekend county house guests who came for the food, entertainment and of course good sport. The ladies, unless they hunted, stayed in bed and had their breakfast brought to them by a maid. The gents gathered in the dining room and enjoyed tables and sideboards groaning with such things as broiled kidneys, pulled fowl, sheep’s tongues, potted pigeons, hams, woodcocks and thrushes. Not quite what we are used to eating today.

From American Jessup Whitehead’s book “The Steward’s Handbook and Guide to Party Catering” (1889), we find this description of how a pre-hunt table and room of that era was decorated for a hunting party for an attending prince:

“The table would be covered in a white table cloth and antique silver jardinières or bowls were filled with hyacinths, tulips, wood violets, snowdrops, etc., in mosaic patterns; whilst hanging baskets graced the windows, filled with the spiritulle cyclamen light foliage, interspersed with yellow and red flowers, that gave the grand old oak hall a splendid appearance.”

Fast forward now to the days of Downton Abbey in the Edwardian era, which started from Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, went until 1919 and was so named after her son Edward VII. With the Edwardian era came marked change in British society however, all the upper class perks were not lost although many of the country estates held weekend get-togethers with a slightly diminished staff after WW I.

Women never look so well as when one comes in wet and dirty from hunting.
-Mr. Sponges Sporting Tour (1853)

The weekend guests who were setting off for a day of hunting fortified themselves with fruit cake or a “hand cake” and port. Those who arrived from outlying estates would be served food and drink on the lawn by the staff and they too would enjoy the easy to handle and eat fruit cake and a glass of port or sherry. One drink that was very popular and is now known as The Wimbledon drink, was a Pimm’s Cup which originated in the 1800s at an oyster bar in London’s financial district by bartender James Pimm. (See recipe below).

Now we gallop onto more modern times. One photo I found circa 1960 shows how a table might be set for a small hunt group before setting out. The table is antique and old as is the silver and the centerpiece features a tall silver trophy with snaffles and stirrups artfully arranged around the base. The sideboard shines with mint julep cups, there are old hunting prints on the walls and more silver trophies on stands are in front of the long windows. There are small individual crystal decanters dotting the table and the stemware, silver flatware and equine motif china offer a warm welcome to the guests.

Members of The Tennessee Valley Hunt enjoy a hunt breakfast. Courtesy of Gretchen Pelham, MFH.

In today’s world a hunt breakfast is usually considered something to enjoy after the hunt. ..the dine after the dash. There is nothing nicer than a get together with friends after exhilarating gallops across fields and meadows interspersed with jumps and ditches as hounds give tongue. The shadows are lengthening, the horses are safely tucked into their stalls and the pleasure of the hunt breakfast is still ahead. The host and hostess have put their best feet forward and while the menu may vary from week to week, in this day and age one might find scrambled eggs, home fried potatoes, chile, baked glazed ham , French toast and chicken and mushroom crepes on the tables. Oh, and spirits of course to ward off the impending aches and pains.

For the flower décor, this is the time to forget about tiny posies and delicate arrangements. Bring on the old silver trophies and earthy toned vases and fill them with the colours and textures of the meadows and fields: Cascades of vines, thin branches of red, orange and yellow maple leaves and the plumes from ornamental grasses will bring the outdoors in, or if you are lucky enough to be breakfasting al fresco, they will blend in with the rampant fall colours.

However, while the menu, table settings and décor may have changed over the years, the topics of conversation will probably never change: Some talk about the bravery and honesty of their hunters, others wax poetic about the thrill and exhilaration of seeing hounds spread out across a fall meadow while others admit that a near miss was averted, last second, thanks to a timely grab at a hunk of mane. And, the best part is that next week, riders, horses and hounds can do it all again!

How to Make a Pimm’s Cup
• 1 1/4 ounces Pimm’s Gin No. 1 Cup
• 3 ounces lemonade
• 7UP
• Cucumber slice

Fill a tall, 12-ounce glass with ice and add gin and lemonade. Top with 7UP and garnish with a slice of cucumber.

Heywood Hardy’s painting The Stirrup Cup.

For those who have ever participated in a hunt, one of the initial pleasures of riding through the autumn colours in the brisk fall air is the stirrup cup served before moving off….the delicious bravery from a bottle or liquid courage, usually port or sherry.

