HORSES
AS GIFTS
Some
Famous People and their Gift Horses
Gift
Horse Delights Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Nobody is sure why Tony Blair didn't accept whole-heartedly
the gift of a foal while on holiday in the south-west
of France. Kathryn Blair, Tony Blair's daughter, was over
the moon when she received the gift of a foal of the Pyrenees
Merens breed from the Municipality of Saint-Martin d'Oydes.
But, of course, there is nowhere to keep it near Downing
Street. Kathryn has been taking riding lessons in Oxfordshire.
The foal, however, was left in the safe-keeping of a local
family who have children who can ride it.
Security-General
Kofi Anann and his wife Nane Anann receive a Gift Horse
in Turkmenistan Oct 2002.
On wednesday 23rd of October before leaving Ashgabat,
the Secretary-General stopped at the National Hippodrome
in Turkmenistan to view the Akhalteke a rare breed of
horse which is said to be the oldest breed of horse in
the world going back some 4000 years. They are renowned
for their speed and endurance. There are only about 1500
individual horses in the whole country. Koffi Anann was
offered as a gift a rare golden stallion called Kenar,
the colouring being unique to the breed.
Should
former Prime Minister John Major have looked in the horses
mouth when he received it as a gift from the President
of Turmenistan?
A spirited highly strung Akhalteke horse was given
to John Major as a gift from the President of Turkmenistan
which created a series of totally unintended diplomatic
embarrassments. Months went by before Maksat the £30,000
horse was collected from its stables - giving offence
to the President; and then after a long journey from
central Asia it was rejected by the Queen's Life Guards
as to frisky.
Robert.E.
Lee and the Civil War Gift Horse.
In 1861 General Robert Lee whilst in command of the
Wise Legion camped near the Big Sewell Mountains spotted
a horse which took his fancy. He referred to it as 'my
colt'. When winter approached General Lee was ordered
to go to South Carolina whereupon to his surprise he came
across the colt again still being ridden by its original
owner. He was offered it as a gift but declined the offer
but averred he would like to have it for a week to assess
its capabilities eg 'look in the horses mouth'. If after
this assessment he was still interested in it he would
agree to buy it from its present owner. As the owner was
suffering form a bad attack of camp fever he agreed to
the sale at 200 dollars. The horse survived the war and
was known as Traveller - yes! spelled the English way
with two l's.- and General
Lee asked for its pedigree.
Elizabeth
Taylor and the Gift Horse in National Velvet.
Elizabeth Taylor admitted on the Larry King Show that
she actually rode the horse in all the scenes of National
Velvet with no stunt doubles to help. She said 'I had
to do it. Everyone was afraid of the horse but me'. She
was given the horse as a gift after the filming ws over
- January 4th 2004.
[Back to Gift Horse 1] [Gift
Horse 3]
