Forget about it in the cellar for a hundred years - now a historic horse-drawn carriage has come to the museum.

René Rasmussen, museum inspector at Museum Sønderjylland - Sønderborg Castle, shares an exciting discovery: a horse that once carried King Christian X over the border into reunified Sønderjylland in 1920. The horse, named Malgré Tout, had been on loan from Visborggaard in Hadsund for the historic event. After falling ill with a hoof disease in autumn 1922, Malgré Tout was sacrificed, and one of its hooves was preserved and presented to the king as an ashes container.

At Sønderborg Castle, visitors can see the horse's uniform that the king wore during the event, as well as a dress of a little girl who was lifted onto the horse. René Rasmussen believes the horse's hoof fits perfectly into the museum's collection.

"We have gathered the museum's holy trinity from this iconic, Danish historical event," René Rasmussen beams.

Malgré Tout, the white horse that carried the king across the border, is buried just outside Hadsund. A large stone monument stands there, inscribed with:

"I, the king, crossed the border then

when Sønderjylland became Danish again."

- Since it was a historically significant animal, they decided to save a hoof, which was then treated and given to the king as an ashes container, Museum Inspector René Rasmussen explains.

One of the horse's hooves now sits on a table at Amalienborg, while another is displayed in the reunification exhibition at Sønderborg Castle. It's possible that this horse hoof was the first to cross the border when Denmark was reunited with Sønderjylland. (Photo: © (Private photo): Museum Sønderjylland)

> I guess they must have debated plate or crown for it.

> René Rasmussen

René Rasmussen, museum inspector for Museum Sønderjylland – Sønderborg Castle, grins at the question of whether he believes the displayed hoof was the first hoof to touch Danish soil.

- I don't know. But I do know that they had serious discussions about which hoof the king should have. I don't know how they decided, but I guess they must have debated plate or crown for it.

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