Riding Halls & Other Horse Related Buildings

roy elderkin
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It is interesting to note the use of the term riding halls indoor riding schools etc. When the original term was riding house, where chevalier's practiced the art of classical riding. Riding Houses were divided in the use of pillars, which were in the centre of the hall. Vienna had two pillars, this was used classicaly for work between pilars. A single pillar was used to train horses to move lateraly around the pillar, the head would always face the pillar. It was used I believe by such horsemen, William Cavandish lord Derby the house still stands with its central pillar. The Kings Troop , the motto of the Regt being The Riding House Dept of His Majesty's Ordinence, and depicts the twin pillars. Other notable riders used the the Riding Houses were Newcastle, James Fillis etc where they taught and studied the art of Classical Riding. The riding houses were erected, so that they were able to practice inside as well as outside,the building would complement the main house, in colour and refinement.
selewis
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Thanks, Roy. I didn't know or don't recall that being the case with James Fillis. He was of a later date than the others you mentioned. I recall a laudatory passage for Fillis in one of Horace Hayes' books, "Among Horses in Russia" I think. He and his wife had seen Fillis ride in St Petersburg and Hayes, an outdoor horseman, foxhunter, and thorough thoroughbred proponent, had nothing but good to say about the willing free forward forward movement of Fillis' horses. High praise indeed for a man who is sometimes remembered for the canter backwards on three legs and sometimes disparaged by purists for deviating from the strictures of the classical manege.

Sandy

By the way, how is the book coming along? I want one.
browerpatch
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These buildings were either Artillery or Cavalry stables at Fort McClellan.
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browerpatch
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One of these buildings housed a blacksmith shop. The forge and a coal-fired water heater are still in place. One of the buildings housed indoor stalls, and these were floored with 4x4 wooden blocks. One had an office, with a coat rack made of tent pegs. In the upper levels of these buildings were hay and feed storage. The feed bins are still in place, and one even had a little grain still lying in the bottom. There was a chute from this bin to the lower level, and a lever allowed grain to be dropped into container.

It's been a few years since I was there last, and that was when I got to go inside and look around. I didn't have a camera with me then. I'm hoping that I can make arrangements to get back over there sometime soon, and get some photos of the inside.
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rayarthart
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I don't know weather they are still standing or not. But at Wildflicken on the military post there are building that were still standing as late as 1983 when I was last there. They were used as stables for the WWI horse Artillery and later for a SS Cavalry unit ( from what I was told from a former PVT in that unit). I was interesting in seeing the gutters and the tying rings still emplaced. The first time I was there is 1977-1978 for six months and in 1980's for a couple weeks at a time. In the1980's were drove pass the buildings on the way to the training areas.
Sam Cox
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Image

Horse platoon,78th Recon Troop. Berlin 1946.
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