It’s a beautiful, icy winter’s morning at Edenside Stables outside Guardbridge.
The manure-scented air is filled with a gentle cacophony of passing geese, whilst across the water at the Leuchars Station army base, the drone of a small training aircraft is drifting over from the runway that the RAF keep operational.
It’s a peaceful setting for the 70 or so mainly show jumping horses which are housed at the privately-run stables. With no classes on, it’s an opportunity for these magnificent beasts to rest and to watch the world go by.
And yet standing quietly in one corner of the tranquil stable block, lives a gentle giant whose name is synonymous with one of the most violent chapters in British military history.
The Battle of Talavera was fought in July 1809 just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina in Spain during the Peninsular War. The British and Spaniards secured a famous victory over the French there.
And it’s after this bloody Napoleonic battle that Talavera, the ceremonial drum horse attached to the Leuchars-based Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (SCOTS DG), is named.
The 25-year-old Shire horse thoroughbred-cross has been with SCOTS DG since 2002, having previously undergone training with the Household Cavalry at Knightsbridge.
She was gifted by the Queen, who is the regiment’s colonel in chief, and famously slobbered on the monarch when she visited the Fife base last September.
Today the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is Scotland’s most senior and only regular cavalry regiment. The regiment has won numerous battle honours and three Victoria Crosses. Through the Royal Scots Greys, it is the oldest surviving cavalry regiment of the line in the British Army.
It moved to Leuchars from Fallingbostel in Germany last year, and having recently re-rolled to Light Cavalry Jackals after 75 years in tanks, the days of sword-wielding officers charging into battle on horseback are long gone.
And yet the importance of keeping links to equestrian-led battle honours of the past remains vital, according to SCOTS DG Regimental Second-in-Command, Major William Leek.
The former stables troop leader says: “Talavera, known in the stables as Pip, is a very special horse. We are very proud of her.
“Clearly as a cavalry regiment our history was horse-based. That has changed. We’ve gone through 70 years of being on armoured vehicles. The Greys were mechanised in 1942, and the Carabiniers, the other half of the regiment, before that.
“A lot of the spirit of the cavalry continues through the use of the armoured vehicles. That ability to cover ground, to deliver effectively through mounted manoeuvre still continues.
“But having the horses and keeping the history alive is an important part of our heritage as well.”
The regiment is “incredibly proud” to have been presented with Talavera by the Queen, and it was with delight that she was welcomed in September.
““It was lovely when she came, says Major Leek. “The Queen is so good with animals and horses in particular, but it was also nice to see her with Talavera again, getting slobbered on! “ he laughs. “Her face lights up when she’s with animals, and that was lovely to see.”
Talavera, one of nine British Army mascots, is part of a long-standing tradition of official military mascots, helping to carry out important ceremonial roles and duties whilst helping retain regimental identity and pride.
The tradition of the drum horse dates back centuries to the days when regiments had their own military band which led troops into battle.
The drum horse would traditionally sit near the commanding officer of the regiment. He would relay orders across the battlefield through trumpeters and the drum horses. The attack could be sounded through drums. And the horse was also a focal point. When all formed up, she was something of pride for soldiers to look at as they psyched for battle.
But it was also about scaring the enemy. Major Leek adds: “If you look at our uniforms going right back to Waterloo, the wearing of bearskins on horseback was unique to us in the regiment. It’s odd to wear not very balanced but it’s very imposing and threatening to the enemy. The reason the bearskin was invented was to scare people. When you add it on top of a large horse in those days of heavy cavalry, it would have been quite a sight. Even the use of military music over the years was part of that display of force to put the enemy off, through a cacophony of noise. It would have been quite something.”
The regiment lost its battlefield band a long time ago, but the drum horse tradition has continued, Major Leek explains.
And Talavera, who is owned by the army and even has her own unranked regimental number, can be out on ceremonial duties several times per year.
Captain Ed Knox, the current SCOTS DG stables troop leader, is responsible for overseeing the stabling arrangements at Edenside.
Growing up within a horsey environment in Suffolk, highlights of Captain Knox’s three years with SCOTS DG have included leading the regiment down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh last summer on a Grey horse to mark Armed Forces Day. He also oversaw the Queen’s visit to Leuchars in September. He says: “Talavera is such a genuinely lovely horse and such great company. I’ve hacked her out in the local area, both here and in Germany. I’ve also spent time in the stables with her. She has a lovely temperament. I’ve been around when she’s getting ready for the Queen, and I introduced the Queen to her. She’s endearing to everyone I think. To have had that opportunity to ride her in a relaxed hacking environment but to also see her when she’s doing her job is quite special. “
Lance Corporal Calum Jones, 34, has been the regiment’s groom for about a year. The former Challenger 2 tank operator has been in the army for 16 years having served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The son of a serviceman, he has always been interested in horses and is enjoying the change of direction from regular soldiering.
