There once was a very famous man
On his famous horse he'd ride through the land
The people used to see him everywhere
When he died, they put a statue in the square
So say the opening lyrics of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band in their song, The Equestrian Statue.
It came to mind yesterday as I strolled from Victoria to Charing Cross, via Parliament Square and Whitehall. This area of London is to equestrian statues what the Coolmore stud is to horse racing. Amongst the people I passed were Charles I, George IV, Richard the Lionheart and George, Duke of Clarence.
Now there is thought to be a protocol about equestrian statues relating to the number of hooves that touch the floor. If the statue has two touching then the rider was killed in action, if they have three touching then they died subsequently of injuries received in battle. if all four feet are on the ground they died of non-battle related causes.
The statue of Earl Haig in Whitehall does contradict this theory . His equestrian statue has one hoof off the ground, although there is no evidence to suggest he suffered injuries in the various campaigns he was involved in, except PTSD, something unheard of in his time.
Backing the theory ,however, are the Civil War monument in Gettysburg and at Waterloo in Belgium where the statues have consistency with the theory.
And did you know that Parliament Square in 1926 was made into the first ever roundabout, I didn't?
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