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.
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 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!
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