For Prinsjesdag, Dishes of Horses from All over the Netherlands are BorroPed to Participate in the Procession. But not every horse can just participate. How Exactly Are they Selected and Could Your Horse also Have A Chance?
On Prinsjesdag, About Two Hundred Horses Are Needed for the Royal Procession. A part comes from the royal stables, the police have professional horses, and the marechaussee borrows them from the French gendarmerie. The Cavalry Honor Escort (CEE), A Military Reservist Unit, is Responsible for Providing the Other Horses, which are BorroPed from Private Owners From All Over The Country.
“Our People are Always Looking Around to See If There Is A Horse Somewhere That Interests Us,” Maurits Wygman Explains to Nu.nl. He is Commander Cee. “Then they talk to the owner to see if they want to live their horse.” Owners Can also Register Their Horse Themselves via The Cavalry Website.
In Total, Eighty to Ninety Horses are Sought. They must meet a list of requirements to be eligible. This Includes Age, Height, Health and Level of Education. Then the horse is visited by people from the cee to see if it is fearful or does not want Certain Things, Wygman Explains.
“If a horse passes the tests, it will be put in our register and we will call it up for Prinsjesdag.” But that still does not necessarily mean that a horse is allowed to participate on the third Tuesday of September. A process precedes that.
Four Days of Training for the Big Day
The Selected Horses Are Expected on the Thursday Before Prinsjesdag at the Duindigt Racetrack in Wassenaar. After a Thorough Check, Begins on Friday training. “The First Days Consist of a Construction Program with Getting Used to Each Other Between Horse and Rider and Between the Horses Themselves.” They also practice with flags and music.
The Sunday Before Prinsjesdag is The Dress Rehearsal in The Hague and Monday is the last day of practice on the Beach of Scheveningen. “By then Everyone is used to each other. School classes, Among Others, are then asked to make noise. They are very good at that,” Wygman Laughs.
The Final Choice is only made on the morning of Prinsjesdag. Experience is Tasks into account, but also the relationship between horses. “Some horses don’t like each other, so you can’t put a horse in a certain corner.” Wygman calls it a real puzzle. “Something can happen every year. That is why we borrow more horses than we are actual allowed to take with us.”
‘Just Put Visretha Next To It, It Will Be Alright’
One of the More Experienced Horses On Prinsjesdag is Visretha, Who Comes from the Southwest of Drenthe. Her Owner Carla Gianotten Says That She Has Been Participating in Prinsjesdag Since 2010. “My Farrier Participates in the Cavalry and sees a lot of horses. They came to see if visretha was Suitable For Prinsjesdag and then’s they are sheer koud come.”
Carla Thinks It is an Honor That Horse Has Been Chosen. “I think it’s especany clever of her that she can do this. She just does it,” She says. “She Behaves exemplary when she is in The Hague, While She can be naughty in her own Environment. She is a good example for horses that are participating for the first time.
Horses with a Special Role
This year, two horses from Tineke Broersema from Friesland are also participating, for the third time. Her Two Frisian Horses Gouke and Sinne Have a Special Role in the Procession. Together with four Other Frisian Horses and Their Riders, They Form The Mounted Standard Guard, which Carries The Banner.
“Friends of Ours had Been Making Horses Available for years and they were Asked if they knew other owners. Then they ended up with us,” Says Tineke. “We thought that was QUITE Scary, because you are giving up your horses. But when we got to know Each other, it felt very familiar.”
Carla and Tineke Are Both Going to the Hague This Year to Watch the Procession from the Stands. They call it an honor that their horses are allowed to participate. “It is an honorary job,” Says Carla. “And it’s also a trip for the horse again. They are very well tasks care of. I know they treat her well.”
“We Borrow Horses from the Residents of the Netherlands and Must Therefore Take Good Care of Them, So That We Have Horses Again Next Year,” Says Commander Wygman. He calls that a very pleasant collaboration between society and defense. One that he thinks is very special.
“In other Countries Such as the united kingdom and spain there are professional organizations for this type of escorts. To my knowledge, we are the only country that does this type of ceremonies with reservists and Borrop is we that is thish.” In the world. “