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MUSIC: Flight Of The Valkyries
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In this programme, I'm going to learn how to ride.
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In fact, better than that,
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we are going to learn how to dance together.
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Aren't we?
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'Now, before you think I've gone completely mad,
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'let me tell you that dancing on horseback - horse ballet or
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'manege, as it was called - was once the noblest of pursuits.'
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In the 17th century, it was practised by noblemen,
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courtiers and kings to show off their status and majesty.
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So, I'm going to be taught this forgotten art
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by its modern masters...
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Travel abroad to watch spectacular shows...
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Explore its military origins...
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And discover its surprising legacy.
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Because I believe that an equestrian extravaganza like this one
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can help explain why, throughout history, kings and queens
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and horses have gone together.
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"My kingdom for a horse," as Richard III said.
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Even today Her Majesty the Queen is in the saddle in her 80s.
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And princes play polo and princesses perform the art of dressage
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at Olympic levels.
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It seems that the kingdom and the horse will never be parted.
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LIVELY ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
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Now, before I jump into the saddle, I'm taking a trip to
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Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, where I had my very first
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job as a young curator, because this was the place where
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I originally became fascinated by the royal art
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of making horses dance.
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I got so interested in the subject, I spent four years
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writing a PhD thesis about it.
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Bolsover, this picturesque little fairytale castle,
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was built in the first half of the 17th century, every bit of it
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reflecting the ambitions and passions of its owner,
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William Cavendish.
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Cavendish had a pretty successful career as a social climber.
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He started out as a simple sir, and then he went right up through
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the ranks of the aristocracy and he ended up as a duke.
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But in many ways, he was a regrettable person,
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he was a womaniser, he was a spendthrift,
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and he was something of a snob.
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But I've always had a certain weakness for him,
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and that's because of his charm and his creativity.
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He was interested in poetry and music and architecture.
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In fact, I'd go so far as to say I'm rather fond of him.
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Bolsover was William Cavendish's pride and joy.
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Even his chosen title as Duke of Newcastle
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was a play on his delight in this, his new castle.
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And it was here that he courted and won favour with the King, Charles I,
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creating this spectacular range of buildings for a single royal visit.
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And he spent a lot of time here practising a rather unusual
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horsey hobby.
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Of all the buildings at Bolsover Castle, I think that this
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is the most intriguing.
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This is the Riding House, which Cavendish built for his very
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weird hobby - teaching horses how to dance.
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This building isn't just a stable, it's a theatre.
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This is where William Cavendish's horses were taught to perform
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these amazing leaps and jumps, almost like doing ballet for horses.
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And that's why the floor is soft, for the horse's feet, the windows
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are elevated, so the horse can't look outside and get distracted.
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And this is a spectator sport, the gallery up there was
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for Cavendish's aristocratic chums to come
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and see the horses performing.
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He took this so seriously that he wrote a whole book
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about how to do it.
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Here he is in a picture at Bolsover Castle performing the capriole.
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That's pretty impressive, isn't it?
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And had we been here of a morning, we would have seen Cavendish
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training all of his horses for hours and hours against the walls,
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around these tall poles, showing off their moves.
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While this impressive building is no longer filled
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with horses performing their balletic moves on a daily basis,
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English Heritage do still put on equestrian spectacles,
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like those which displayed Cavendish's horsemanship skills.
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And over the next couple of months, it's my aim to saddle up,
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learn to ride and take part in a performance.
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Boots on.
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Here we go!
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GRUNTING
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Look at this.
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Isn't this lovely? Velvet.
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I think it goes a bit forwards, like that.
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Steady as you go.
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First day at school.
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Ooh!
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SHE LAUGHS
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Was that supposed to happen? I think that it was - you're smiling!
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SHE LAUGHS
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Oh! That was incredible!
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- You must be Ben.
- Hi.
- You've been slightly upstaged by your horse.
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THEY LAUGH
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- Well, that's the idea.
- That was fantastic.
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What's that called, when he falls over like that?
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This is... Well, exactly, it's a falling horse.
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- Is this what you're going to teach me, to fall off?
- Sadly not.
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This is rehearsing horses for film and TV,
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but what we're going to teach you is a bit more classical.
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Oh, OK. Well, I'd be very glad not to fall over.
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- But just as fun. He's happy enough.
- Is he happy down there?
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That's a happy noise he's making.
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- Yeah, what he wants to do is have a good roll.
- Oh!
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Good boy. As you see.
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SHE LAUGHS
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Is that what a happy horse does?
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- This is what a happy horse looks like.
- OK.
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Ooh!
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HORSE SNORTS
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- So, this is Mallick.
- Mallick.
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He's a four-year-old Andalusian stallion, and he is actually the son
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- of the horse you're going to ride.
- What colour's my horse going to be?
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- Is he going to be black, too?
- He's a beautiful white stallion.
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You can see the Spanish horses are all born dark colours.
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Mallick's a baby, and so he is black, but you can see he's going white.
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- Oh, is he going to go white?
- Around his eyes.
- Like his dad.
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And slowly he'll go as white as his dad.
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'In case you hadn't already guessed,
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'I have rather limited experience on a horse.'
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- Is this him?
- Yeah. This is Almonso.
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- Hello, Almonso.
- This is your horse.
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'In fact, I've only ever been in the saddle once before,
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'so it's going to be a bit of a challenge,
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'because the classical horse ballet that Ben's going to teach me -
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'or menage as it was known in the 17th century - was incredibly
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'skilled, relying on horses performing a series
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'of precisely controlled and disciplined moves
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'in complete harmony with their riders, like Cavendish,
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'who trained every morning for a lifetime to perfect the art.'
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OK. So, now you're putting your right hand to the back of the saddle.
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- Yeah.
- And that's it there. Bend this leg.
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- Up, like here, and put your knee in my hand.
- Can I?
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Put your knee in my hand. See, I'm going to hold you here,
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hold you there, and we're going to go one, two,
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- three, and I'm going to lift you as you jump...
- No way!
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One, two, three..
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SHE SQUEALS
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- Oh, OK. It worked!
- Perfect.
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- Wonderful.
- Look how high I am!
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So, what we're going to do now is, you need your pedal.
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- Ooh, ooh. Rough.
- How is it up there? Is the air colder?
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It's rather thrilling.
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SHE CHUCKLES
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Brilliant. So, let's push your balls of your toes in to there
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- and you're pushing the heel down.
- Am I supposed to be gripping
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- with my knees?
- No.
- No.
- Relax. So, that's a command, you see.
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- Is that why he's doing that?
- Yeah.
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- I didn't mean it, Almonso, sorry. Stop, stop.
- Good boy.
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- So, next were sorting your reins out.
- In there.
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- Elbows in.
- Elbows in.
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BEN LAUGHS
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- There we go.
- I like the way you're treating me like a horse.
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You just gave a little spank to my elbow, didn't you?
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- You saw it sticking out.
- Well, you keep popping your elbows out.
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LUCY LAUGHS
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They have to stay in. Right, are you ready?
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- What, to walk?
- Yeah.
- Yeah!
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You say to him, "walk on" and push and flex with the heel.
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- Walk on, please.
- That's it. So, squeeze me, squeeze.
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Let's take a left.
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- Now, left hand down.
- Left, please, Almonso.
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- Turning with your right - right hand.
- Right. Whoa, that was a good turn.
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OK, so push him on. Left hand down, start to turn him.
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- Right, please.
- Remember to turn with your shoulders.
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Push forward. So, push, push, push.
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Little squeeze on the heel, give him a kick. Turn your right hand down.
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- You're not on a motorbike, you're not dropping down in.
- Wow, we are as one.
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- As one, yeah. So, when you're ready.
- Off you go.
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Forward. Look with your shoulders. That's it.
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- Right hand down.
- Oh, sorry.
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Don't do anything that I don't tell you to.
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I'm sorry, I got carried away.
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'So bossy!
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'I can see it's going to take some time just to learn how to
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'stay on a horse, let alone get it to dance which, of course,
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'is why menage was once considered such an aristocratic pursuit.'