While today horse people think of stirrup cups as something to enjoy before a hunt, in days gone by they also referred to a drink given to guests when they were leaving a home and had their feet in the stirrups and/or a drink given to guests at the door. And, while they refer to the partaking of a drink, they also refer to the vessel that the drink is in.

Early stirrup cups were actually wine glasses with glass balls on the bottom to be carried on a board with holes.

While the origins of stirrup cups are not definite, they are traditionally tied in with the advent of fox hunts in England, but have also been manufactured in America, Europe and as far away as South America where the gauchos or cowboys keep the tradition alive and well.

Centuries ago – between 1670 and 1760 – riders were handed “dram cups” or “tot cups”, small two inch silver handled bowls with feet on the bottom. The difference between these “stirrup cups” and ones that came later is that the later versions did not have feet. They were handed to riders who drank them quickly and then handed them back to the servers who carried them on a board or tray with holes cut out to accommodate the footless cups. They are very rare today and include a thick stem with glass ball at the bottom presumably to help keep the glassware straight.

In The Stirrup Cup book by Jt. MFH Bull Run Hunt, Grosvenor Merle-Smith states that in Anya Seton’s book Katherine the custom happens often before English nobility and royalty leave on travels abroad or on progresses or trips around the countryside. In G.G. Coulson’s book Chaucer and his England, the practice is mentioned in relation to the Canterbury pilgrims setting out.

The Scots were also thoughtful hosts and asked their guests to tarry for a farewell drink called a “dochan dorius” which comes from Scottish Gaelic “deoch an dorais” which means “drink at the door.”

Silver stirrup cups were often ornate and beautifully decorated. This Sterling Silver example made in 1771 is engraved with ‘Success to the Telcotts Hunt and to the death of the Next’. Telcott lies on the North Cornwall/Devon border.”

Over time, the glass “cups” gave way to ornate and beautifully detailed silver versions and those in good condition can fetch prices at auctions in the five figure mark. While silver was favoured for years and often included engraved mottoes from the hunt, Staffordshire porcelain and ceramic examples of stirrup cups can be found and date back to 1770 with inscriptions often found around the base.

The silver versions – frequently fox or hound heads were often created in two pieces and then soldered together. There are, however, fine examples of stirrup cups that were made in different forms such as women in long skirts, horse heads, boars and even rabbits and mules. The snout and ears of the animals were often created so that the vessel could stand upright and in doing so became a fine table or mantle decoration. More modern versions of stirrup cups are now created in pewter and silver plate and are often used as jiggers.

This Staffordshire pottery fox head stirrup cup dates to the Edwardian Era. Circa 1910.

Jeni Sandberg, antique appraiser claims that: “fanciful, grinning human heads can also be found, evoking the boozy high spirits of Bacchus and his Satyrs. Political and erotic motifs were created too – no subject was off limits.”

So, all this talk of stirrup cups begs the question: Does the port or sherry enjoyed before the hunt help to make one braver or simply lessen the discomfort in case of an unscheduled dismount?

In my next blog we’ll take a look at Hunt Breakfasts through the ages… the dining after the dash!

The State Coach Britannia, a time capsule on wheels.

To say that Australian born Jim Frecklington OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) is a creative and innovative master coach builder and ardent monarchist is an understatement. As a former Windsor Castle employee who looked after Prince Philip’s four-in-hand team and later as a ceremonial carriage driver at the Royal Mews in London, he knows a thing or two about royal protocol, pomp, pageantry, horses, coaches and carriages. In 1977 he was invited to manage the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Exhibition in Australia which included her Glass Coach followed by assisting in the 1981 wedding procession for Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer. So how does one top that list of achievements?

In 1986 Frecklington, with the go-ahead from Her Majesty and financial support from the Australian Government, designed and built the magnificent Australian State Coach that was given to The Queen in 1988 as Australia’s Bi-centennial gift to her. Today this coach is housed at The Royal Mews and is used on important state occasions.

