Every year the Household Cavalry holidays in Norfolk, my home county. The annual paddle in the sea at Holkham is a press favourite, but not so many people know about the show they hold in Thetford. I went for the first time last Saturday with Mum and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, even if we were too tuckered to stay for the musical ride at the end. Imagine the world’s friendliest gymkhana – not a Pony Club mother in sight – and you will get the spirit of it.
There was showjumping, tentpegging, a lively sidesaddle display from the Flying Foxes (who made one of the soldiers try life aside – cue wolf whistles and a royal wave from the gentleman in question) and a chance to meet the gee-gees. Big bags of carrots were for sale and members of the public were encouraged to wander round the stables, stuffing treats into the horses. It must be hell for the grooms on Monday, but boy was it fun for us and the blacks, the greys and the giant roan drum horses.
We met Merlin (in the video he’s Mercury) and I’ve included photos of his saddle hangings, which list all the battles in which the regiment has been engaged. Note that Merlin is a bona fide drum horse, ie he carries drums for the British Army. Recently some enterprising folk in America have decided to breed and sell “Royal Drum Horses” and I wish the Queen would sue the pants off them. I also wish more shows recruited tentpeggers – the thrill of seeing three horses line up abreast and charge as their riders angled lances or swords for the narrow peg was quite something. I fell in love with a doughty and rangey “cavalry black” called Dreadnought, who won both the showjumping competitions. Bags Dreadnought when he retires.
I never knew this show existed! I need to take my 2 to see it!
Thank you for enlightening me!
Came across your blog by chance. How lovely to read about your day out. I was intending to go along with my family this year but sadly we weren’t able to make it. Was so upset. Reading your post & seeing the photos has made me more determined to clear the diary next year & make sure we go! Elaine
Do go – lovely, fun atmosphere. Plus they had the good sense to choose a bit of ground that was chalk, so there wasn’t much mud to deal with.
One really lovely feature – they brought a selection of different horses from musicians’ horses to sport horses to drum horses into the ring, introduced them and then invited everyone to crowd around them, stroke them and ask their riders questions.
Hi, can someone contact me as I am trying to set up a Drum Horse in Western Australia (10th ALH reactment), I need some photos or other drawings etc for the harness to mount on saddle, cheers Allan
Allan, the Household Cavalry have Facebook and Twitter accounts which are very active – they answer queries promptly.