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It not only needed leisure time to practise, it also required money.
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Cavendish had to construct a wonderful riding house
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and purchase the specialised athletic horses with the strength to
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perform these amazing moves.
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His favourite grey steed, Le Superb, was so called
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because of his superbly enormous price, and because he was
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a Spanish stallion he also had to be shipped from the Continent.
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And just like elite sports today,
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menage came with its own expensive kit, some of which survives
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at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire.
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So, Ben, this is said to be the actual menage saddle
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of William Cavendish. That's amazing, isn't it?
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- His bottom sat just here.
- Exactly.
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You can see where the suede that covers the saddle,
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when worn away or when ridden in,
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it happens in modern saddles as well, you see, it turns to leather.
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- Turns a bit shiny.
- Turns shiny.
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And what we can see from this is how, you see,
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there's much more around the back of the saddle.
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- Is that because he was rearing up and doing manege?
- Exactly.
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All these manege moves are pushing you further back,
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and, as well, because we have this very forward leg sticking out
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in front of the rider position.
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So, this saddle is small, so you can sit back in it,
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- but you'll still be well forward on the horse.
- Exactly.
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Oh, OK. It's almost like the seat in a racing car, then, that's forcing
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the driver to sit down and back and low and to be
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- in a sort of fast position.
- Absolutely.
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That's exactly how this saddle is created.
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It looks to me like that's freakishly small,
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like you'd never get your leg through there. Is that right?
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Yeah, I think that Cavendish designed this saddle for that very purpose.
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So, it's so that that thin space is clamping the leg,
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it's holding the thigh to keep you positioned sitting up and sitting
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back with the leg forward, which was very much the style of the day.
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What Cavendish has done here, he's created the saddle that
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- doesn't allow you to ride in a bad position.
- It's a prison saddle.
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HE LAUGHS
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It's a corrective. It's a saddle that will help you teach yourself
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and also give the horse the best possible ride.
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I think I need one of these.
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I'm not saying anything.
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Owning a stable full of dancing horses,
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with their customised saddles and gear,
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reveals how passionate Cavendish was about this art.
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But his obsession wasn't just a personal whim,
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menage was an activity that was absolutely expected
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of a 17th century nobleman, and this began at the very top.
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Charles I was equally dedicated to the art.
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He even placed his son, the future Charles II,
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in Cavendish's tutelage so that he could learn from an expert.
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'To find out why they all invested so much in this
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'peculiar activity, I'm meeting Cavendish expert Elspeth Graham.'
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Elspeth, this whole business of menage is bonkers, isn't it?
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I mean, I don't believe he had a horse with wings, OK,
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he's making that up, but this is a real movement, he could do this.
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Not only are these real movements from the menage,
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which are very precisely shown, he's in the position giving
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what are called "the aids" to make the horse do that which is a real
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menage movement called the capriole, cos it looks like a goat jumping.
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- And they could really do this as well?
- And they could really do that.
237
00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,240
Though, normally, you would have a rider or someone on the ground.
238
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- Controlling them.
- Controlling them. Yes.
239
00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,120
Oh, wow, so it does have some roots in reality, this image?
240
00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,640
The thing about these is, they're absolutely real
241
00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:22,600
and they're very precise.
242
00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,200
The position that he's sitting in - or almost standing, actually -
243
00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:31,960
is exactly the position he would have used to create that movement.
244
00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,680
Why did Cavendish practise this art?
245
00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:37,840
He was passionate about horses,
246
00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:43,560
but it's also a very important skill for anybody at his level in society.
247
00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:47,600
- It's the thing that really made you a leader.
- A leader?
248
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:52,120
- It's as important as that in society?
- Absolutely.
249
00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:56,880
In fact, our modern word, "management", comes from the skills.
250
00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,960
- Of the menage?
- From the menage.
251
00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,520
- Oh, my goodness! So it is.
- It's from the Italian, manegiare.
252
00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,560
How can it be that prancing about on a horse wearing a silly hat
253
00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:09,880
represents management skills? What's the connection?
254
00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,600
Well, first of all, it is very skilled.
255
00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,400
I mean, to do something like this takes years
256
00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,080
and years of training and studying and practice.
257
00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,840
You also have to be in total harmony with the horse,
258
00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:27,520
just as a leader has to be completely focused on what they're doing
259
00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,520
and in harmony with the people he's leading.
260
00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:35,920
'I think I can see why the ability to perform menage moves with skill
261
00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:39,640
'and ease was an excellent way for a 17th century courtier to display
262
00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,680
'his self-control and confidence - two qualities that I hope Ben
263
00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,640
'will be able to teach me as my own lessons
264
00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,880
'progress towards my performance.'
265
00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:51,280
Whee!
266
00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,200
Up like a pro. Almost.
267
00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,120
What are we going to do today, Ben?
268
00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,920
So, today, we're moving on to the sort of the first real meaty
269
00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:03,480
bits of classical, more Cavendish's menage, more extravagant movements.
270
00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,520
- Well, if you think I can do it.
- I think you definitely can.
271
00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,040
I think I'll be all right, but it's a bit daunting.
272
00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,160
So, the first of them is the Spanish walk.
273
00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,560
What you're going to do is, you're going to rock gently
274
00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,640
from side to side, and contrary to popular belief, most people,
275
00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,520
when you watch, they think it's as the foot hits, the horse strikes out.
276
00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,640
Actually, for example, as the right leg comes in
277
00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,480
and the left leg comes out, the horse's left leg will come out,
278
00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,920
cos what you're doing is pushing the pressure to push him up and out.
279
00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,440
Do you understand?
280
00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:40,280
So, as this leg pushes in and this leg lifts out, this leg...
281
00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,720
HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
282
00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,680
- Will jump up.
- Aye.
283
00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:45,000
HE KISSES HIS TEETH
284
00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,080
Will come out.
285
00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,520
And it's also the first in the building blocks of our other,
286
00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,480
more extravagant, more balletic moves as well.
287
00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,160
So, we're going to see a bit of ballet from you, Almonso, today.
288
00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:00,400
Yeah, absolutely. He's a dancing, dancing pony. Walk on.
289
00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,200
- Just kick him.
- Walk on.
290
00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,720
That's it. I'm going to Spanish walk back with you this way,
291
00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,840
- so, left hand down.
- Left hand, please.
292
00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,600
Easy with your hands. Keep them in. Walk on.
293
00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:15,080
LUCY GASPS
294
00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,160
Look at me, I'm Spanish walking!
295
00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,160
- Good. Now, right hand down.
- Oh!
296
00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,600
Push him forward. Concentrate on your riding,
297
00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,280
don't get distracted by what you're doing.
298
00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,600
- That's it.
- Showing off there.
- Now push him on.
299
00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,840
- Now, I want you to ride back to the top and we'll start again.
- Right.
300
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:34,120
So, kick him on.
301
00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,560
Remember, you're going to rock gently.
302
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,200
Your rocking is going to ask him to elevate and collect out. So..
303
00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:50,960
- Good. And turn right.
- Oh, fantastic!
304
00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:55,400
See, I felt then like he was mirroring me with my big legs.
305
00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,200
Hoo! Giddy up! Giddy up. Come on.
306
00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,680
- Good, turn him round.
- Go, go.
307
00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,920
'Even if you're deeply impressed with my new riding skills,
308
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,720
'you might still be asking yourself whether all this was worth
309
00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,200
'the effort to show off your power and status.
310
00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,600
'After all, building the odd castle or two
311
00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,880
'ought to have done the trick.
312
00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:25,520
'But the answer lies way back earlier than Cavendish's time.'
313
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:28,720
I've returned to Britain's most famous Norman castle,
314
00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,880
the Tower of London, where I work as chief curator.
315
00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,720
It's no coincidence that the Tower's mastermind - William I -
316
00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,000
conquered the country with 1,000 cavalrymen.
317
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,360
His opponent, Harold, had fought on foot.