After the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Frecklington had the nugget of an idea for an even greater project in mind. Fast forward to 2010 and Frecklington’s State Coach Britannia has been completed after years of work. It weighs in at 2.75 tons and is 18 feet long (5.5.m) and is 11 feet high (3.4m). It has electronic stabilizers, air conditioning, heating and power windows. However, what sets this creation apart is what is inside; it is a veritable time capsule on wheels and incorporates new age technology with over one hundred items and pieces of history drawn from hundreds of locations and from countless writers, explorers, scientists and inventors including: The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, The Palace of Westminster, 10 Downing Street, Balmoral Castle, Blenheim Palace, Canterbury Cathedral, Hampton Court, Holyrood Palace and Kensington Palace.

Items and/or segments have also been taken from the Battle of Hastings, the ill fated Franklin expedition, the Mayflower, the former RMY Britannia, a Battle of Britain Spitfire and Hurricane, a “Dambusters” Lancaster, part of a musketball from Waterloo, a sliver of Newton’s apple tree, as well as segments related to famous scientists, explorers and writers such as Charles Darwin, Edward Jenner, Scott, Shackleton, Hillary and Shakespeare.

The crowning glory: hand carved and covered in gold.

These items have their own pride of place and have been placed in handmade yew and ebony cases that contain 60 small gold-plated canisters with the Queen’s monogram inlaid in mother-of-pearl that is under the seats.

The design details on this coach are staggering.

• The gilded Imperial Crown that sits on top of the coach was hand carved by a master wood sculptor with wood that came from Lord Nelson’s ship HMS Victory. However, despite its historic past the crown features small media cameras inside to bring together past and present.
• The four exterior lamps were spun in brass, adorned with the Imperial Crown and then plated with 22-carat gold. The glass is actually hand blown crystal panels.
• The interior is lined and upholstered with 20 metres of the finest pale gold silk brocade woven in England.
• The door handles are inlaid with 24 diamonds and 130 sapphires.
• The coach is covered with 9.35 sq metres (208 sq ft) of gold leaf.

Now, there’s a catch to all this. Frecklington spent eight years on his labour of love and planned to give it to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on her 80th birthday. That occurred in 2006 and until June of this year she still hadn’t seen her golden pumpkin. It seems that the former Howard government in Australia gave Frecklington $245,000 to assist with the project. In March of this year Frecklington sent a two page letter to the present Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard asking for an additional amount “in the vicinity of 5 million.” He also added that, “Eight years of sourcing and collecting the many different historical materials to enhance the historical significance of the coach must also be considered in the final costing.”

Inside: Heating, air conditioning and stabilized!

The coach was originally intended to be a gift from him personally to The Queen. Later, no doubt due to the huge cost increase, it appears he felt that that it should be funded and given to her by the Commonwealth of Australia as recognition of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. “Nay!” says the Australian Parliament, “the coach was a private initiative and any unresolved matters should be resolved between you and Buckingham Palace.”

In Frecklington’s mind, he was given the go-ahead by Buckingham Palace and says that Prince Philip even made recommendations. “Not so,” says press secretary for the Queen adding we have “previously stated that the palace did not commission the carriage.”

Wikipedia tells us that: “Although completed in 2010, as of June 2012 the coach had still not been shipped to London.” So, the golden coach trail appeared dead but by Googling deeper and deeper I finally found a happy ending to this saga. In June of this year Logistics company DSV Australia confirmed it was planning to transport the State Coach Britannia and was awaiting approvals from Buckingham Palace to proceed; in July the splendid coach finally reached England.

Attempts had been made to recoup the cost of building the carriage and sponsors were sought to reimburse all those involved. Today the State Coach Britannia is housed at the Royal Mews so the next time you are in England having tea with HRH, dash over and take a peak at this magnificent coach. It truly is a time capsule on golden wheels!

Entrance to the Royal Mews.

If you were reincarnated as a horse you would want to find yourself living in the Royal Mews, England`s most famous and luxurious stables at Buckingham Palace. Interestingly enough the Royal Mews did not originally house horses; King Richard II established the Mews in 1377 near Charing Cross to house his hunting hawks during moulting (or mew) time. Sadly the building burnt in 1534 (some historians say 1537) and was rebuilt as stabling for horses while keeping its former name by the infamous King Henry VIII.

