Straô Serooskerke

Between February and March, the tradition of strao riding takes place in six villages on the island of Schouwen: Burgh-Haamstede, Ellemeet, Scharendijke, Serooskerke, Renesse, and Noordwelle. The highlight of strao is washing the horses' hooves in the sea, with the riders remaining seated on their horses during the process.

The riders and horses gather in the morning at a designated starting point, and around midday, they head to the beach. The exact timing varies by village.

There are two explanations for washing the horses' hooves:

• The salty seawater disinfects wounds the horses may have sustained while in the stables over the winter.
• The ride serves to drive out evil spirits.

Another important part of the tradition is decorating and judging the horses. The horses are adorned with natural materials, and riders, where possible, wear traditional clothing. The judging is carried out by a jury made up of village residents. At the end of the ride, the riders return to the village, where they are welcomed by a representative of the municipal council and the strao committee. The procession is accompanied by the local music association. Upon their return, the winners of the best-decorated horse and best-dressed rider are announced.

As an additional activity, some villages host ring jousting or running competitions with the horses and riders who participated in the strao. In the evening, festivities are held at one of the local venues. During strao, it is customary to eat schroasels (a type of flat spiced cake).

Strao riding (beach riding) is a unique celebration that only takes place on Schouwen. In the past, young farmers and farmhands would ride their horses into the sea after a winter spent in the stables to wash their hooves. It was believed that seawater had purifying and healing properties for the horses’ hooves. Older farmers still recall this well, as seawater was thought to help cure conditions like scabies or itchiness in the horses' hooves. After the ritual washing, the riders would return to the village and circle it several times.

One of the earliest mentions of strao dates back to 1643. Church records from that year highlight improper behavior, such as horse riding on Sundays and entering the churchyard with a procession of horses. As a result, strao was moved to Monday. Back then, it was one of the only additional days off for workers besides Christmas and the village fair. Around 1955, the event was shifted to Saturdays to counter the decline in participation and preserve the tradition. Today, it is not only farmers who participate, but also many horse enthusiasts, which means that alongside traditional Zeeland horses, other breeds and ponies can now also be seen in the processions.