The Gala Of The Royal Horses
Holsman Stables has become the premiere travel destination for weary traveling horses. Still, when we got the call that The Gala Of The Royal Horses would like us to put their gorgeous creatures up in our bed and breakfast for horses, we were excited! That week was such a fun week watching them practice and prepare for their Kansas City show. We knew immediately, when we saw their caravan of trailers and RVs roll into the ranch, that this would be a special week for us. We thought that it would be cool to share some of the insider insight that we got to see this week with you. How are the Gala Of The Horses treated? What do they eat? What kind of personalities do they have? And more so let’s get started!
The Gala Of The Royal Horses traveling horse trailer.
I spoke with Toby Drentwett The Gala Of The Royal Horses’ sound and lights guy and he gave me some real insight to these beautiful creatures. First off let’s start with the team. It is comprised of 20 people who are dedicated to these horses 365 days a year on the road. They bring their show to town and everything top to bottom goes with them. They provide their own stage, lights, music and of course horses and riders. Walking around the barn and talking to everyone you get a real sense of the love and admiration that the riders and handlers have for their horses. The horses aren’t just a group of horses that get tended to by 1-2 handlers. Each horse is taken care of by their dedicated rider and companion. They are spoiled from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. I was so happy to see just how well the Gala Of Royal Horses were treated. Below are some of questions and answers with Toby Drentwett. I hope you find this as interesting as we did.
Do the horses have a special diet?
Yes, they are athletes and are treated as such. Their diets change depending on their performance, traveling and exercise. The more they travel or perform the more they need to eat and specific diets as well.
Do they get treats?
Yes! They are trained by rewards; apples and carrots are among their favorites. They of course get goodies on their off time as well.
Do the horses have a special diet?
Yes, they are athletes and are treated as such. Their diets change depending on their performance, traveling and exercise. The more they travel or perform the more they need to eat and specific diets as well.
Do they get treats?
Yes! They are trained by rewards; apples and carrots are among their favorites. They of course get goodies on their off time as well.
Rico gets an apple in his downtime.
How often are they exercised?
They are exercised one time a day and get one day a week to rest. If it is a long travel day they get to rest that day as well.
Do they get groomed often?
Yes! They get rinsed off a lot! However, they only get soap before and after the show to keep their coat in good condition. The horses are very pampered; their tails are always braided and on travel days they get leg wraps and tail wraps to protect them during travels.
What are some fun personality quirks of the horses?
The big beautiful Friesian Rico loves bananas! Friesians in general are loveable creatures. Ours love to be scratched and have personal contact all the time. Another fun fact is how much the horses love to perform. When the music starts they are in the back starting to dance! They live to perform and can get melancholy when left off a show for a break. They really enjoy the lights, the cameras, and the people clapping and cheering. The more attention they get, the more excited they get! We pick horses in particular who are prone to love the spotlight and attention.
They are exercised one time a day and get one day a week to rest. If it is a long travel day they get to rest that day as well.
Do they get groomed often?
Yes! They get rinsed off a lot! However, they only get soap before and after the show to keep their coat in good condition. The horses are very pampered; their tails are always braided and on travel days they get leg wraps and tail wraps to protect them during travels.
What are some fun personality quirks of the horses?
The big beautiful Friesian Rico loves bananas! Friesians in general are loveable creatures. Ours love to be scratched and have personal contact all the time. Another fun fact is how much the horses love to perform. When the music starts they are in the back starting to dance! They live to perform and can get melancholy when left off a show for a break. They really enjoy the lights, the cameras, and the people clapping and cheering. The more attention they get, the more excited they get! We pick horses in particular who are prone to love the spotlight and attention.
Rene Gasser getting interviewed by Kansas City Fox 4 News
Where do you get the horses from?
They come from all over. Many come from a royal riding school in Spain, Australia, Netherlands, and even right here in Ocala, Florida.
How long does it take to train a horse for The Gala Of The Royal Horses show?
