Three military horses that ran loose through central London earlier this year will line up for Trooping the Colour on Saturday. Five Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) horses were hurt as they bolted through the capital after being spooked by rubble dropped through a plastic tunnel on an exercise in Belgravia on 24 April.
The horses have been recovering in „expert respite care“ and the army said Tennyson, Trojan, and Vanquish showed „aptitude and eagerness“. Tennyson will be riding in the prestigious Sovereign’s Escort, while Trojan and Vanquish will join the King’s Life Guard at Horse Guards, providing the ceremonial guard for the official entrance to the Royal Palaces.
„Tennyson has returned to service without missing a step,“ said Captain Charles Carr-Smith, 1 Troop Leader in the Life Guards Squadron of HCMR. „Knowing that this brilliant horse will once again carry its rider carefully down the Mall or canter off, leaping over log piles in Melton Mowbray, is a comfort to our less experienced riders, who will undoubtedly scramble to put their names alongside his, for daily exercise.“
The other two more seriously injured horses from April’s incident, Vida and Quaker, remain at charity The Horse Trust and „will do so for as long as they need“. Three of the five riders hurt in the incident have recovered and are back on duty, while the other two are expected to return later.
Confirmation of the horses‘ participation in the event comes after animal rights group Peta wrote to the army urging them to withdraw the horses and retire them permanently. Kate Werner, Peta’s senior campaigns manager, said in the letter: „Tradition is never an excuse for animal suffering, and each horse deserves to live free from the stress they endure when paraded through a busy, loud capital city with a human on their back, all for the amusement of noisy, unpredictable crowds.“
Trooping the Colour, held on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall to celebrate the monarch’s official birthday, will be attended by the King after he returned to public-facing duties. Charles will inspect the soldiers from a carriage rather than on horseback, it is understood.
In conclusion, the participation of the three military horses in Trooping the Colour showcases their resilience and dedication to their duties despite the challenges they faced earlier this year. Their recovery and return to service highlight the bond between these majestic animals and their riders, as well as the importance of their role in ceremonial events. The event will undoubtedly be a proud moment for the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and a testament to the strength and spirit of these remarkable horses.
