New dressage displays recreate the sport's birth
A series of new dressage displays at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire will recreate the sport's birth in the days of William Cavendish.
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Event organiser: It's great to recreate the wonderful magic of 300 years ago
Alan Larsen is in change of events at Bolsover Castle. He is one of the driving forces behind the return of dressage displays to the historic Riding School and says it is great to recreate the magic of what actually happened there so long ago.
Preview of dressage returning to Bolsover
The success of programmes like Dancing on Ice and Strictly shows how many of us enjoy watching such performances, but now "hoofing it" has got a new meaning because at Bolsover Castle they're gearing up for a summer of dancing horses.
It's where the sport we know today as dressage began and there's renewed interest following last year's Olympic and Paralympic triumphs. The first performance by the horses, complete with riders in traditional costumes, is tomorrow. James Webster's been for a preview.
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Performer: Some horses find some moves easier than others
Benjamin Atkinson has been riding horses since shortly after he was born. He says all the animals he trains have different personalities and what might be an easy trick for one to perform can be much more difficult for another. He hopes the displays inspire more interest in dressage.
Rider: It's taken years to get horses to this standard
One of the riders who will be performing twice-daily displays of dressage at Bolsover Castle every weekend from Easter till September says it takes years to get the animals to that standard. Mark Atkinson explains how different movements require much more practice before they are perfected.
New dressage displays recreate the sport's birth
A series of new dressage displays at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire will recreate the sport's birth in the days of William Cavendish.
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The Riding House at Bolsover Castle is where, in the 1630s, unique performance of horses going through their balletic paces would be viewed. Twice a day on weekends these dressage displays will now return, something that impresses historian Ian Morgan so much he is struggling to put it into words.
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Bolsover Castle gears up for summer of dressage
Bolsover Castle is getting ready to host a summer of dressage displays. Every weekend from Easter to September horses will be performing in the site's Riding House where William Cavendish first introduced specialist 'horse ballet' techniques into 17th Century England.
Cavendish is widely considered to be the father of modern dressage which saw a rise in popularity following last year's gold medal success at the Olympic and Paralympic games. His techniques are now being brought back to life with baroque music and traditional period costumes.
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