We get our horses as young colts 1 to 1 ½ years old. Our youngest horse in the show is 6 ½ years old. It takes a very long time to get the horses ready to make their first appearance in the ring. It’s more than learning the stunts; we start by slowly introducing them to the stage and lights, letting them see their shadow, see cameras and hear clapping. There are so many elements to the show that they have to get used to, such as the audience up close, scarfs, dancers, sound of the feet on the board and so much more. We don’t start to ride them until they are 3 years old and we don’t start stunts until they are 5-6 years old. It is a very natural and nurturing process. Each horse starts with traditional dressage training and moves on from there.
How many people are a part of your crew?
We travel with 20 people. Our show is completely done start to finish by our crew. I handle the lights and sounds, we bring our own stage, boards and props, our own instruments, dancers, riders and of course horses. We have drivers who handle the lighting and stages, people who feed the horses and clean the stalls, but in true Royal Gala fashion of ownership and dedicated roles for the horses; the owner Rene Gasser is the ONLY driver of the horse trailer. The horses are of course the athletes and super models of The Gala Of The Royal Horses team and they are treated as such from travel to destination to practices and performance nights!
They come from all over. Many come from a royal riding school in Spain, Australia, Netherlands, and even right here in Ocala, Florida.
How long does it take to train a horse for The Gala Of The Royal Horses show?
We get our horses as young colts 1 to 1 ½ years old. Our youngest horse in the show is 6 ½ years old. It takes a very long time to get the horses ready to make their first appearance in the ring. It’s more than learning the stunts; we start by slowly introducing them to the stage and lights, letting them see their shadow, see cameras and hear clapping. There are so many elements to the show that they have to get used to, such as the audience up close, scarfs, dancers, sound of the feet on the board and so much more. We don’t start to ride them until they are 3 years old and we don’t start stunts until they are 5-6 years old. It is a very natural and nurturing process. Each horse starts with traditional dressage training and moves on from there.
How many people are a part of your crew?
We travel with 20 people. Our show is completely done start to finish by our crew. I handle the lights and sounds, we bring our own stage, boards and props, our own instruments, dancers, riders and of course horses. We have drivers who handle the lighting and stages, people who feed the horses and clean the stalls, but in true Royal Gala fashion of ownership and dedicated roles for the horses; the owner Rene Gasser is the ONLY driver of the horse trailer. The horses are of course the athletes and super models of The Gala Of The Royal Horses team and they are treated as such from travel to destination to practices and performance nights!
The Gala Of The Royal Horses practicing in Holsman Stables' indoor arena
I hope you enjoyed getting to pull the curtain back on the Gala Of The Royal Horses show as much as we have. We were thrilled to see these horses were so loved and cared for. The team was truly a family atmosphere lead by Rene and his wife Barbara and even their 16 year old daughter who joins in the show fun with her horse she has had since she was 2 years old. If you haven’t seen them share their relationship on stage it is something to see. The love, passion and trust shows throughout their performance.
Let us know if you had a question for The Gala Of The Royal Horses. We would be happy to add it to our Q&A. Click here to visit Gala Of The Royal Horses website to see when they will be visiting a city near you. We would like to thank Rene & Barbara Gasser for letting us be part of their team for a week. We had a great time and hope to see them back in Kansas City again very soon!
If you would like to know more about Holsman Stables or to stay with us on your way through Kansas City, MO. Click the button below to email us or call Lisa at 816-589-3184
Let us know if you had a question for The Gala Of The Royal Horses. We would be happy to add it to our Q&A. Click here to visit Gala Of The Royal Horses website to see when they will be visiting a city near you. We would like to thank Rene & Barbara Gasser for letting us be part of their team for a week. We had a great time and hope to see them back in Kansas City again very soon!
If you would like to know more about Holsman Stables or to stay with us on your way through Kansas City, MO. Click the button below to email us or call Lisa at 816-589-3184
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