It was another day of craziness but somehow Cologne still exists. I kept looking out my window at all the crazies. Below my window a couple of guys were packing their backpack from their car. They put 7 Koelsch beers in there, a bottle of wine, a bottle of vodka, and one empty water bottle. That was a heavy bag, and they were set for the day.
Even in my village there is a parade and on the way to work I had to drive by floats full of Native Americans blasting Ooompa music.
I knew I’d miss the parade because I had to work, but I had hoped to see something, so at 11:30 I went down to the square nearest my work.
Somehow that was the perfect time – the square was full of horses! I counted about 70.
And more came! The groups were divided by their costumes and colors, there were the bay/chestnut, green/yellow tack group, and the black/grey/paint, red/white tack group. Then the kings of Karneval went by in a coach pulled by some spotted ponies. Everyone saluted them. I just noticed that the riders are wearing wigs.
The riders had instruments and played their horns while riding, and I was especially impressed to see the drummers, drumming their drums on their horses’ withers! I noticed their reins were attached to their boots/stirrups so they could steer even while drumming. Amazing! I don’t think a lot of horses would like a drum set attached to them! LOUD!
The big truck in the photos is a horse truck – there were two extra horses inside stamping impatiently, rocking it.
Note the people and their champagne/beer bottles. (Today the street cleaners came and spent about 20 minutes on my street alone, with brooms and street cleaners, back and forth, over and over, trying to get all the glass and garbage and puke up.)
I noticed there were a lot of riders also walking, as if many horses had more than one rider.
Then someone said something and all the riders dismounted at once. It was so cool.
I remember something really odd in the newspaper this week:
ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST INCLUSION OF HORSES IN PARADE; THREATEN TO BURN STABLES DOWN.
They said that the horses were drugged, and it was cruel to ride horses in a parade.
Better to burn them up in a fire? I had to read it again and again to be sure I understood. Freaks!
One horse was tossing his head over and over (the flag carrying grey horse), but other than that, not even the costumed drunks bothered them. I’d never seen a horse in downtown Cologne before and it was really something. You can see how many people just stopped and stared, like me.
The horses gathered in Rudolfplatz and I got some wonderful (not) photos with my cell phone that I wanted to share..
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7 comments:
WOW! What crazyness! It amazes me that this goes on all day during work. I wouldn't be getting much done!
That was perfect timing on your part!! That is so cool!
If they were drugged, that's probably a good thing with so many costumed people, vehicles, and horses around. That way, there are no accidents. But activists wanting to burn the poor horse's homes? Even if the horses aren't there (at the parade, maybe). Crazy!!
That's SO COOL! Well, not the vomit and broken glass, but the regiments of parade horses. They almost sound like police horses to me, totally unphased by anything that happens. Hang in there!
Wow what a fun experience!!
Those protesters, like PETA here?
Love the McD's and the KFC in the background!!! LOL LOL
How exciting to see!! I love horses in parades! Glad you went out and got to see some of this though.
There was a police-horse training session locally last weekend that a lot of horses attended (I'm hoping to see part of it next weekend), where folks were able to teach their horses to remain calm under all kinds of weird circumstances.
Did the horses look drugged? Because the alternative would be that somebody trained them...and if that is the case, I want to stand and applaud.
Of course the third alternative is that most of the horses were Trabers....>g<
Huh?? That is nuts what people are telling you about donkeys!! Chrome and Zeppelin are the best of friends. They love each other. Of course Chrome was young when they first met and they were both studs so they play ROUGH, but they get along so well. I'm surprised to hear people are trying to talk you out of getting a donkey for Baasha. Zeppelin spent his first three years with his original owners around horses, donkeys and goats, so it may depend on what they've been raised with. If the donkey has never been around horses before he may not see them as part of the herd. I think a donkey would make a great buddy for Baasha though. :) They are a lot of fun to work with as well. Good luck finding the right one!!
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