“My role is to groom her, feed her, and school her for a bit,” he explains. ”It’s a bit difficult because it’s winter and the weather’s not too good. The schooling can be indoor or outdoor. The aim is to keep her top line muscles all working properly and to ensure she’s obedient. You can’t just take a horse out of a field and put her in front of people.”
L/Cpl Jones says a drum horse usually needs to have a “quiet temperament, brave and bold”. She also needs to be “forward going”.
Aside from an incident in 2003 when the normally unflappable animal got “spooked” and threw her rider at the 125th anniversary Shire Horse Show at the East of England Showground, he says Talavera has been “pretty good”.
It costs £1500 of taxpayers money per year to look after Talavera which includes feeding, vet care, farrier, reduced cost livery and insurance. Her rations comprise “pasture forage and concentrate”.
L/Cpl Jones explains that she currently gets an extra feed because it’s winter and because she didn’t travel over too well from Germany, where she was kept on an old tank park. She is still being “bulked up”.
Taking her for a walk around the calm and peaceful indoor training school at Edenside, he demonstrates how the horse is taught to respond to signals. He explains that when riding, there’s a misconception that it’s all in the hands for guiding a horse. But a lot of it is from the legs. The horse needs to be taught this. L/Cpl Jones demonstrates her being brought into a trot and taught how to respond to certain signals and how to react.
It’s a safe environment for both the horse and the rider. Here, if anything did spook her, she’d calm down extremely quickly. It’s basically building the bond between horse and rider.
“I enjoy working with horses, “he adds. “ We don’t speak the same language. So it’s about learning how to understand what she needs and what she wants and how she wants it – if that makes any sense!”
Corporal Brendan Hannan, 28, a driver with SCOTS DG, is also a qualified horseman, who helps L/Cpl Jones at the stables whenever he can.
He says: “Because we’re just back from Germany and integrating locally, it’s been particularly busy. “Day to day I’m usually down the squadron lines working with the Jackals. But every chance I get I come down to give a hand, groom, clean, keep her tidy.
“It’s easy to work with her because she is such a good natured, very soft, very gentle natured girl. It’s like any mare. She can be a bit bossy at times, but she’s so placid, so good natured, she just won’t hurt a fly.”
Alistair Gatherum, 45, runs Edenside Stables, which was set up by his father Raymond 40 years ago.
Talavera, and another regimental horse Rose, a Grey, have been stabled there since last March when a SCOTS DG officer visited to check out local facilities. Whereas army-owned Talavera is funded by the taxpayer, Rose is paid for solely be the regimental community, and is therefore there for the enjoyment of the regimental community. No money from the public purse whatsoever goes towards her upkeep. Her role is to keep up the tradition of ‘the Greys’.
“Talavera is bigger than the rest of them, “ Mr Gatherum says.
“My horses are all show jumpers. She’s lovely. She has a great nature and is very nice.”
Mr Gatherum explains that the stables have had a connection with the Leuchars military base since right back from when the business started.
He adds: “We’ve done a lot with the military. The RAF would come over and ride. Officers, pilots, even some of the families. With the army coming, it’s just been a transition from one part of the military to the next really. Now we’re getting some of the army families coming over and taking lessons, so yes. One thing the horses don’t miss is the noise of the planes that’s for sure!”
Clydesdale horses have always been renowned for being very big, very patient, very gentle giants. They don’t startle too easy. They are also capable of carrying the very heavy ceremonial drums and kit.
Back at the officers’ mess on Leuchars Station, L/Cpl Jones demonstrates the range of ceremonial kit worn by rider and horse whilst on parade.
From the pre-First World War saddle to the sheepskin that goes on top to stop chaffing. From the ceremonial sword to the tack covered in images of thistles and eagles. Traditionally the drum horse rider wears a white bearskin hat, historically made from polar bear fur, whilst the heavy solid silver drums worn by the horse were gifted in 1876. The ceremonial saddlecloth features the cap badges with reference to past glories at the Battle of Waterloo. All in all the kit weighs around 30 kg, or 120 kg including a man.
“It might take whole day or week to get polished up, “ adds L/Cpl Jones. “ To tack her up might take two or three hours. A man himself would take an hour to get ready. But it’s all worth it, and the horse enjoys it. She wouldn’t do it otherwise.”