5 March 2014

The King’s horses at Paleis Het Loo

The Royal Stables will show various turnouts including the Glass State Berlin with alternately four-in-hand Friesian and Gelder horses. A brake with six-in-hand KWPN (Royal Dutch Sport Horse) horses will be driven postilion-style with the front left horse being ridden. The Royal Stables will alternately drive the Duc carriage with a pair of Friesian horses, the hunting carriage with a pair of KWPN horses, the Landau carriage with four-in-hand Friesian horses, ridden postilion, and the Pony Tonneau. The Groningen horses will also be regularly put to. The carriages on show will be complete with matching harness and dress including the ceremonial harness for the Glass Gala Berlin, the turned harness of the Duc carriage, the tack for the pony carriage, and the official tack and ceremonial livery.
The farrier will demonstrate the shoeing of the horses and Royal Stables’ staff will provide information about the horses, turnouts, carriages and the accompanying rituals.

Twenty horses will be coming from the stables in The Hague to Apeldoorn especially for this event.
The royal limousines will also be presented in the carriage houses including Queen Emma’s 1924 American Winton, Queen Wilhelmina’s Mercedes 300 convertible and the Fiat coupé belonging to Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus.
The Royal Stables is one of the oldest mews which retains many of traditions and houses an exceptional collection of carriages, harnesses and liveries. The Royal Stables is responsible for the transport of members of the Royal Family. In the past the horses were used for daily transportation though nowadays they play an official and ceremonial role.

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