Our Lives S06E13 - Trick Pony Club

Jousting knights on horseback and gun-slinging, acrobatic cowboys. This is the life of Scotland's stunt horse team. They travel the length of the UK performing exhilarating stunt shows.

Whilst most riders are trying to stay on their horses, this troupe train to fall off. That's no laughing matter, when you're working with horses that can weigh up to 400 kg, the weight of a grand piano.

Based on a farm just outside Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, the team divulge the secrets of skilled stunt choreography and show-stopping performances. Lances and swords, trick guns and period costumes are all staples for the team. In Lancashire, they perform a Wild West show with a horse-drawn carriage. But not all goes to plan, and the storyline of the show must adapt on the spot.

At Traquair House, a local historic home, the team transport the crowd back to medieval times with a jousting tournament and a barbaric knight who will stop at nothing to defeat his adversaries. Some of the younger stunt riders are involved in the tradition of common riding. Quite the spectacle, this is an annual event in the towns of the Borders where hundreds of locals gather together for a horseback ride.

Camaraderie, showmanship and daredevil stunts – these are the bread and butter of the Trick Pony Club.