Riderless Horse Ceremony
The Riderless Horse Ceremony
History
The Riderless ceremony was conceived as a memorial for those who have passed in the Kingdom of An Tir. It was conceived and administered by the Ladies of the Rose and Valorous Estate of An Tir. The riderless horse ceremony has appeared in many cultures and periods in history.
The Riderless Horse ceremony was presented at the last court of their Majesties Skeggi and Taisiia, July Coronation, AS 40.
The Ladies of the Rose and Valorous Estate approached the throne in pairs. HRH Angharad led her 3-year old Percheron, Maximus. The caparison was made by Countess Dagmaer, Duchess Asa, Viscountess Kerij-e, and Viscount Rapheal. Over 120 hand made tassels were attached to a black and red caparison. The retired Kingdom Champion's cloak was incorporated into the caparison. The Ladies of the Rose and Valorous Estate continue to accept donations to assist with the continuation of this ceremony.
It is planned that this ceremony will be repeated yearly at September Crown, with a different horse each time if possible. Additional tassels will added for every An Tirian who has passed since the previous ceremony. In addition to the online Scroll of Honor page, a hand-made scroll of all of the names will travel with the caparision and be displayed yearly at Twelfth Night. New names can be added to the Scroll of Honor and the An Tir Remembers page by sending e-mail to riderlesshorse(at)hotmail(dot)com.
The caparision and calligraphed Scroll of Honor were displayed at An Tir Twelfth night, AS 40 and AS 43.
The Ceremony
THE KING READS
"The Kingdom of An Tir needed a permanent memorial representing our sorrow for those who have passed away. The Ladies of the Rose and the Valorous Estate proposed using a riderless horse to represent those who have died, both as a dignified way of marking their passing, and to provide a ceremony that will be instantly and universally understood by those who witness it."
"Today, we bring before you for the first time the Riderless Horse Memorial, which will be a constantly evolving piece of An Tir history. The caparison has been fashioned from retired pieces of Kingdom Regalia, and will continue to be added to by members of the Noble Estate and the populace of our Kingdom."
"As it will not be possible to read the names of all of the people of An Tir who have passed prior to this date in court right now, we invite you to read the book that will travel with this memorial which holds all of the names and includes the description of the Riderless Horse."
"The Ladies of the Rose and Valorous Estate shall proceed the riderless horse into court. The horse shall be caparisoned in black and red with the arms of An Tir, no saddle nor bridle shall be worn."
THE LADIES OF THE ROSE AND VALOROUS ESTATE APPROACH FOLLOWED BY THE RIDERLESS HORSE WEARING THE CEREMONIAL CAPARISON
HERALD READS
"It is right and fitting that members of the populace of An Tir who pass on be remembered and recognized for their presence and contributions to the Sable Kingdom."
QUEEN CARRIES A BLACK TASSEL TO THE RIDERLESS HORSE
HERALD:
"Therefore do We, <King and Queen> hereby recognize <name> from <group>."
QUEEN ATTACHES THE TASSEL ON THE CAPARISON
HERALD reads
<name>
QUEEN ATTACHES A TASSEL TO THE CAPARISON. THERE IS A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THE LADIES OF THE ROSE AND VALOROUS ESTATE STAND AND ESCORT THE RIDERLESS HORSE AND ATTENDANT. THERE ARE NO CHEERS OR APPLAUSE.
Events where Ceremony was Presented
- May_Crown_Tournament_XL/2005 - The first time this ceremony was presented.
- Horse: Maximillian, a 3-year old black Percheron gelding, owned by Duchess Angharad.
- Two tassles were added.
- May_Crown_Tournament_XLI/2006 - The ceremony was presented immediately following the investiture of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.
- Horse: Misty the War Pony, an Appaloosa mare owned by Eorl Edward and Countess Ilaria.
- Three tassles were added.
- September_Crown_Tournament_XLI/2006
- Horse: Valerius, an American Cream Draft owned by Agelos Evienece and Donwenna La Mareschale
- Four tassles were added.
- May_Crown_Tournament_XLII/2007
- Horse: Ace, owned by Macha the Determined
- Five tassles were added.
- September_Crown_Tournament_XLII/2007
- Horse: Ace, owned by Macha the Determined
- Unknown number of tassels were added.
- May_Crown_Tournament_XLIII/2008
- Horse: Ace, owned by Macha the Determined
- Eight tassels were added.
- September Crown Tournament XLIII/2008
- Horse: Cookie, a Tobiano paint mare owned by Miranda_Faoltiarna.
- Seven tassels were added.
- An Amusing Story About the Riderless Horse Ceremony Wiki Page
- May_Crown_Tournament_XLIV/2009
- Horse:Shia, an Arabian mare owned by unknown
- Ten tassels were added.
Pictures
Photos of the First Ceremony - July Coronation Photos by Marcus Tullius Calvus
References
Scroll of Honor - An Tir Remembers
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do names get added to the ceremony? Answer: The Ladies of the Rose and Valerous estate are well integrated into the An Tirian community and collect names from the Steppes e-mail lists, their local e-mail lists, the grapevine, and other channels. These names are then reported back to a private list and collected for the next ceremony. Names can also be sent to riderlesshorse(at)hotmail(dot)com. Include the person's SCA name, the date they passed, and what group they came from. The group isn't required and won't be announced, but it helps for any followup questions.
Question: Can I donate funds? Answer: Yes, you can, but the exact mechanism and process is being discussed. At this time, there isn't an official method. Please check back later or contact a Lady of the Rose or Valerous Estate.
Question: How are horses chosen? Answer: We have attempted to use a horse from the local group, but in the end, it is the horse that is available, and most suited. Not all horses have the temperment to perform the ceremony. If you would like to volunteer your horse for the ceremony, send an e-mail to riderlesshorse(at)hotmail(dot)com with information regarding your horse and events that you are likely to attend, or area you live in. The mail will be forwarded to the equestrian coordinator. If an opportunity arises in your area, she will contact you for more information. Participating in the ceremony is usually a two-hour commitment. For more information see: Riderless Horse Ceremony howto.
Question: Where did the Regalia come from and what is the meaning? Answer: The caparison (worn on the horse) was made by Duchess Daegmar, Viscountess Kerij-e, and Viscount Rapheal with material donated by Duchess Asa. The retired King's Champion cloak makes up the majority of the caparision with a removable and washable liner. The 200+ tassels are handmade and donated by the members of the order. The black tassels represent those who have passed, though no tassel represents a specific person. They are identical as we are all equal in death. The red tassels are decorative and have no specific meaning.
The bridle and lead were made by Myfanwy Glanmorfa.