A giant wooden horse rides once a decade in Belgium
STORY: LOCATOR: Dendermonde, Belgium
This Belgian town trotted out
a larger-than-life folk ritual
Once a decade four kids ride this
giant wooden horse
Local police say this crowd
was in the tens of thousands
[Carolien Van Hecke, Director of the town's museums]
"There are twelve men who carry the horse. There are three teams of them, in total three times twelve. They change, because the horse with all the ornaments weighs 1,000 kilograms, so that's a lot. At certain moments the horse dances on the music of the band that is with it and and some moments it also greets (by staggering) certain people at certain places."
The tradition is rooted in stories
about a medieval warlord's horse
The 'Bayard steed' could change size
depending on its riders
This parade that celebrates the tale
is held every ten years
Its last appearance meant for 2020
was postponed twice
The parade is listed on UNESCO's
intangible cultural heritage list
