PRODUCTIONS: PUMPKINS AND CARRIAGES OF THE KING

DIRECTOR

PRODUCER

DURATION

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FORMAT

Francesco Adolini

SD Cinematografica

28 Min.

HD

Lightning and Hurricane gallop side by side in an overgrown field pulling a carriage that bounces on the grass. Above are Agostino Laura and Veronica. He is a restorer of vintage carriages and these days he is restoring two carriages registered as farm wagons in 1950. Seven carriages are kept in the basement of his country house, right next to the pumpkins put to dry, wine and oil. . Despite the fairytale suggestions, Laura and Veronica are not crystal slippers. In his stable, Agostino raises twenty black Dutch Friesian horses, an elegant and imposing draft breed that he uses for work in the fields, for fairs and for horseback riding, but above all for "sport and traditional attack" competitions. or the carriage races. His friend Cataldo, with his experience as a competition judge, helps him in training and also in the restoration activity. To reward them for so much work, Agostino takes his Friesians to gallop on the beach to the castle of Santa Severa. Not far from Agostino's stable there is the state breeding center of the Lipizzan horse, a noble breed of draft and work horses with a light gray coat that originated in the imperial breeding of Maria Theresa of Austria. These horses arrived in Italy as part of the peace negotiations after the first great war. At the end of the Second World War, after a daring rescue of 100 specimens, they found their home in the province of Rome. Alessandro Guerra takes care of each of them from birth and the breeding is conducted in the wild. The mares freely choose the place they like best for mating and for giving birth that takes place in the wild. It is in respect of this free nature that Alessandro builds his relationship with each foal, and together with Diego he takes care of taming them according to the principles of gentle taming. The peculiar traits of the Lipizzaner breed, their elegant bearing, resistance to work, learning ability and docility are combined with the symbolic value of these horses, which are testimony of brotherhood and union between the European countries that are committed to conservation. and enhancement of this breed. The best of these horses will go into the force of the carabinieri or will be used for the "elegant attack" of representative carriages. The equestrian tradition, and in particular that of the elegant attack by representation, have been present in the Lazio territory since the times of the Etruscan civilization. In particular, the archaeological site of the ancient city of Eretum, whose king was buried together with his two faithful horses attached to the carriage, is right near the stables of Augustine and Alexander's stud farm. During the night Sissi, one of Agostino's mares, gave birth to the little filly Contessa who timidly manages to get on her feet a few hours after giving birth, to continue the long journey that horses and human beings have traveled since prehistoric times, in a relationship of mutual trust between two complementary beings.