Other Names: Drum Horse Origin: British Isles Color: Traditionally, drum horses are nearly always spotted-- usually black or bay tobiano with a rare sabino popping up occasionally. Frame and splash overo patterns are not native to the British Isles, and so they have not been seen in the drum horse. Avg Height: 16.0 hh and over

History: Although they have the same characteristics, British Drum Horses are not an official breed; they are a type of horse sharing similar characteristics. They are also very rare as there are only a small group bred, raised and trained for the ceremonial British cavalry. In the past, drum horses were recruited in the way that if an officer saw a suitable horse on his travels, he would purchase it. Although colored heavy drafts have never been particularly common, this was not a problem as only a handful of horses were ever required. The horses could be of any breeding and from any background, as long as they were of the right type. For instance, one horse was bought from dairy in Glasgow, where he pulled a milk float in the early 1960s. However, with the reduction in working horses over the last fifty years, replacements for retiring horses became gradually more difficult to find. Finally, in the 1980's, the Queen of England decided that in the future, the Crown would have to provide its own horses. Presently, a tobiano Dutch Warmblood stallion, owned by Her Majesty, supplies the pinto element; it is thought that the mares used are either Clydesdales or Shires. The breeding program is probably based at Sandringham, England, where Her Majesty's Thoroughbreds are kept, though this is not known for sure. The Dutch Warmblood stallion, whose name is Mars, is available to outside mares. Drum horses' names are traditionally taken from Classical Greek or Roman myth or history; for example, there is one drum horse whose name is Hercules Cicero.