Two military horses in London were injured after bolting through the streets due to construction noise, leaving chaos in their wake. This incident occurred during routine exercises near Buckingham Palace, with the horses causing havoc as they galloped through the city during morning rush hour. Three of the soldiers who were riding the horses were hospitalized but were expected to recover. Witnesses saw the horses narrowly avoiding collisions with various vehicles, causing damage along the way. The horses, part of the Household Cavalry, named Vida, Quaker, Trojan, and Tennyson, were eventually captured and taken back to barracks.
The horses, named Vida and Quaker, were among four that broke free and ran loose in central London. Vida, a white horse, was covered in blood and seen running alongside Quaker, a black horse, as they navigated the city streets. The horses had close encounters with various vehicles, with one horse crashing into a taxi and another into a tour bus along the way. Footage captured by witnesses showed the chaos caused by the loose horses as they raced through the city, avoiding cyclists and motorbikes at traffic lights. The incident was deemed rare by defense minister James Cartlidge, as the army typically trains with about 150 horses every day without incident.
Following the incident, two of the horses underwent operations and were in serious condition, while the other two were said to be fine. The soldiers who were thrown from the horses were hospitalized but expected to fully recover. The damage caused by the loose horses as they ran through London’s streets included shattered taxi windows and a smashed bus windshield. The animals had been training for an upcoming military parade when they were spooked by construction noise in a nearby neighborhood, leading to their escape from their riders.
The annual inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment took place at Hyde Park a day after the incident, with over 150 horses and close to 200 participants demonstrating their readiness for summer pageantry. The event showcased mounted riders in elaborate uniforms accompanied by a brass band, showcasing the precision and discipline of the regiment despite the rare incident that occurred. The horses, integral to the ceremonial guard of the monarch and state functions, were involved in the incident due to the construction noise that spooked them during their routine exercises near Buckingham Palace.
Despite the chaos caused by the escaped horses in central London and their subsequent capture, defense minister James Cartlidge emphasized that no serious injuries were reported to the public. The incident was considered unusual given the daily training routines of the army involving horses, with the situation being closely monitored to ensure the well-being of the animals. The horses, Vida, Quaker, Trojan, and Tennyson, were eventually returned to the barracks following the chaos they caused as they ran through the city. The incident highlighted the challenges and risks involved in working with animals, even in carefully planned and controlled environments such as military exercises near the royal palace.