318
00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:46,240
And as for Richard III, we all know what happened
319
00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,760
to his kingdom when he lost his horse.
320
00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:53,520
In fact, throughout the medieval period, good horsemanship
321
00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:58,200
was so crucial to success on the battlefield that it became equally
322
00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:03,000
important in the pomp and ceremony of majesty in times of peace.
323
00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:09,840
Now, 100 years earlier,
324
00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,640
Henry VIII was also using horses and horsemanship
325
00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,400
as a really important part of his kingship.
326
00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:20,680
This really fabulous suit of armour wasn't made for the battlefield,
327
00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,160
it was made for sport, for jousting.
328
00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,000
You can tell it comes from early on in Henry's reign
329
00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,240
because he's still married to wife number one,
330
00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:32,920
Katherine of Aragon, hence the Hs and Ks that decorate it.
331
00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,960
I think the really special thing about it is the way that the
332
00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,960
man's armour and the horse's armour, they're sort of fused together,
333
00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,800
that's what gives this Robocop armoured car type impression.
334
00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,720
And I also really like the detail of that decoration.
335
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,920
Had there been a dull moment in the tournament,
336
00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:54,560
Henry could have read his armour like a comic book.
337
00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,920
At the front here I can see St George killing his dragon
338
00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:03,680
very decisively, he's completely skewered it with his spear.
339
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:05,640
But that's all in the detail.
340
00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:10,000
The overall impression then as now has to be,
341
00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,760
"Here comes the King."
342
00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,320
Jousting was an elite sport
343
00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:21,000
born out of battlefield tactics in the age when medieval knights
344
00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,280
in shining armour charged in to war.
345
00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:28,560
But tournaments weren't just for displaying testosterone,
346
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,960
they were central to the medieval idea of chivalry,
347
00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:37,080
the word itself coming from the French for horse - cheval.
348
00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,280
This is a jousting lance,
349
00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,760
as would have been used by Henry VIII and his courtiers.
350
00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,200
This particular one probably belonged to Henry's brother-in-law,
351
00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,960
the very good jouster Charles Brandon.
352
00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,320
You're wondering how on earth did he pick that up,
353
00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,400
it looks enormously heavy?
354
00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,600
The answer is it's actually hollow, this one was probably ceremonial.
355
00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,840
Your ability at jousting really determined your place
356
00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,840
in the pecking order at Henry VIII's court.
357
00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,800
It's very interesting to look at the scorecards from jousts.
358
00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,600
Charles Brandon, for example,
359
00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,720
beat absolutely everybody except for the King.
360
00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,120
Very diplomatic of him.
361
00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:20,280
You can also see the role of jousting in international diplomacy
362
00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:23,800
in this painting of the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
363
00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:29,440
This was a huge party held in a field outside Calais in 1520.
364
00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,600
It was called Cloth of Gold because
365
00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,600
that was the material used for these very luxurious tents.
366
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,680
The main people there were Henry VIII of England
367
00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,640
and Francis I of France.
368
00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,240
And what was the highlight of the whole thing? It was the jousting.
369
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:49,120
Look here, they've constructed a whole temporary jousting arena
370
00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:53,200
with places for the spectators, and they took so much trouble building
371
00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,960
this from scratch because of the importance of jousting to both men.
372
00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,720
It showed off their skills as horsemen
373
00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,640
and it implied their strength as leaders.
374
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,360
So, to find out what was involved in wearing Henry VIII's armour,
375
00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:11,240
I'm heading to the Royal Armoury's tilt yard
376
00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,480
or jousting arena in Leeds.
377
00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,440
OK. Let's assemble my right leg.
378
00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:19,760
Slide your toe in.
379
00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,320
Bring the greave round.
380
00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,880
- Please go on. You can do it.
- Done. We'll leave that for now
381
00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,040
and we'll come round and start doing some of these straps.
382
00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:35,600
- My inner thigh strap.
- Your inner thigh strap, yeah.
383
00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,240
We're getting to know each other quite well here, aren't we?
384
00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,760
I'm afraid it all does get very personal. And I shall behave.
385
00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,120
Point it off, tie it nice and tight.
386
00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:47,360
And the next thing, though, it would be more appropriate for you,
387
00:21:47,360 --> 00:21:49,440
is a skirt that's going to go on next.
388
00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,200
- A skirt?
- Yeah. But this time...
389
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,640
- Oh, I guess you're wearing a sort of mini skirt.
- Yeah.
390
00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,240
Right, so if you can daintily put one leg in. You can hold me as support.
391
00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:01,200
And then adjust your weight, try and get the other leg in.
392
00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,480
Now, here's the magic bit. Go on, you can do it. Go on.
393
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:10,400
One, two, three, done. OK. And then together. There we are. Slide it up.
394
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,840
And if you don't mind me I shall come and adjust you round the back.
395
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:15,440
Shove me in.
396
00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,120
The most important thing about it is that,
397
00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:21,040
yes, it might be comfortable, but it's got to protect you.
398
00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,520
And obviously having a metal skirt means slashing
399
00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:25,800
and cutting is not going to slice through that metal.
400
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,480
So, reasonably good protection.
401
00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,760
- It's nice and flexible.
- Good.
- Yeah. OK.
402
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,680
So, we've now got a skirt on,
403
00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,320
so you've got your manoeuvrability. You look...
404
00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,240
I love the way my feet are jointed
405
00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,200
and they bend in an almost creepy manner.
406
00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,520
- Well, they're supposed to be...
- I look like a robot.
407
00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,520
They're supposed to be something good.
408
00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,920
If you just count the number of separate plates on there.
409
00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,120
There's over 20 separate plates all riveting and sliding over each other
410
00:22:48,120 --> 00:22:51,600
to enable you to do everything that you need to do while in the armour.
411
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:56,720
- So, let's have my Tudor torso, please...
- Perfect.
- ..squire.
- Behave.
412
00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,280
Right, so we'll go with the breast and back.
413
00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,360
Are you tying it on again with string?
414
00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,040
Yeah, well, a combination of buckles and straps.
415
00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,200
- Ooh, I like this.
- Do you? Excellent.
416
00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,920
It's going to make it slightly easier to put it on you, then.
417
00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:10,680
Is it nonstick?
418
00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,360
I mean, one of the things about the armour, obviously,
419
00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:16,040
is that it's very bright. It's shiny.
420
00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:20,280
White armour sometimes it's known, and the reason for that is
421
00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,760
the whiter you make it, the smoother you make it,
422
00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:24,760
obviously, as weapons come along,
423
00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,640
they deflect or have a greater tendency to reflect
424
00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,120
rather than sort of bite.
425
00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:31,440
So, the next thing, you start putting the arms on.
426
00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,400
So, you're going to tie it on up there, are you?
427
00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,680
I am. Through there, through there, through there.
428
00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:37,080
And, again, obviously,
429
00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,280
these wax points come in handy, keeps it in place.
430
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,720
The last thing you want, certainly with armour,
431
00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,520
is it to start moving on its own. If this was to slip an inch...
432
00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,040
It could do you a nasty injury, couldn't it?
433
00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:51,120
It would do you a nasty injury, but also the armour locks up,
434
00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:55,400
and if it locks up and you're posing at 55mph in a joust
435
00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,840
and you can't get your lance down in time,
436
00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:01,680
you get the full force of His Majesty's lance in your face.
437
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:06,120
So, now you're four-fifths there and kind of ready to go.
438
00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:08,600
- My hat.
- Hat?
- Sorry.
439
00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,520
Ladies wear hats, men wear caps, berets or helmets.
440
00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:14,040
- We'll put it on. Are we ready?
- Yeah.
441
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,240
Slowly lower it down just above your brow. Strap it in.
442
00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,560
- And then the visor would come down.
- Oh, yes.
443
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,160
I would lock it in to place. And you'd be ready.
444
00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,000
Oh, yes, I am Robocop.
445
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,840
Now a medieval knight's armour
446
00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,320
obviously fitted rather better than mine.
