Medieval Times horseback riding vacation at Buena Park, CA

Medieval Knights go on horseback riding vacation at Buena Park in California

Medieval Makeover

The gallant knights and dinner menu at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament recently got a makeover fit for kings. The 25-year-old dinner show has scrapped its bright floor-to-ceiling hues in favor of a royal look befitting the pageantry of its jousting show; the $1.5 million project included new arena seating, additional ticket booths, plank vinyl flooring, upgraded wood furniture and custom-made wall tapestries. February will feature the new knights-on-horses show.

Some of the most talented Medieval Times cast members are the horses.

The Horses of Medieval Times

Some of the most talented Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament cast members are the horses. The magnificent stallions are born performers. Nearly all of their more than 400 horses are raised at Medieval Times’ Chapel Creek Ranch in Sanger, Texas.

The Pure Spanish Horse was prized by medieval royalty for its astonishing strength, agility and even temperament.

Chapel Creek Ranch

Opened in 1991, the 241-acre Chapel Creek Ranch in North Texas is home to Quarter Horses, Friesians and Menorcans, as well as the Pure Spanish Horses the company breeds. The Pure Spanish Horse was prized by medieval royalty for its astonishing strength, agility and even temperament.

Spanish Andalusian horses featured at Medieval Times

“Medieval Times originated in Spain, so it was natural that the creators chose the great Spanish Andalusian breed for its shows,” said Kerry D. Graves, vice president, marketing & sales for Medieval Times. “Andalusians stand higher than most others and their bodies are muscular and strong while also very flexible, which helps them perform in the shows as they did in the military during the medieval ages.”

Training begins early with Medieval Times horses.

Advanced level dressage at Medieval Times

Training begins early. As weanlings, Medieval Times horses are introduced to lead ropes and halters. Saddles come at age two. Long reins and simple exercises such as lunging follow. At age three, the horses move to their new homes — one of nine North American Castles — where they learn advanced-level dressage from a master horse trainer. Then life as a pampered performer begins.

After a few years in the spotlight, the Medieval Times horses move back to the Chapel Creek Ranch. There, the horses live out their lives in royal treatment.

This knight take a horseback riding holiday in Buena, Park, California

How this Medieval horseback riding vacation came to be

The concept of an 11th century-style dinner attraction was first launched in 1973 on the Spanish island of Majorca. Ten years later Medieval Times opened its first dinner attraction in Kissimmee, Florida.

Medieval Times not your ordinary horseback riding vacation. Have you been josting on horseback? — Medieval Times not your ordinary horseback riding vacation. Have you been jousting on horseback?

Medieval Times is on Twitter and Facebook. For all things travel-related, follow Nancy D. Brown on Twitter as well as Writing Horseback for horseback riding vacation news, and PLEASE like us on Facebook – Writing Horseback on Facebook. Photos courtesy of Matt Petit for Davis Barber Productions, Inc.

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