LANARK LANIMER DAY
An ancient celebration held within the Royal Burgh of Lanark on the Thursday between the Sixth and Twelfth days of June annually since the year 1140.
 

Horse Riding Training For Boys Of The Court

The Lanimer Committee has for many years paid for the very necessary training and the hire of the ponies and horses required for the Champion and four Outriders on Lanimer Day. This is a wee bit different from my two years as an Outrider (1948 and 1949) and then as Champion in 1950 when I had to provide my own pony or horse and it was just presumed by the Committee that I was capable of handling this during the Procession. The only assistance given was the provision of a loose box and water at what was then the Racehorse stables at Lanark Market. To feed our borrowed ponies from Monday through to the Friday of Lanimer week was beyond our schoolboy pockets and I will now confess that along with my colleague in crime a chap called David Walker we helped ourselves from the more than adequate stock of feeding stored in another loose box for the Police horses. This "hard" feeding to which our mounts were not accustomed mean they were "hyper" on Lanimer morning and gave us some trouble to keep them under control in the street and at the horse racing in the afternoon at the Racecourse. I came second in the Bottle of Brandy race! However, as stated above there is now a better provision for the boys and training is provided for the Champion, four Outriders and although until now they have not been mounted in the Procession, the same opportunity is given to the First and Second Lords so that they do not feel left out of things.

For many years this training and provision of mounts for the Procession was available locally until on the Monday of Lanimer Week in 1998 we were informed by the local stables that they could not supply the agreed five ponies for Lanimer Day! You can imagine the panic that this caused. However, by a bit of phoning around I was put in touch with Marjorie McNaughton of the Edinburgh and Lasswade Riding Stables who at extremely short notice and not inconsiderable inconvenience stepped into the breach and allowed our boys to be properly mounted.

Since then the programme that has evolved is that the boys are taken by community mini bus driven by either Ex Lord Comet Edwin Graham or myself through to Lasswade for three very full days of training as the majority of the boys have never been near a horse in their lives. They are really put through their paces from basic grooming of the ponies, tacking them up and then riding them both in the indoor ring or going out for a hack through the lovely countryside in that area. To see absolute beginners acquire the confidence and capability to walk, trot, canter and occasionally an unexpected wee gallop over three days says a lot for the control, drive and enthusiasm of Marjorie and her dedicated staff especially Head Girl Lynn.

The boys have also to feed and water their ponies before they have their own packed lunch and you should hear the grooms laughter when they have to muck out later on in the day. When we started through at Lasswade I noticed that the boys who rode with ordinary shoes and trousers were suffering from some nasty nips and bruises to their inner legs from the stirrup leathers and I suggested that the Committee should provide black rubber riding boots for the boys to use during training and also on Lanimer Day and this allowed us to stop using the cumbersome gaiters which have been part of the custom since my days in the Court! We have now built up a stock of ten pairs of boots ranging from size 6 to believe it or not size 12.

The boys are usually a wee bit nervous at first and I am always asked "What happens if I fall off?".

My answer has always been that there is not shame or disgrace in falling off as long as you get back on again immediately and I was glad of this answer as last year I was the one who came off much to the amusement of the boys at my embarrassment.

As the boys are very kindly released from Lanark Grammar School for the three days we have to report back if we (Edwin and myself) have any behavioural problems and I am pleased to say the boys have been excellent. Usually noisy and full of "go" in the drive through in the morning but much quieter on the way back as some of them are so tired out they fall asleep. On their last day which usually coincides with the Dance rehearsal with the Ladies of the Court there is a frantic rush to get a wash at the stables (they don't usually bother) and then dabbing themselves with very liberal dosages of eau to cologne and "manly" perfumes to take away the horsy smell before dancing.

As the constitution of the Lord Cornets Club states that we should do everything we can to promote horse riding as part of our traditional Lanimer activities I am sure that I can speak for Ex Lord Cornet Edwin Graham that we have enjoyed our five year contribution towards this worthy aim.

Ex Lord Cornet Lex Gibson