In 1762 George III bought Buckingham Palace and installed stables there in addition to those at Charing Cross. He also built an indoor arena and changed the name to the Royal Mews Pimlico. In 1820 George IV succeeded his father as King and began to change Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews into a home fit for a King and the King’s horses. John Nash the famous architect came on board and he is credited with changing both the palace and the Mews. Nash built lovely stables around the existing riding school and had a Doric arch placed at the entrance to the central Mews quadrangle. The main coach house was on the east side and two sets of stables to house 54 horses were built on the west side. The upper Mews were added at the north end of the quadrangle where the Master of the Horse and his assistance were housed.

The Royal Mews were completed in 1825 and throughout the ages future Kings and Queens have made their own changes to keep up with the times.

Queen Victoria was the first Monarch to use Buckingham palace as both official residence and home and her beloved Prince Albert added a new forge and sheds in which a cow was stabled. She also established a school for the children of the Royal Mews servants in 1855 and this school continued for 20 years. All nine of her children learned to ride at the Mews in the school lined with pilasters and pediments.

Stalls inside the Royal Mews.

A Peek Inside

Commoners are able to enjoy a tour of the Royal Mews and see the splendour of the stables which can house 70 horses today along with a carriage repair shop and the forge. Many of the horses in residence are the famous Windsor Greys along with the Cleveland Bays, the rich chocolate brown horses used for pulling coaches when commissioners and ambassadors come to pay a visit to the Queen to present their credentials to her. If the coach is carrying an ambassador the coachman drives the coach from a box on top. If the guest is a high commissioner, then a postillion is used – that is a rider who actually sits on a horse.

Apparently Queen Victoria hated the idea of cars in the Mews and said to the Duke of Portland, her Master of the Horse, “I hope you will never allow any of these horrible machines to be used in my stables.”

Today, stabled near the bays in the Mews are the Queen’s two Bentleys and three Rolls Royces with their own fuel pump close by. But, besides modern conveyances, the Mews also houses one of the world’s best collections of carriages and coaches: broughams, clarences, phaetons and a miniature donkey barouche restored in 1962 for Price Andrew as a young child. There is also a sleigh in the collection that was given to the Queen as a gift from Canada and this has been used at the Queen`s Scottish castle Balmoral. These days it is decorated and, with small wheels attached, is driven by Santa Claus to the Queen`s annual children`s party in the Mews.

The most famous coach in the collection is the 1762 Gold State Coach, the huge gold coach that is used for the most prestigious occasions. Built in 1762, the Gold State Coach has been used at every Coronation since George IV including the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 when it was equipped with lighting so that the Queen appeared to be sitting in sunshine to the people on the street. The interior was decorated with crimson satin and a special stand was built to carry the incredibly heavy royal orb and sceptre giving onlookers the impression that the Queen was actually holding these as she went past. Finally, because of the cold temperatures on that summer day in 1953, a copper hot water bottle was also squeezed under the floorboards.

The incredible Gold State Coach.

The Gold State Coach weighs for tonnes and it never goes faster than a walking pace. The eight horses who pull it have to undergo a fitness regime which includes pulling an empty carriage with rubber tires. Bags of sand are added over time until the weight is at the four – tonne level of the coach.

Most horses living and working at the Mews are broken to harness there and they undergo a rigorous training period. They are distracted by coloured flags, balloons, sudden noises, shots, clapping and all manner of unforeseen activity. They even have to get accustomed to soldiers fainting in front of them in the hot summer weather during official functions.

Many of the Mews staff actually live there with their families and one reporter noticed a jumble of children’s bikes in one corner of the otherwise spic and span stable. The Mews has been compared to a village and Prince Charles says: “The Royal mews is a village in the fullest sense; a close community of people both live and work there, and it has it own economy, founded on traditional skills which are still practiced today, as they have been for centuries. ”

Did you know?

The Royal Mews is a working department of the Royal Household and the Mews is responsible for all royal road travel whether by car or horse drawn carriage.

100,000 people come to visit the Royal Mews annually.

A day at the stables kicks off at 6 am or 5 am. Mucking out and brushing is done before the stable lads have thirty minutes for breakfast. At 8:30 the horses are exercised with their carriages and this is followed by harness cleaning, a rigorous process that includes Belvoir Leather Balsam, soda crystals and an Oral B toothbrush for those tough to-get-at places.