Taking it to the streets
bring over Marc to represent Member of the Executive Board and COO Marc
Bolland.
As if he knows we're talking about him, Freddy snorts; it is his way of
telling Wouter that he is ready to get out in the sunshine and onto the
streets. We approach the horses and they loom magnificently in their
stables; lined up like colonels in a regimented infantry. This is perhaps
fitting, because that's exactly how the Shires started off: as heavy draft
animals capable of pulling heavy artillery canons over short distances. "It
was Napolean who figured it out," says Wouter. "His army took Shires similar
to those that carried knights in armour in medieval times, and trained them
to be calm under battle conditions, with explosions all around them." The
Shires replaced the Royal Dutch Warm-Blooded Horses (KWPN) that were
used for many years until 1984. "The KWPN were good horses but the
Shires are better for this kind of work, they're 'cold-blooded' which means
that they are more stable." Wouter's love for horses—his father a mounted
police officer, his grandfather a coachman—is evident in the way he
handles the reins as we sit up in the driver's seat, as the horses are
strapped by Martin and Johan to the Daily dray. "They say it's like playing a
piano," he jokes as he holds the leather reins in his gloved hands. We're
ready to roll.
We come out of the stables, the noise of 1.5 kilo horseshoes hitting the
ground under two of the world's most powerful equestrians is impressive.
Marcel van den Nouwland, the stables blacksmith, has recently put on new
shoes but they'll have to be replaced in 4-5 weeks; they don't last too long
along the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam. The Shires even have special
shoes put on for winter. "It can get slippery, they need the extra traction
going up over the bridges," explains Wouter as we swing into traffic on one
of Amsterdam's busiest boulevards. Bikes whizz by; cars honk at each
other; taxis cut into lanes and trams clang as they pass by. The Shires don't
even flinch. "No, we've never had an accident, not even close," Wouter
explains with a laugh, adding that the only thing that even slightly annoys
the horse is the occasional cyclist who tries to pet the horses as they ride
by. "They think they'll like it but they don't understand that the horses can't
see them and they get irritated, it's not nice for them. That's only once in a
while. Most people take pictures, maybe give them something to eat." As if
on cue, a woman holds up her child to get a good look at the Shires as they
pass by. The little girl waves and Wouter returns the wave with a big smile.
This is a man who clearly loves his job.
He leads the team over a pre-determined route through Amsterdam
that allows the maximum number of people to see the animals. "We go
down this street here," he says, talking to the horses in a mix of English and
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