447
00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,280
But even so, I find it pretty impressive that anyone could
448
00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:37,960
function at all clad in 90lbs of metal, let alone get on a horse.
449
00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:43,400
And with only a couple of lessons under my belt
450
00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,040
I'm rather relieved to leave the tournament unscathed.
451
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,600
You can see why Henry VIII and his chums enjoyed this extreme sport
452
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,960
to show off their manliness.
453
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,400
But a century later,
454
00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:59,040
jousting had almost completely died out and the courtiers
455
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,320
and the soldiers of the 17th century
456
00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,080
had lost their taste for heavy metal.
457
00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:08,240
I'm visiting the Royal Armoury's store room to find out why.
458
00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:13,080
Here we've got the last gasp of the medieval knight.
459
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,000
This is the heavy cavalryman.
460
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,360
But it's not as heavy as what I was wearing
461
00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:18,880
out in the tournament yard, is it?
462
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,880
I mean, there's less of it, he hasn't got the bottom part.
463
00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,600
No, you're right. They're all beginning to shed it.
464
00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,640
They're no longer wearing leg armour, they're just wearing boots.
465
00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,280
Yes, yes.
466
00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,000
They may well have gauntlets, but they've still got full protection,
467
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,840
but not as complete as what you were wearing.
468
00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,120
And is that because people now have guns
469
00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:41,000
and this won't save you from a gun?
470
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,640
They were proofed against guns.
471
00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,680
Oh, wow! So, this is actually bulletproof?
472
00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,680
- It's bulletproof.
- Oh, blimey, goodness.
473
00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,600
And why were they getting rid of armour then?
474
00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,800
The infantry is no longer drawn up in lines, they're in blocks,
475
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,680
and they're moving, so the cavalry is weaving its way round it.
476
00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,720
So, we need this weaving agile movement on a horse,
477
00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,760
and you need to have that expertise and skill.
478
00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,880
So, an ability to control and move a horse and turn it fast
479
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,920
is something completely new in battlefield tactics.
480
00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:17,680
They wouldn't have that at all in the Middle Ages, you just went forwards.
481
00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,520
So, it's like somebody's turned up the speedometer
482
00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:22,240
and battle is now a lot quicker.
483
00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:27,440
- Now, instead of strength and weight, you just want to be nippy?
- Yes.
484
00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,960
So, what would your up-to-date, flexible,
485
00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,120
nippy light cavalryman be wearing?
486
00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:36,160
Ah, he's wearing something really special.
487
00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,560
- Oh, not armour at all.
- Leather.
488
00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,840
That's not going to stop a bullet either though, is it? No.
489
00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,920
It will absorb some of the shock, but, no, that's why...
490
00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,480
Ah, you wear a little breastplate on the front.
491
00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,440
- Little breastplate.
- Oh, OK.
492
00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,160
So, he's still lightweight and mobile.
493
00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,320
The leather will protect against a sword cut.
494
00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:03,480
This is the bulletproof part of it and, of course, the helmet.
495
00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:05,960
He's wearing a little helmet on the top.
496
00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,440
So, our up-to-date 17th century cavalryman
497
00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,640
is wearing less gear than a medieval knight
498
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,320
and he has to dash around the battlefield a lot more.
499
00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,360
So, it's probably quite a good idea for him
500
00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:21,600
to train his horse with the art of menage, is it?
501
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,800
Yes, absolutely.
502
00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,760
Although jousting might appear more manly,
503
00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,560
the art of menage was better preparation
504
00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,280
for the style of fighting on the 17th century battlefield.
505
00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,880
The ability to impress people with your horse dancing
506
00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,720
not only made you a far cooler king,
507
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:44,080
but suggested you could also be a killer king -
508
00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,360
as Ben's now going to show me.
509
00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,240
Was that the piaffe that you were doing there?
510
00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,160
- The passage.
- Passage. That's that one.
511
00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,440
Piaffe is stationary, passage is moving forward.
512
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,880
I have to say it looks a little bit effeminate.
513
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,440
Is that really a manoeuvre from the battlefield?
514
00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:12,160
The collection and strength gained by the horse by performing this movement
515
00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,040
is very vital on the battlefield.
516
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,720
If you watch soldiers work in rank, in line,
517
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,720
the man on the outside may have to do double time,
518
00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,880
but the man in the middle is central
519
00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,000
and not moving and marches on the spot.
520
00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,960
- Oh, that's why it is.
- And there is no difference when on horseback.
- OK.
521
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,600
So, he might be waiting for the others to catch up sort of thing.
522
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,440
- To catch up.
- Right.
- And to keep the rhythm and power in the horse.
523
00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:34,920
So, imagine we're a troop of cavalry, we're all straight,
524
00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:36,800
we're doing this on the spot,
525
00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,560
what else might we want to do next that you can demonstrate?
526
00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:41,960
So, the next stage from this is to go in to the piaffe.
527
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,200
So, the horse remains stationary while he trots on the spot.
528
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,840
So, he's collecting... He's bringing his powerhouse,
529
00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,680
his bum underneath him and coiling that spring,
530
00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:52,760
twisting and getting ready for the big leaps.
531
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,920
When you see them going on the spot like this,
532
00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:56,720
they're actually getting ready to go?
533
00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,680
Yes, it's very much like a boxer on his toes before he goes in the ring.
534
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,600
So, it's that bouncing, that sort of building power right behind
535
00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,440
so we can go in to those big airs off the ground, like the capriole,
536
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,920
- the courbette and the levade.
- Let's see it.
537
00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:30,640
Yeah.
538
00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,680
Now what about changing direction then?
539
00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:36,400
That's very important too, isn't it?
540
00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:40,480
Right, so now we have the horse being able to collect and move stationary,
541
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:44,080
we want him to see some more of these movements where the cavalry excels
542
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,720
and it's fast-moving, fast-changing, open-plan battlefield.
543
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,400
So, what we're going to move on to now is the canter pirouette.
544
00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,360
The canter pirouette means moving direction really quickly
545
00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:55,840
- without stopping.
- Absolutely.
546
00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,000
So, it's being able to turn on the spot
547
00:29:58,000 --> 00:29:59,920
without losing the momentum of the canter.
548
00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:02,160
So, all riding we've got that rhythm, those beats,
549
00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,000
and if you were to stop and turn it so much, it will lose that speed.
550
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,800
So, and it also means we can practise deception on the battlefield
551
00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,000
if we have the horse turning and moving fast enough.
552
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,200
Oh, we don't know which way you're going to go next.
553
00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,120
Absolutely not. At the last minute I can drop my horse on to his hocks,
554
00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,640
spin him round in to you and take you out.
555
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,080
I really hope you're not about to do that.
556
00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:24,120
- This is the art of deception with the horses...
- Oh, OK.
557
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,880
..and with other people. So, we'll see now. We'll work in to canter.
558
00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,120
That was pretty good.
559
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,800
So, that spinning around that you were doing then that's called the...
560
00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,640
- The pirouette.
- The cantering pirouette.
- Pirouette.
- Wow.
561
00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,520
So, what we have there is the horse is coming in.
562
00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:00,560
You see we can go to wherever we want
563
00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:03,560
and then swift in to that movement literally on the spot.
564
00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,520
So, what's next? Is it the big leaps, the airs above the ground?
565
00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:09,760
- Absolutely. The capriole.
- The capriole.
566
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,280
The piaffe and the passage, so the horse leaping
567
00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:14,720
clean off the ground and striking out with the hind legs.
568
00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:16,560
- We're going to change horses...
- Yeah.
569
00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,920
..and we're going to bring out a big black battle stallion for that.
570
00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:21,840
- A good kicker.
- A good kicker, yeah.
571
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,200
- The best kicker in the stable.
- Yeah.
572
00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,520
- Here he comes.
- Easy.
573
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,040
Here's the big black beast.
574
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,040
Hello, there.
575
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,280
He's a good boy. He's only a baby,
576
00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,080
so he's learning the airs above the ground.
577
00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,120
Let's see your airs above the ground then, please.
578
00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:00,520
Wow!
