Trooping the colour. I have horse questions.

[Tock]

I have no hose knowledge aside from what I have learned from Jilly Cooper.

why do they nod their heads up and down so violently?

how do you ride with no hands like the band?

do they get to choose the colour of their horse? I’d like a grey one but there aren’t many of those.

what happens if they are really bad? Is there an understudy?

My only horse knowledge comes from Enid Blyton and the colic thing in Malory Towers

I know nothing about horses either but I'm sitting here amazed at how beautiful they are. I like how the humans are perfectly choreographed but each horse is moving their heads differently and it gives the whole thing a bit of personality. I hope they're well cared for. I guess it must be a good life for a horse?

If I understand correctly the preferred colour is dark so brown or black !

The riders not using their hands have reins tied to their stirrups

horses toss their heads up and down for all sorts of reasons- sometimes to get rid of flies , sometimes it shows irritation and sometimes they just fidget!!

the horses are trained to accept all sorts of noises and crowds but as we’ve already seen today nothing can really prepare them for the sights and sounds they walk out to!! A generally calm demeanour is required though 😁😁

I wouldn't like to have been in the carriages at the start when one of the horses was kicking off

The head nodding is usually discomfort of some sort - as well-trained and schooled and desensitised at they may be, there is still an inherent behaviour/instinct that may seep through that has it's roots in the flight reactions of a prey animal. Could be their (very restrained) response to the tack, other equipment, the environment, even the other horse(s) alongside..... If there are flies or insects around, they will shake their heads or twitch a muscle (very clever) to get rid of it.

Riding with no hands - you might see that the reins are possibly otherwise attached, maybe to the saddle or a martingale or breastplate; and the horse is - again, within the strict training - controlled by the legs, seat, weight movement, and possibly voice of the rider. They will be trained so well that they are unlikely to have a "bad day" (but are of course, animals with a mind of their own and unexpected events can occur) - but feel sure there are many back-ups who can be brought in for the day in case of lameness or another illness on The Day.

I don't suppose that the riders can actually choose the colour of their mount - but there will no doubt be some decision made by the higher-ups. Greys do stand out more, and are rarer, especially in the breeds used for this work. And big coloured heavy horses for the band stand out even more. Greys are however, the BEST (I had one for more than half of his very long life); I have never known a bad one 💞

That is as much as I can tell you (might have gone on a bit....) - but am sure others may know more than I do. But your questions are great and it is good that you are interested (Jilly Cooper may know her stuff but the horses and horsey world were just a backdrop to the REAL rolling in the hay 😊)

I’m too old and fat now but I think I’d quite like to be horsey.

I only watch for the horses, they are so beautiful. The greys are my favourite too.

The horses with the drums are stunning

The horses with the drums are stunning

They are not barriers 😍Although weight is sometimes an issue for riding, doesn't stop you from being "horsey". And it can help you with physical/mental well-being.
To paraphrase, I think, Ronald Reagan;
"There's nothing as good for the inside of a man, as the outside of a horse" 🐎

They're beautiful aren't they. I'm deathly allergic to horses, I love them though (from a safe distance!). I cant imagine how you organise something like this, to get everyone dressed, all the horses prepped and lined up in order then getting on them and controlling them like that. It's incredible really.

The drummers riders have the reins attached to their feet.

Cavalry horses are always black. Different ranks or roles have different colours. Eg drummers are always coloured (patchy). Grey horses aren’t more rare.

They throw their heads up and down because of flies, to make their ropes flick like a game, because they’re bored, because they fancy moving their head etc. It’s nothing sinister or unhappy.

They’re highly trained so they rarely play up.

When the Queen used to ride in the ToC, she always rode her own horse. Her favourite was Burmese, she rode him for years and I think he was a gift from the Canadian Mounties or something.

When the Queen rides now, she usually rides a Fell pony that she bred, called Emma.

20 years ago I did my work experience with the band of the Irish guards, and we visited the horses at Windsor.

They learn to ride with no hands, including jumping. Part of the test was taking your jacket off while going over jumps.

Burmese was a mare. Beautiful horse. Coped with being shot at one year!

Why did many of the horses have white cords reins as well as regular leather ones?

@Aroundtheworldin80moves , back in the olden days, mounted police had to do something similar, and also had to take their saddles off while riding at pace!!

I love watching Trooping The Colour, especially the drum horses and the Blues and Royals at quick march (probably because I am an utter child and like the silly words to the Keel Row!).

They are cavalry horses. The white ropes are picket ropes, to allow the horses to be tied up safely in the horses lines when the troops would camp for the night.

I hope they're well cared for. I guess it must be a good life for a horse?

I wouldn't consider it to be a good life for a horse personally. Spending so much time with a rider on your back, in training, in stalls, waiting around. They're well looked after in some respects but I doubt that it's how many horses would choose to spend their time if they could. Are they turned out often I wonder? It seems that they have relatively little time to behave as horses naturally do without being treated like playthings for humans.

Also unrelated to the horses but it's barbaric that they still use bearskin hats.

Don't they get something akin to workers rights including a two week seaside holiday?

Agree SpudsDorBreakfast I'm uncomfortable with any animal being used as entertainment, zoo's included.

I think it may also be in case reins snapped or were cut in battle (or by someone in a ceremonial scenario who wants to cause issues) so the rider still has control as the rope is harder to cut through. Though I might be wrong and have imagined that.

They're stunning though and a testament to the nature of the horse, all that noise and atmosphere and they trust their training and rider and don't obey their instincts. Horses are amazing.

You can get involved with horses in so many other ways than just riding @Tock they're such wonderful creatures to be around, and you don't need to be well off either, you could volunteer at an RDA centre or local shelter?

Trumpeters get the grey horses apparently. In general grey horses are particularly keen on using their poo as a pillow and being as brown /green as possible. Other than the drum horses (generally considered the most senior horses) who have their own staff, the horses are groomed by their rider - so if you have a grey you're up a lot earlier for this kind of parade than if you have a bay or black!

Was he!? 😱 always been a gelding in my head! Sorry Burmese 😂😂

I'd love to learn riding. I was once bunged on a trekking pony as a child and had the time of my life holding on while the pony did its thing - never had the chance/funds to learn how to ride, though.