It was going to be another meltingly hot August day in

Knightsbridge.However,cooled by Rolls Royce - sized fans,set

amongst the stalls within tons of concrete,the Watford Group

looked on at the liquorice-black horses of the Household Cavalry

Mounted Regiment.

The visit to Hyde Park Barracks,home to 300+ horses,was definitely the high

spot of the year.Having been taken in hand by our host,a dashing & charismatic

young Captain,our initial nerves at being in such a formal environment simply

melted away.Admitting to being ex-Pony Club,he certainly had a way we all

recognised - a dedication to,and a love of horses.

It was to be a childhood dream come true,finally touching and learning at first

hand about these gorgeous cavalry blacks.This branch of the Army certainly runs

by the clock.Our tour began by looking at enormous boards,which detailed a timetable for each horse,and every rider,Officers and

Troopers alike.Living in cramped conditions,in these stalls,we learned that their lives revolved around endless duties.These range from

a routine ceremonial presence at Horseguards,through escorting visiting Heads of State,to full-blown events such as the Trooping of the

Colour,not to mention a plethora of additional short-notice tasks.However,regular Hunter Trials & Show Jumping provide a necessary

and welcome break.There is a 3-week summer vacation in Norfolk,with shows,gymkhanas,peaceful grazing,and much paddling in the

sea.

The farriers gave us so much information.Their support is critical to the whole

operation,and their method reminded us of a pit stop in a Formula One race!

Working as a team,a single horse could be turned round in as little as eleven

minutes.Remedial and surgical shoeing,and other veterinary requirements,all

form part of their holistic contribution.We saw many different types of shoe on

display,and we were left in little doubt that this specialist craft was as demanding

as it was rewarding.These are driven men,who are dedicated to the physical,

functional,and medical aspects of every hoof in the place.

Tradition dies hard in the saddlery department.The current Trooper's saddle

design dates from 1905,using leather,wood,webbing,with a metal tree.Modern

man-made alternatives are considered unnatural and difficult to mend.Bridles,

each weighing 2 stones,contain chainlinks for hitching,brass to protect the head

and double bit and reins for back-up in the event of damage on the battlefield.

All leather is thick,tough,and highly polished.Boots also gleam with layer upon

layer of polish,and each pair weighs 4 stones.An individual horse is expected to

carry as much as 24 stones in weight!

We watched the inspection of the replacement guard,made up in this case entirely of Life Guards,before they trotted off to take up their

posts at Horseguards.Even after an unbelievable 16 hours of boot polishing,4 hours' cleaning and polishing tack,and some serious

grooming of his horse,it is still possible for a Trooper to fall foul of the Inspecting Officer.If he does,he is deemed unfit to be on parade,

and is replaced by a colleague waiting in reserve.On this occasion,the Corporal of Horse was happy with the standard,made the "spare"

Trooper and his horse available to model for us,and we enjoyed 1

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hours of drawing and painting them.Before we started,we were

given a comprehensive lesson in the makeup of the tack and the Trooper's uniform.This made it a lot easier to add those dashes of colour:

the bright red jacket with burnished gold breast plate,the brilliant white of the brow-band,the Trooper's cuffs and the enormous sheepskin

numnah,the sky blue reflections in the polished leather of the bridle and the boots and the many flashes and glints in the brass and steel,

particularly the much-revered sabre.It is awe-inspiring indeed to imagine being

at the receiving end of large numbers of heavy cavalry such as this,at the charge

on the battlefield.

As we were finishing off,the Old Guard,a Troop of the Blues & Royals,arrived

back at the barracks having been relieved by the Life Guards whose inspection

we had witnessed.It was an exceptionally hot day and they had walked back and

not at the customary trot.They were therefore behind time and had to work

hard to catch up with their duties.We artists were beginning to wilt and having

said a big thank-you,happily went off to sit in the dappled light under the willow

trees around the Serpentine.The waters lapped refreshingly nearby and we took

time to reflect on our heritage with renewed pride.

Jackie Henderson

Trooper and Horse.Perfect models

Running repairs

Welcome shade

The Household Cavalry

Mounted Regiment