579
00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:02,240
If you were standing behind that,
580
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,680
- you would be toast by this point, wouldn't you?
- So, yeah,
581
00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:10,320
the cavalryman's worst fear is that he can't move.
582
00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,880
- Someone's come up behind him.
- Well, surrounded.
583
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,720
Imagine, you charge in, you're laying about you with your sword
584
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,880
and then suddenly you're surrounded with men, you can't get out.
585
00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,720
You and your horse are now not the terrifying thing,
586
00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,560
you're just a very big meat target.
587
00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:26,840
And so here, that's where we see here comes collect, collect,
588
00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:28,840
- and then we're up..
- Kicking.
- ..and out.
589
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,880
And as soon as you land you would ride hell for leather.
590
00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:35,960
A kick in the face from you and you would be dead.
591
00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,920
And they'd have studs in the horses' hooves as well, like footballers.
592
00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:41,920
So, it's a nasty way to go.
593
00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:51,560
Oh!
594
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:07,400
So, now it's time to test my own killer instincts.
595
00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,440
Ben, do you realise my life is in your hands?
596
00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:12,040
Well, it's in his hands,
597
00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:15,240
and you can trust him a lot more than you can trust me, I promise you.
598
00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:16,880
So, basically what this is going to do,
599
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:18,680
getting the horse to rear while you're on,
600
00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:20,640
it's going to do is get you used to that motion
601
00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:22,760
of the horse lifting himself with his hind legs
602
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,920
and bringing those front legs off the floor.
603
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,320
OK, let's have rearing for beginners.
604
00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,200
Come back.
605
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:33,760
Come in.
606
00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:38,120
Goodness.
607
00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:48,640
That really makes you think that he's a force of nature.
608
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,800
That was like being in an earthquake or something.
609
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:55,240
Good boy.
610
00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,600
Fantastic. Well done, Almonso.
611
00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:11,840
I'm slightly shaking now.
612
00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:13,160
Like we said before,
613
00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:15,760
it's not something you're going to forget for a long time.
614
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,240
I've lost my rearing virginity
615
00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:21,240
and that's a wonderful climax to the day, really.
616
00:34:21,240 --> 00:34:22,400
Thank you, Almonso.
617
00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:27,560
Now that I'm armed with some actual riding experience,
618
00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,880
I'm not only beginning to feel more confident in the saddle,
619
00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,280
but much more in tune with the 17th century monarchs I've
620
00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,760
encountered so often over my years as a curator.
621
00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:44,440
I must have seen this picture 1,000 times.
622
00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,960
I've always known it shows Charles I on horseback coming in to
623
00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,720
a riding house, a bit like Bolsover, for his daily lesson.
624
00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:54,080
And that's his riding teacher,
625
00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:57,360
who was also the riding teacher of William Cavendish.
626
00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,320
But now I've been hanging around with the horses, there's a lot more
627
00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:01,960
that I can see here.
628
00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,920
This particular horse has got an extra well-developed bottom.
629
00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:10,000
He's been powering up to do his rearing with his back legs.
630
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:14,840
He's also walking in a way that's a menage move, he's doing something
631
00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:19,320
called the piaffe, that means, sort of, skipping on the spot like this.
632
00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,480
And look at Charles' armour.
633
00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:24,360
No need for him to be wearing armour for his riding lesson,
634
00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:29,880
but that's old-fashioned armour, it's a nod to the chivalric past.
635
00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:33,560
So, it's pretty clear why Charles I has chosen to be
636
00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,240
shown on his horse of menage.
637
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:41,360
Here, he's in control of a tremendously powerful beast
638
00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,840
and that's a metaphor for the control that he has, as a king.
639
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:47,840
It's a metaphor for his own majesty.
640
00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:54,400
With his shining armour and powerful steed,
641
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:58,800
Charles I may have thought he was the ultimate king and ruler.
642
00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,280
But, unfortunately, as history revealed,
643
00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:04,120
he was rather catastrophically wrong about that.
644
00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:08,640
In 1642, Charles' people rebelled against him,
645
00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:12,080
and the country descended in to Civil War.
646
00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:16,920
Perhaps the greatest irony, was that Charles' passion for horse ballet
647
00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,840
became the most potent symbol of his enemy's discontent.
648
00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:25,840
As every schoolgirl knows, the Civil Wars were
649
00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,920
fought between the Parliamentarian Roundheads, so called because
650
00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:34,240
of their pudding basin haircuts, and the Royalist Cavaliers who get their
651
00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:35,880
name from their horses,
652
00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:39,280
just like in French, the chevalier is the horseman.
653
00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:43,400
This is Prince Rupert, one of the top Royalist Cavalier generals
654
00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,880
on his horse, and it's actually performing the levade,
655
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,800
something he would've done in the riding house in more peaceful times.
656
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:52,240
He looks pretty dashing,
657
00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:55,320
but if Prince Rupert had heard you calling him a Cavalier,
658
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:58,840
he wouldn't have been very happy, because, originally,
659
00:36:58,840 --> 00:36:59,920
it was an insult.
660
00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:02,840
It was dreamt up by their Roundhead enemies with
661
00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:05,320
the implication that this lot, the Royalists,
662
00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:09,280
spent far too much time prancing about on their ponies and not enough
663
00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:13,320
time paying attention to the serious business of running the country.
664
00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:18,680
For Cavendish, the ultimate Cavalier and horseman,
665
00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:22,640
the Civil War was particularly humiliating.
666
00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,320
At the hour of greatest need, all that self-control and discipline
667
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:31,000
he developed through a lifetime of menage, somewhat fell apart.
668
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,000
It all went wrong for William Cavendish at the
669
00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:37,480
Battle of Marston Moor in 1644.
670
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,000
When he and his men arrived at the battlefield, they were late
671
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,520
and his co-commander, Prince Rupert, noticed that they were all
672
00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:46,480
still drunk from the night before.
673
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:49,600
And then, at the very moment that Oliver Cromwell
674
00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,400
and the Roundhead Cavalry came charging up the left wing,
675
00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,200
well, William Cavendish was having a smoke.
676
00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:58,560
He was in his coach and calling for a pipe of tobacco.
677
00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:03,360
He did get back on his horse and he did fight bravely,
678
00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,000
but he'd missed the moment.
679
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:07,560
The battle was a miserable defeat.
680
00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:13,120
As a consequence of the Civil War, Charles I lost his head,
681
00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:17,240
Cavendish lost face and his estates, and along with
682
00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:21,160
the rest of the Royalist courtiers, he fled in exile to the Continent.
683
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:26,160
When he and the rest of the court were finally able to return
684
00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,880
with the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II, the new
685
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:34,640
regime retained its horsey passions, although the Merry Monarch
686
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:38,800
took his own equestrian activities in rather a different direction.
687
00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:49,480
Now, this is said to be Charles II's whip.
688
00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:53,080
It is of the right period and it's got on it a coat of arms
689
00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:57,200
belonging to Barbara Villiers, his favourite mistress.
690
00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,760
And the story goes that she gave it to him as a present.
691
00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:04,800
Who knows what for? But Charles II did love horses.
692
00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,840
He wouldn't have been using his whip, though, for the art of menage,
693
00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,720
like his father. He wasn't interested in that.
694
00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:14,080
Charles II would have been using his whip to make horses
695
00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:16,440
go as fast as possible.
696
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,640
Instead of pouring his efforts into menage, which by now had
697
00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,360
negative self-indulgent connotations,
698
00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:29,160
Charles II focused his attention on horse racing,
699
00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:33,720
creating a mini racing metropolis here at Newmarket, where
700
00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:38,080
he transported his entire court, mistresses and all, twice a year.
701
00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:42,720
To find out why Charles II favoured the gallop,
702
00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:47,280
I'm visiting the National Horseracing Museum.
703
00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:48,760
So what's this gallery here then?
704
00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:50,840
This is Gallery One. It's quite interesting.
705
00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:52,360
This was the subscription rooms.
706
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,760
It was the only room women were allowed in the whole club.
