The Percheron stallions of Le Haras du Pin get into the Chinese mood for Normandy 2014
As we all know it is the Chinese Year of the Horse from 31st January 2014 to 18th February 2015, although to be more correct it is the Year of the Wood Horse. It's a year that doesn't come around too frequently - the next Year of the Horse will be from 17th February 2026 to 5th February 2027 so make sure you make the most of it!
Of course the highlight for the horse world in 2014 will be the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy but other people find different ways to mark the year
For example the Chinese themselves are going all out for equestrian themed luxury cars and Rolls Royce launched its Majestic Horse Collection in November 2013
According to the Rolls-Royce press release they are “a limited number of Bespoke Rolls-Royce Ghosts that take inspiration from classical interpretations of the horse in traditional Chinese art. The cars present a contemporary re-imagining of the traditional Chinese representation of the horse in beautifully hand-crafted marquetry to the dashboard and embroidery to the headrest and cushions. The exterior is exquisitely finished with horse motif, hand-applied to the twin coachlines.
The collection also times with the Chinese Zodiac, Year of the Horse, being celebrated in 2014. The convergence of two key themes of this highly auspicious year can be seen in the dashboard’s hand-crafted marquetry. In traditional Chinese cultures, an ‘element’ is celebrated in conjunction with an animal. For the first time in over half a century, the element ‘wood’ and the horse are marked in the same year”
We think we actually prefer this Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1910 that we saw at Burghley last year – now this is the way to combine horses and cars!
In case you can’t read the sign it says the car cost £2,500 to purchase new in 1910 – value now ‘a lot’! Parked next to the Members’ Marquee at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials it looked like to perfect way to get to a picnic there
