I am watching the new Meghan and Harry documentary on Netflix. They just showed their wedding. When they left the ceremony, they got into a carriage pulled by a team of 4 horses. Both of the left horses had riders on them while pulling the carriage. I have never seen this and after a google search, didn’t find anything. So, surely someone on here knows!
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I believe they are called a postilion or postillion
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A carriage can be controlled by the coachman from the box or by a postillion. A postillion driven coach is a carriage that is controlled by riders on the near hand horses.
The act of “posting” came from what postillions did when horses were at a road trot…to save their back sides.
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Rabbit hole, but the wikipedia page for postillion states “Posting to the trot” is quite different in action from the customary “rising to the trot”.
Which is an opinion taken from this person’s page: http://www.meredithmanor.edu/features/articles/drm/riding_trot.asp
What? Quite the example of why wikipedia should not be used as a definitive resource for information…
I wondered what determines whether they use a coachman or a postillion, so I looked it up. They use a postillion coach for events where it’s really important for the occupants to be seen, like a Royal wedding.
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Intro level dressage tests say “All trot work to be ridden rising”.
Training and First Level both say “All trot work may be ridden sitting or rising, unless otherwise stated.” .
Second level says “all trot work must be done sitting.”
“to the” ???
So interesting! I honestly thought that was more distracting than normal. I think it is partly due to the fact that it is uneven!
Thanks for the info everyone!! Learned something new today
For those not familiar with Arlington National Cemetery or the Caisson Platoon, and its ceremonial role.
More info
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Here are some at Royal Ascot this spring, with a slightly harrowing few minutes