707
00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,120
- Oh, is that right?
- Yes.
- And what are we looking at?
708
00:39:57,120 --> 00:39:58,920
Are we looking at this one?
709
00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:02,320
We're looking at what's really a scene in 1709, by James Ross,
710
00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:05,160
and shows, very clearly, what a race meeting would have
711
00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:08,040
appeared like at the end of the 17th and early 18th century.
712
00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,680
So, you've got to forget the idea of a modern racecourse with
713
00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:15,560
grandstands and the public all in a, sort of, pre-built structure.
714
00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:17,320
How did they see what was going on?
715
00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:19,640
Well, either on horseback themselves
716
00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,480
and they would have followed the race on horseback, or in their carriages.
717
00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:26,000
So, in a sense, a race meeting at this time would have
718
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,960
looked like, almost a rabble of people in the countryside,
719
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,400
very different from what you might think of as a modern race meeting.
720
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:36,120
There does seem to be some drinking and carousing going on in the tents.
721
00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:39,720
Absolutely. And it certainly was a kind of excuse for people
722
00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:43,280
to have a good time, but it wasn't as frivolous as sometimes you can think.
723
00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:47,000
There's a real seriousness of purpose that sits behind it, which is
724
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,160
the selective breeding of cavalry horses.
725
00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:52,840
So these are, in a sense, still a thick-set cavalry horse,
726
00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:56,800
not quite the thoroughbred that you get developing through the 18th
727
00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:58,120
and 19th centuries.
728
00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,840
So, are these horses heavier? Fatter? Chunkier?
729
00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:03,800
Much heavier, much chunkier.
730
00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,400
Remember, they've originated from having to carry
731
00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:09,680
a knight on horseback in full armour.
732
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:12,800
In the 1660s, Charles II comes up to Newmarket to re-establish
733
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:14,680
it as a base for racing.
734
00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:18,600
He founds, in 1665, the Newmarket Town Plate.
735
00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:22,720
That's a race for a prize of a 100 guineas presented by the King,
736
00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:26,640
a huge amount of money at the time, to give a real impetus
737
00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:29,480
to the development of good horse stock.
738
00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:31,040
And just to give you an idea,
739
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,040
this is a four-mile marker here of an original
740
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:35,400
eight-mile course.
741
00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:38,040
- So that's only half?
- That's only half.
- ..of one race.
- Yes.
742
00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:42,200
- And that's four miles.
- Yes.
- Is that quite a lot longer than races today?
743
00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:44,680
Much. I mean the longest race we have in this country is
744
00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:47,120
the Grand National, which is just over four miles,
745
00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,920
and that's in one go, whereas these were multiple heat races.
746
00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,160
So, if that was over four miles, that would have
747
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:54,840
galloped 16 miles in one day.
748
00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:56,720
These are real stamina animals.
749
00:41:56,720 --> 00:41:59,800
I'd always assumed that when Charles II was at Newmarket,
750
00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,360
he was messing around being the Merry Monarch.
751
00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,440
But, actually, you're saying that he was trying to revive
752
00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,160
- the English Cavalry.
- Absolutely.
753
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:09,680
There's a real seriousness of purpose, because it's very
754
00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:12,640
easy for us to imagine that it was inevitable that Charles II would
755
00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:16,080
keep his throne, but he felt that he had to defend it at any point.
756
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:20,120
So what he's trying to do, is replace the vast amount of cavalry
757
00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:23,240
stock that's been lost during the English Civil Wars and really create
758
00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:26,640
the kit with which he can go to war and defend his throne if he needs to.
759
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,960
- So, this is a kind of boot camp for the Army, really.
- Completely, yes.
760
00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:31,840
No, absolutely.
761
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:34,960
What fascinates me about Charles' passion for horse racing,
762
00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:40,120
is that his motives had a lot in common with jousting and the menage.
763
00:42:40,120 --> 00:42:44,480
Although each equestrian activity had very different horsemanship
764
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:48,280
skills attached, all three were about spectacle
765
00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:53,080
and shared the same intent, training in the art of war.
766
00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:56,520
In the case of the Merry Monarch his dedication to racing certainly
767
00:42:56,520 --> 00:43:02,240
paid off. He died in 1685 of natural causes after a long
768
00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:04,120
and relatively peaceful reign.
769
00:43:05,160 --> 00:43:09,840
Under Charles' patronage, horse racing became the sport of Kings
770
00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:13,880
and enjoys equally enthusiastic royal support to this day,
771
00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:18,360
whereas the art of menage was almost completely swept under
772
00:43:18,360 --> 00:43:22,920
the royal red carpet by the end of the 17th century.
773
00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:26,080
For an old-school royalist, like Cavendish,
774
00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:27,600
it was a bitter loss.
775
00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,560
As he lamented in his book...
776
00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:32,680
"The science of menage has been so neglected
777
00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:36,720
"and discouraged in England, that young gentlemen are now obliged to
778
00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:40,680
"go to foreign nations for this part of their education."
779
00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:46,560
So, following in their footsteps and in need of a little education
780
00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:51,200
myself, I've come to Vienna, once the capital of the horse-loving
781
00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:55,000
Hapsbergs, one of the greatest royal dynasties of Europe.
782
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:58,880
Because menage not only flourished here during Cavendish's lifetime,
783
00:43:58,880 --> 00:44:00,880
but still survives here today.
784
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:06,720
Now, in Britain, so far we've only had two rulers called Charles,
785
00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:10,120
but in Austria, Charles' have been rather more successful.
786
00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:11,680
There were six of them.
787
00:44:11,680 --> 00:44:15,960
In the early 18th century, Emperor Charles VI decided to
788
00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:19,640
rebuild his palace complex in the city of Vienna.
789
00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:23,480
He put in all the usual ballrooms and state apartments
790
00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:27,640
and also an absolutely stupendous riding house.
791
00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:33,440
To this day, Charles' palatial riding house is home to the
792
00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:37,400
Spanish Riding School, one of the few surviving institutions
793
00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:39,960
dedicated to the art of classical menage.
794
00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:48,160
The spectacular riding house itself was completed in 1735,
795
00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:51,440
although the school was founded in the late 16th century,
796
00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:55,000
around the time that Cavendish and our Charles I were born.
797
00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:03,440
I've been invited to witness a morning training
798
00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:07,240
session, where the riders and their Lipizzaner horses practise
799
00:45:07,240 --> 00:45:10,320
every day in preparation for spectacular shows.
800
00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:15,360
Just the sort of thing that Cavendish would've done himself.
801
00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:20,760
CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS
802
00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:47,760
This is like being at the theatre, isn't it?
803
00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:50,400
- We're watching a wonderful show behind us.
- It is. It is.
804
00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:53,120
And every day, hundreds of people come in to see the show
805
00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:54,680
- just like the theatre.
- Yes.
806
00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:57,080
They come to see the show, but they also come to see
807
00:45:57,080 --> 00:45:58,960
- the training session.
- The training.
- Yes.
808
00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:02,080
So we have... Every day we have the public here.
809
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:04,080
Are all the horses here white?
810
00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:08,280
Well, most of the horses are white, but we always have one or two
811
00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:12,720
bay horses, brown horses, and that's considered luck for us, you know.
812
00:46:12,720 --> 00:46:15,920
There's a saying that as long as there is a bay horse
813
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:19,000
here at the Spanish Riding School, that the Spanish Riding School
814
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:23,360
is going to continue, and so far, it came true, I guess.
815
00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:28,720
- It's continued for 450 years.
- 450 years. Yes, we celebrate this year.
816
00:46:28,720 --> 00:46:30,320
Why is that?
817
00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:34,800
Why has it always survived through wars and changes and politics?
818
00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:36,800
I think a big part of it was that the
819
00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:39,720
people are proud of the Spanish Riding School here in Vienna.
820
00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:42,760
Well, I think you need to look after your dark horse.
821
00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:44,760
- You don't want to lose him.
- We will. We will.
822
00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:47,160
No, no, we'll make sure that we always have one.
