Chatsworth Country Fair 2011
Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th September
The Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry
Grand Ring
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment comprises The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals, two of the oldest Regiments in the British Army. They date back to the 1600's and have been the Sovereign's personal bodyguard ever since. Every year the Regiment takes part in a number of state ceremonial occasions such as The Queen's Birthday Parade and the State Opening of Parliament, and also provides Escorts for state visits.
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment employs approximately 240 Cavalry Black horses, 14 Greys and 4 Drum horses. The Army Horse Purchasing Commission purchases the Black and Grey horses annually in Southern Ireland. Their breeding is normally ¾ Irish Draught and ¼ Thoroughbred, ideally standing over 16:2 hands in height with plenty of bone and substance. This is necessary when one considers that the weight of soldiers in state kit and the horse furniture is nearly 20 stone.
The Musical Ride consists of 28 horses and 36 soldiers. Captain Anton Lin of The Blues and Royals commands the Ride. Captain Mark Avison of the Life Guards is the Riding Master, and is responsible for the equitation training of the Regiment and he consequently trains and choreographs the Ride. The Corporal of Horse is responsible for the day to day running of the Ride and its administration.
The Musical Ride is viewed by the forces to be the pinnacle of military equitation. The Ride demonstrates its skills by performing a series of routines during the display.
Members of the ride receive 4 weeks training prior to their first show of the season and this training is continued throughout the year. The majority of the soldiers have been in the army for less than 2 years and have all reached the level of excellence required by the Riding Master to perform on the Ride.
The full ride on display is made up of the Musical Ride Officer, the Drum Horse, four trumpeters, four rough riders and sixteen outriders.
The Musical Ride Officer leads on the display, closely followed by the Drum Horse, a Clydesdale or Shire breed, which naturally has a remarkable presence. Their coats are piebald, skewbald or roan. They stand a minimum of 17 hands and weigh approximately 800 kg. Their shoes are always hand forged and require 16 to 19 inches of metal. They remain unclipped and their feathers, manes and tails untrimmed unless by order of Her Majesty The Queen. The silver drums that they carry on parade weigh 56 kgs each.
The Drum Horse is accompanied by four trumpeters and they play a fanfare at the start and end of the display. Stablemen, commonly known as Rough Riders in the yard, ride the lay down horses. Historically the tactic of laying down one’s horse emerged when scouts could move fast into enemy territory and then “disappear” in the long grass when they laid their horses down. They would also use their horses as a firing post, in an emergency, as they would offer some cover from fire.
The Outriders are the largest and the core element of the display. They perform with speed and finesse the manoeuvres that require such military precision, and carry one of their traditional weapons, the 12 foot lance.
We are delighted to welcome the Musical Ride back to Chatsworth.