Martin Clunes: Horsepower

From remotest Mongolia to the Windsor Greys of Buckingham Palace, horse lover Martin Clunes travels the world to unlock the secrets of a partnership which shaped the world. For many centuries humankind was dependent on equine power for warfare, ceremony, farming, transport and pleasure. Today, the horse is still an important part of our world in many ways. Martin unravels the true story of how humans and horses first got together, and what the horse still means to us in the modern era.

Martin Clunes concludes his worldwide search to discover the secrets of man's partnership with horses, from their first contact in central Asia some 6000 years ago right through to their uses in the 21st century. To experience the bond between man and horse at first hand, Martin watches the colourful Palio horse race in Italy, which dates back to the 13th century when the local aristocracy raced their horses against each other as a way to measure their own status and superiority. Martin rides into battle on horseback in a suit of armour at Warwick Castle and joins the pomp and ceremony as horses and carriages are prepared for the State Opening of Parliament. On a visit to the USA, he sees how rodeo horses are treated like kings in Las Vegas - where the more they buck, the better the crowds liked them. Finally he travels to the remotest parts of central Asia, where he meets some of the world's greatest horsepeople.