823
00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:50,600
How do you become a rider here? Is it many years of training?
824
00:46:50,600 --> 00:46:53,720
The first part of the training is about four to five years.
825
00:46:53,720 --> 00:46:57,720
You learn on a trained horse, so the young student learns from the trained
826
00:46:57,720 --> 00:47:02,400
horse and then later on the trained rider teaches the young horse.
827
00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:04,800
That is about the system that we have here.
828
00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:07,280
So, is that eight years in total?
829
00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:11,080
- I would say around ten years is about the...
- Ten years? Ten years?
- Yes.
830
00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:14,760
Before you're ready to ride here. Fantastic.
831
00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:18,440
And the riders are training the horses for four or five hours
832
00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:20,440
every day themselves?
833
00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:25,120
Yes. Every rider has around seven horses to take care of and to train.
834
00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:27,400
That's a huge amount of discipline, isn't it?
835
00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:29,720
Every day, six days a week and riding
836
00:47:29,720 --> 00:47:32,080
for four hours a day on seven horses.
837
00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:34,240
- I would say even more than that.
- More than that?
838
00:47:34,240 --> 00:47:35,920
Yeah. Five, five and a half hours.
839
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:39,400
Five and a half hours a day, for six days a week, for ten years.
840
00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:44,840
Well, that is just your education, but then this continues
841
00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:46,320
until you retire.
842
00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:48,240
That's an enormous commitment, isn't it?
843
00:47:48,240 --> 00:47:51,520
Yeah, but it's a great... It's the best thing that you can do.
844
00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:55,920
Having watched the training, you won't be surprised to learn
845
00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:59,560
that my request to join in a live show was met
846
00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:02,440
with a categorical, "No!"
847
00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:05,200
And when you see one of the Spanish Riding School's
848
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:07,480
performances, you'll understand why.
849
00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:16,880
Since these balletic moves haven't changed for 450 years, I think
850
00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:20,800
it shows why Cavendish gained such an extraordinary reputation
851
00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:23,400
when he performed the art in the 17th century.
852
00:48:28,200 --> 00:48:31,320
This theatre of classical horsemanship has spurred me
853
00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:35,160
on for my next lesson towards my own public performance.
854
00:48:39,760 --> 00:48:43,760
Now, it's taken 250 years, but the art of menage is actually having
855
00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:47,640
a bit of a renaissance through its related sport of dressage,
856
00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:51,840
in which the British, after all, are now Olympic champions.
857
00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:54,760
William Cavendish would be pleased to know, that finally,
858
00:48:54,760 --> 00:48:56,840
menage is coming home.
859
00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:03,640
Because menage was kept alive with such vigour on the Continent,
860
00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:08,040
horse ballet, or dressage, became a competitive sport at the turn
861
00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:12,400
of the 20th century and included in the 1912 Olympic Games.
862
00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:18,680
Over the years, we Brits have become rather good at it.
863
00:49:18,680 --> 00:49:22,200
Our former national dressage champion, Joyce Fearn,
864
00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:24,760
has agreed to give me a quick lesson.
865
00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:27,920
After all, it's only a few weeks before I've got to get my act
866
00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:31,280
together for my own public performance in Cavendish's
867
00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:32,360
riding house.
868
00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,760
- That's incredible, Joyce.
- Ah, thank you.
869
00:49:37,760 --> 00:49:41,720
It looks like he's walking on the tips of his toes, like a little...
870
00:49:41,720 --> 00:49:44,600
- He's a little elegant person.
- He's elegant, isn't he?
871
00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:47,320
Now what do you think you can teach... Well, what can Damien
872
00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:50,440
and you teach me to do in the way of dressage moves this morning?
873
00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,400
- Well, we'll get you on the pony and see what you can do.
- OK.
874
00:49:53,400 --> 00:49:56,040
- I don't know how much riding you've done.
- Very little.
875
00:49:56,040 --> 00:49:59,200
Well, I hope I can teach you how to move the horse in the way
876
00:49:59,200 --> 00:50:02,120
that's not necessarily use your leg and go faster,
877
00:50:02,120 --> 00:50:06,520
but more a way of move your leg and feel the response from his body
878
00:50:06,520 --> 00:50:10,000
and how you can move him sideways and backwards
879
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:12,880
and forwards without him thinking your leg aid means run away.
880
00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:15,000
So we'll see what we can do with that.
881
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:17,520
This does feel like I'm about to sit an exam,
882
00:50:17,520 --> 00:50:20,560
knowing that you can get points for this, points for that,
883
00:50:20,560 --> 00:50:21,760
points for the other.
884
00:50:21,760 --> 00:50:23,720
It's not about the thrill of the audience,
885
00:50:23,720 --> 00:50:26,600
- it's all about hitting the mark.
- Precision, yes.
886
00:50:26,600 --> 00:50:29,160
Fingers, and draw your elbows back slightly.
887
00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:31,920
Lean a little bit forward and put your legs back on him
888
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:34,440
and see what effect that has.
889
00:50:34,440 --> 00:50:37,120
- Ooh, is he going backwards?
- Yeah.
- LUCY LAUGHS
890
00:50:37,120 --> 00:50:39,400
- You just told him to.
- That's fantastic.
891
00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:42,160
- He's so well trained, I can put him into reverse.
- Yes.
892
00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:45,160
So let's go. You give him a little squeeze.
893
00:50:45,160 --> 00:50:47,920
- And, if that doesn't work, he needs a bigger one.
- Walk on, please.
894
00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:50,520
Yes, because he's used to being told what to do. There you go.
895
00:50:50,520 --> 00:50:52,280
Go faster, go sideways.
896
00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:54,640
You're on your own now, Lucy.
897
00:50:54,640 --> 00:50:59,400
Push him over. Well done. Lead with your right rein and over you go.
898
00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:01,000
Little bit of left leg.
899
00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:04,040
- Stop.
- And then think of reining back.
900
00:51:08,920 --> 00:51:11,280
- Backwards.
- It's all right.
901
00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:14,000
- Backwards.
- Oh, turn on the forehand.
902
00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:16,880
Oh, you can't go backwards now, cos you're into the wall.
903
00:51:16,880 --> 00:51:19,280
Could you put him towards the wall again, please, Lucy?
904
00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:21,040
And now we will halt.
905
00:51:23,240 --> 00:51:27,360
And I will shorten the reins, and I will go back.
906
00:51:27,360 --> 00:51:28,440
Back.
907
00:51:28,440 --> 00:51:29,520
Back?
908
00:51:30,520 --> 00:51:31,760
Back!
909
00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:32,840
LUCY GASPS
910
00:51:32,840 --> 00:51:36,320
He's done it! He's done it! He's done it!
911
00:51:36,320 --> 00:51:38,800
And stop. And...
912
00:51:39,880 --> 00:51:41,680
..forwards, please.
913
00:51:41,680 --> 00:51:44,160
Oh, that didn't work!
914
00:51:44,160 --> 00:51:47,320
- Put your legs forward.
- Forwards, please. Come on.
915
00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:51,120
Giddy-up. Yes, that's it.
916
00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:52,440
And we're off.
917
00:51:52,440 --> 00:51:54,800
Oh, that's much better. Well done, you.
918
00:51:54,800 --> 00:51:57,920
Olympic Games for you next, I think.
919
00:51:57,920 --> 00:51:59,640
- How does that feel?
- Lovely.
920
00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:01,760
Oh, you can have an eight for that one.
921
00:52:01,760 --> 00:52:03,520
No way! An eight?!
922
00:52:03,520 --> 00:52:05,120
Yeah, cos it doesn't look as though
923
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:06,960
it's being done by accident this time.
924
00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:09,040
- LUCY LAUGHS
- Very good, well done.
925
00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:11,520
"It doesn't look as if it's being done by accident."
926
00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:13,120
THEY LAUGH
927
00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:17,320
Right, let's see what the dressage champion Joyce
928
00:52:17,320 --> 00:52:20,880
has got to say about my riding. This is my scoresheet.
