You have probably already seen Mark Atkinson's stunt horses in action without knowing it. They were on our television screens on almost a daily basis for the advertisement for Virgin Trains (the one where Native American Indians on horseback gallop alongside the train).

They have also been in the recent television costume drama Lilies and are set to make their big screen debut in the new Brideshead Revisited film.

Mark Atkinson is a former dairy farmer who took the bold step of diversifying 15 years ago and has carved out a niche career for himself, providing and training stunt horses for the television and film industry, and public displays.

It all began when one of his customers mentioned that he was taking part in a historical re-enactment. Mark and his wife Jill had already started the livery service and riding school at their farm in the village of Eastrington, near Howden, which remains a core part of the business. Mark was taken by the idea that if Royalists and Roundheads were going head-to-head at the re-enactment at Fort Paull, near Hull, they would need a few horses to do so.

The seed of an idea was planted and it wasn't long before Mark was in discussion with the English Civil War Society about hiring out his horses for re-fighting old battles.

"At first it was all very new to us and the horses," says Mark. "So to help with the training we had to get friends from the village to improvise by banging and clattering dustbin lids and things to try to recreate the noise and chaos of a battlefield."

Since those early days, Mark has also forged links with the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, English Heritage and the Sealed Knot Society, and now regularly supplies and trains horses for their displays and re-enactments.

It was through this involvement that he spotted a gap in the market for training horses for medieval-themed jousting events
and displays.

"There are only a handful of people in this line of work in the country and I realised that there was a shortage of horses trained to take part.

"It's one of the most difficult things that you can train a horse to do – so at first I used to go along to the Royal Armouries Museum and watch what they did. When they tried a couple of my horses, it worked out well and they have used them ever since."

Mark is now working with a 14-year old cob called Ted, who made his jousting debut at the Royal Armouries at Easter and proved to be a natural. Ted, who is in livery with Mark and Gill, is being readied for the Grand Medieval Joust at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire at the Bank Holiday weekend. Ted's owner hunts during the winter months and is more than happy for her horse to take part in the jousting during the summer.

Mark is looking forward to seeing Ted in action at Bosolver Castle. "It's a great place and a fantastic event. You need a horse that isn't overwhelmed by excitement at an event like that and Ted is doing really well."

According to Mark, it is attitude, rather than breeding, than makes a good jousting horse. "I've tried Spanish horses and Friesians, which are great for film work. But I found that there's no one particular type of horse that is good for jousting.

"It needs to be a horse that a novice can ride. Basically, the horse needs to be biddable, brave and patient because it has to be able to stand still and wait before the joust. One of the most difficult aspects of the training is getting the horses used to the full-plate armour that the riders wear – it's the real thing, not a light-weight costume version.

"It's often better for a horse to have seen a bit of life before you start training it for jousting. Ideally, they will have been to other events or maybe out hunting first as that makes them easier to teach."

Although Mark usually concentrates on training horses for jousts and other events, he is required to take on the action man role, and will take part in a jousting display later this year.

One of his favourite jobs is the annual "Fire and Demons" show at the Royal Armouries Museum on Hallowe'en.

He said: "It's really good fun and such a spectacle to watch because there are lots of stunts, tricks and fire."

It's certainly a lot more varied than dairy cattle. One job saw him providing horses for a publicity stunt in the foyer of the Harvey Nichols store in the centre of Leeds. The specialist nature of the service that he provides means that he has gained a reputation as an expert in his field and offers of film, television and display work continue to flood in.

At a local level, Mark's experience of jousting has enabled him to offer a wider range of lessons to young riders who visit him for schooling.

He added: "Little lads who come for lessons really love the jousting as it's something different and exciting, but also makes them feel quite tough!"

The Grand Medieval Joust at Bolsover Castle is on Sunday and Monday, May 4 and 5. Billed as a genuine battle of skill, audiences will see riders compete in jousting and skills-at-arms. There will be also be a falconry display, wandering minstrels and a chance for children to find out if they've got what it takes to be a medieval knight. For information, visit www. english-heritage. org.uk or to book tickets ,call 0870 333 1183.

Mark Atkinson's Action Horses are based at the Asselby Grange Livery Yard and Riding School in Eastrington, near Howden.