Page 9 - Chiron Autumn/Winter 2023

The Buda Castle has a rich history dating back to the 13th century.
Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt, expanded, and renovated numerous times, reflecting various architectural styles, including Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. The castle complex consists of several buildings, courtyards, and gardens, and it served as the residence
for Hungarian kings and queens for centuries and is now a World Heritage Site.
Next, we moved down the long sloping pathway to the Budapest Royal Riding Hall. This is a historic equestrian facility dating back to the late 19th century. Originally built as an ice-skating rink in 1870, the Budapest Riding Hall was later converted into an indoor riding arena. It has since served as a venue for numerous national and international equestrian events such as dressage competitions
and riding demonstrations. Apart from its equestrian activities, the Budapest Riding Hall is used for other purposes, including concerts, exhibitions, and cultural events. It holds a special place in Budapest’s cultural heritage and provides a unique setting for various gatherings.
The evening was crowned by a very enjoyable meal with our hosts in a spectacular restaurant overlooking the River Danube and the amazing city of Budapest.
Day 2 was an early start to view Mounted Police morning Ride on their Nonius and Gidrans. This confirmed our assertions of the previous day, and we could have
as easily been watching a ride at Melton, Knightsbridge, or Windsor.
After spending time with the police horses, we travelled 3 hours East of Budapest to Mezohegyes
state stud. We were given a guided tour of three different yards; the
first to view was the Resposiblke, famous for reproducing the Nonius horses. Nonius is a horse breed that originated in Hungary. It is known for its strength, endurance, and versatility, typically muscular and well-built, with a strong and compact body. They are often used for various purposes, including agriculture, carriage driving, and recreational
riding. The breed is recognized for its calm temperament and willingness to work, with an average height of 15.2/16.2 hands (approximately 62
to 66 inches or 157 to 168 cm) at
the withers. The selective breeding programme was explained as to how they produce only black and chestnut horses and what their characteristics are. Looking at some of the horses on show, they seem similar to an Irish cob mentality, can be stubborn but will work hard enough for most outputs.
Next, we went to see some of the Gidran breed. Gidran horses are a Hungarian breed known for their elegance, endurance, and versatility. They have a long and proud
history originating from Arabian and Turkish horse bloodlines. Gidrans are known for their sturdy build, strong limbs, and graceful movement. They are often used for various equestrian disciplines, including dressage, show jumping, and endurance riding and are very successful due to their loyal and trainable nature, making them excellent companions for riders
of different skill levels. A perfect type for use at Equine Training Squadron. After seeing some of the horses under saddle we travelled to Szilvásvárad in preparation for the following day.
Day 3, the last day of our trip,
was at the National Stub stud in Szilvásvárad The home of the Hungarian Lipizzaner. This was David our home stud perched in the Bukk mountains about 30km short of the Slovakian Border. This weas also home to the Szilvásvárad equitation centre an international grade equine facility consisting of four arenas completed in 2018.
We visited to the Stud Office and were able to view some the lineages of the studs Lipizzaner lines as well as a beautiful handmade harness which was hoped to be a coronation gift along with the accompanying Lipizzaner for the coronation of King Charles the third, but for a no gifting policy. Hopefully, another opportunity will arise for it to be presented to a member of the Royal Household.
We than left in the grandest of style
by a 4 in hand lipizzaner carriage escorted handsomely by two finely dressed Hussars on the stunning lipizzaners to view the Brood mares and foals including the carriage museum, the yearlings at grass with their Chechen rider to act as their shepherd and the stallion stud on the across the village.
The carriage ride had to come
to an end and was dropped off at Szilvásvárad Equestrian centre and Hussar Riding School. We were given a guided tour of the grounds and were was astonished by the sheer scale of the facility. There is potential opportunity for some of the British Army riders to compete here as part of a planned military equitation games in the future, The Household Calvary Musical Ride has also performed here in the recent past. Before departing we had the opportunity to view a Lipizzaner display had been prepared and we were ushered towards the indoor riding school. Here the Lipizzaners demonstrated their versatility by showing an extremely high level of dressage riding, a more traditional Hungarian riding performance called Csikos where the rider used various techniques to control the horse and showcased such activities as; lying the horse down, making him sit, standing on his back whilst repeatedly whipping the air with
a beresostor or bull whip. Finally, two young Hussars on Lippizzaners, still undergoing training, showed
a military ride session. This was a pleasure to watch as it added variety
Chiron Calling / 7