929
00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:24,800
Collected walk, half pass to the right. Didn't do that.
930
00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:26,120
Ooh!
931
00:52:26,120 --> 00:52:30,200
She's given me a good mark for paces, freedom and regularity.
932
00:52:30,200 --> 00:52:32,840
But I've done less well on submission.
933
00:52:32,840 --> 00:52:35,240
I haven't been very submissive this morning.
934
00:52:35,240 --> 00:52:40,280
And she says here, "Must continue with the dressage training."
935
00:52:40,280 --> 00:52:42,400
Hmm. So I'm not a champion yet.
936
00:52:43,680 --> 00:52:46,880
Competitive dressage has renewed that ancient link
937
00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:49,160
between manege and royalty.
938
00:52:49,160 --> 00:52:52,480
Think of both Princess Anne and Zara Phillips.
939
00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:54,920
I've also discovered that the skills of manege
940
00:52:54,920 --> 00:52:58,720
are used in another, very regal spectacle of horsemanship
941
00:52:58,720 --> 00:53:02,520
on a visit to the barracks at the Royal Horse Artillery.
942
00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:05,400
Thank you.
943
00:53:17,920 --> 00:53:20,120
This is fantastic fun, they come like that.
944
00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:21,480
Yeah, the split.
945
00:53:21,480 --> 00:53:23,800
Not without its perils, I have to say.
946
00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:32,720
The King's Troop was set up in 1946 to commemorate the tactics
947
00:53:32,720 --> 00:53:36,120
used by the Royal Artillery in the battlefield.
948
00:53:36,120 --> 00:53:39,400
Their ceremonial displays at royal and state functions,
949
00:53:39,400 --> 00:53:42,480
such as the Queen's birthday, keep alive the skills
950
00:53:42,480 --> 00:53:45,680
used by the artillery before mechanisation,
951
00:53:45,680 --> 00:53:49,200
when they charged into position and fired their guns
952
00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:52,640
before repositioning their horses for the next attack.
953
00:53:52,640 --> 00:53:55,680
And what is fascinating is that the original training
954
00:53:55,680 --> 00:53:59,080
at the Royal Horse Artillery can be traced directly back
955
00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:02,360
to manege and the Spanish Riding School.
956
00:54:02,360 --> 00:54:06,240
- So is this an actual gun from the First World War?
- It is, yeah.
957
00:54:06,240 --> 00:54:10,040
All of our guns were built just before the First World War,
958
00:54:10,040 --> 00:54:12,720
and most likely all of them saw action in the First World War.
959
00:54:12,720 --> 00:54:15,520
- And were they pulled into position by the horses?
- Yes, yeah.
960
00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:19,320
These are... The quickfire 13lb gun was a horse artillery gun,
961
00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:21,040
so, yes, it was pulled in by horses.
962
00:54:21,040 --> 00:54:24,560
I'm quite intrigued by the links between this modern,
963
00:54:24,560 --> 00:54:27,880
very technical art of horsemanship and the art of manege.
964
00:54:27,880 --> 00:54:32,240
When horse artillery was first brought into the British Army,
965
00:54:32,240 --> 00:54:35,520
the Duke of Richmond got in a chap called Captain Quist,
966
00:54:35,520 --> 00:54:39,080
who had the knowledge from the Continent of horse artillery
967
00:54:39,080 --> 00:54:40,600
and was able to teach them.
968
00:54:40,600 --> 00:54:43,000
So this is Captain Quist. He actually trained
969
00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:45,880
at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna before he came over to us.
970
00:54:45,880 --> 00:54:48,720
Well, I recognise these pillars that are used in the art of manege
971
00:54:48,720 --> 00:54:51,160
- and that's essentially what he's doing.
- Mm, yes.
972
00:54:51,160 --> 00:54:55,160
What could he offer as an expert in manege to the British Army?
973
00:54:55,160 --> 00:54:57,280
The artillery was slow before he came in,
974
00:54:57,280 --> 00:55:00,240
and that was because most of the gunners who actually manned the guns
975
00:55:00,240 --> 00:55:03,560
and fired them walked next to the artillery rather than riding.
976
00:55:03,560 --> 00:55:07,960
The skills he was able to bring, and the connection with the horse
977
00:55:07,960 --> 00:55:10,080
that he was able to teach the soldiers
978
00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:12,800
meant that they could ride alongside the guns
979
00:55:12,800 --> 00:55:15,920
and they'd be a lot faster and a lot more manoeuvrable on the battlefield.
980
00:55:15,920 --> 00:55:18,040
So you're saying that the skills of the manege -
981
00:55:18,040 --> 00:55:19,720
which is not so much about going fast
982
00:55:19,720 --> 00:55:22,280
but it's about changing direction very quickly, isn't it? -
983
00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:23,480
that would have been useful
984
00:55:23,480 --> 00:55:25,240
in pulling these big, shiny guns around?
985
00:55:25,240 --> 00:55:27,560
Yes. Turning on a battlefield is very important.
986
00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:30,360
If you go in a straight line very fast in the wrong direction,
987
00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:32,400
you're not going to be of any help to anyone.
988
00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:35,120
So, yes, it is being able to put yourself in the right position,
989
00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,880
and that involves using manoeuvrability and turning.
990
00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:51,120
This is the gravestone of a legendary member
991
00:55:51,120 --> 00:55:53,160
of the Royal Horse Artillery.
992
00:55:53,160 --> 00:55:58,840
It reads, "Underneath here lies an old horse called Wonder,
993
00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:02,320
"who had lived to the extraordinary age of 40 years."
994
00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:07,280
And the legendary Wonder belonged to Captain Quist himself,
995
00:56:07,280 --> 00:56:10,760
who lived to the extraordinary age of 91.
996
00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:12,840
And I like to think of Captain Quist
997
00:56:12,840 --> 00:56:16,600
and his "Wonder-horse" coming from the circus-like atmosphere
998
00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:20,000
of the Spanish Riding School and teaching their skills
999
00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:23,120
to the very serious officers of the British Army,
1000
00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:26,960
who would use them in the very serious arena of the battlefield.
1001
00:56:26,960 --> 00:56:30,880
And it strikes me that all of these great horseman of the past -
1002
00:56:30,880 --> 00:56:34,360
Captain Quist, William Cavendish, even Henry VIII -
1003
00:56:34,360 --> 00:56:36,800
have something in common.
1004
00:56:36,800 --> 00:56:41,040
Their control of the horse gives them control of themselves,
1005
00:56:41,040 --> 00:56:43,680
which leads to control over other people
1006
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:48,280
and, in the case of a king or queen, that stands for control of a nation.
1007
00:56:54,000 --> 00:56:57,080
So, finally, it's time to put my training to the test
1008
00:56:57,080 --> 00:56:59,800
and to perform for the paying public.
1009
00:56:59,800 --> 00:57:02,360
Watch out, everybody - I'm on the hoof.
1010
00:57:06,600 --> 00:57:08,120
- Now or never.
- HOOVES STOMP
1011
00:57:08,120 --> 00:57:11,320
Look, he's pawing the ground, he's ready to go.
1012
00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:13,720
I think he's readier than I am!
1013
00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:17,240
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
1014
00:57:18,440 --> 00:57:20,040
Oh! And we're off!
1015
00:58:13,240 --> 00:58:14,840
I'd like to get off now!
1016
00:58:14,840 --> 00:58:16,840
LAUGHTER
1017
00:58:16,840 --> 00:58:19,520
So...how did I do, Ben?
1018
00:58:19,520 --> 00:58:22,680
- It was good.
- What's the verdict?
- Well done.
1019
00:58:22,680 --> 00:58:24,400
Was that the rear of the year?
1020
00:58:24,400 --> 00:58:26,680
I think that was definitely your rear of the year.
1021
00:58:26,680 --> 00:58:28,800
I think it was the rear of the century!
1022
00:58:28,800 --> 00:58:30,480
SHE LAUGHS
1023
00:58:30,480 --> 00:58:32,720
Well, thanks, Armando.
85787
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