1 week ago
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The Household Cavalry horses that were injured after their blind-panic bolt through London on Wednesday are being 'closely observed', the Army said.
Two of the animals underwent surgery overnight on Wednesday and were said to be in a 'serious condition' by defence minister James Cartlidge on Thursday morning.
A British Army spokesperson said later in the day that it was 'too early to know' whether either will be able to return to official duties.
Four of the horses who broke loose have now been named: Vida, Trojan, Quaker and Tennyson.
Both Vida and Quaker were operated on overnight, with the latter being moved to an equine hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning for further specialist treatment, the Army said in a statement.
Two of the horses underwent surgery overnight on Wednesday and were said to be in a 'serious condition'
New footage uncovered on Friday showed the runaway Household Cavalry horses crashing through parked electric bikes
One horse, Tennyson, slammed into a tour bus parked on Buckingham Palace Road
Vida was the grey horse seen in videos and images from Wednesday covered in blood galloping through central London, alongside black horse Trojan, and has since returned to its stables at the Hyde Park Barracks.
New footage uncovered on Friday shows the horses running across a road and crashing through parked e-bikes.
A group of seven horses and six soldiers from the Household Cavalry were on an extended exercise in Belgravia on Wednesday when the horses were spooked by builders moving rubble at 8.20am.
Four service personnel were thrown from their horses as the animals bolted and fled through busy city streets on a rampage that lasted two hours.
Five people, including three soldiers riding the horses, were injured in three separate incidents during the ordeal.
The horses slammed into a tour bus parked on Buckingham Palace Road and a taxi outside the Clermont Hotel - smashing their windows - before two were seen running through Aldwych with their chests covered in blood.
They ran for six miles through the capital before finally being caught in Limehouse, east London.
Leading equine charity, The Horse Trust, has offered to rescue them if they are unable to return to military duty.
Vida, the blood-soaked grey seen running down Fleet Street with Trojan, underwent surgery for injuries consistent with 'serious lacerations' and is now recovering in the Hyde Park Barracks.
Tennyson who the horse who ran into a double-decker bus, smashing its windscreen
Is is believed that the five horses were spooked when some cement was dropped by the travelator onto the ground
Rubble being moved from a building on Wilton Crescent Wilton Crescent, a street in the Belgravia area, where builders using a travelator with concrete are believed to have spooked the horses
Vida (white horse) and Trojan (black horse) on their rampage through London after being 'spooked by builders moving rubble' are in a 'serious condition'
Vida (white horse) and Trojan (black horse) bolted and went on a six-mile rampage through central London on Wednesday
The horses were pursued by a police car before they were finally caught by officers on the Highway near Limehouse
The serviceman was treated by paramedics on the road after the incident
A blue tarpaulin tent was put up around the injured soldier on Wednesday
Emergency services rushed to the scene after shocking reports of the rampaging horses
Vida is believed to have a history of being spooked and even allegedly kicked a soldier in the head during the King's Coronation, where he usually carries a trumpeter from the Household Cavalry.
Quaker, a black stallion, was more seriously injured after it is believed he smashed into the side of a silver Mercedes Taxi, leading to a life-saving surgery at an undisclosed equine hospital on Wednesday night.
In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, the British Army said: 'Every one of the horses involved continues to be cared for and closely observed.
'Two of the injured horses have been operated on, with one transferred to an equine hospital.
'All our horses receive the highest standards of care, and those that did not undergo surgery are expected to return to duty in due course.'
The Army said three soldiers who were injured would 'recover fully and return to duty'.
Quaker smashed into a silver Mercedes taxi, shattering the windows and leaving deep dents with specks of blood splattered across the side
They white horse was taken towards the horsebox but it became apparent that the animal had injured its leg
A soldier was seen bandaging its rear left leg in addition to other bandages stemming the bleeding
The last two horses were finally caught outside the Glamis Estate in Limehouse, east London
A British Army spokesperson said on Friday that the force hoped both injured horses would make a recovery, but that 'whether they will recover enough to return to official duties, it's too early to know for sure'.
'The extent of the injuries is not completely clear but we don't believe at this stage there are any broken bones,' the spokesperson added.
Ambulance crews treated four people on Wednesday in three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square, and at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, in the space of just 10 minutes.
The drama began near Buckingham Palace Road where witnesses saw a serviceman thrown from his horse, and one of the loose animals crashed into a taxi waiting outside the Clermont Hotel, shattering windows.
Two horses were then seen running in the road near Aldwych, one of which appeared to be covered in blood, which the Army said was 'consistent with lacerations'.
Mr Cartlidge told Sky News on Thursday: 'There were five horses. They have all been recovered. Three of them are fine, two of them are unfortunately in a relatively serious condition and obviously we will be monitoring that condition.'
He added: 'They are in a serious condition, but as I understand, still alive.'
Jordan Pettitt, 26, who works for the PA news agency, said the grey horse was 'vividly' stained red with blood and he heard a black horse collide with a taxi.
The animals were later seen near the Limehouse Tunnel, before they were recaptured by City of London Police and taken away to be assessed by Army vets.
What is the Household Cavalry?
The Household Cavalry Regiment is an elite cavalry unit, taking part in every major conflict since 1660.
It is made up of the two most senior regiments in the British Army: The Life Guards and The Blues & Royals.
It is divided into the Household Cavalry Regiment and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
The Household Cavalry Regiment is the operational unit, providing an armoured reconnaissance capability with the state-of-the-art AJAX armoured fighting vehicle.
Soldiers are first are foremost armoured reconnaissance experts but also specialise in other battle winning capabilities, including snipers, anti-tanks, remotely piloted air systems, and information activity.
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is the ceremonial face of the regiment, conducting mounted state and public duties in London.
Since 1660, the soldiers of Household Cavalry have acted as the monarch’s trusted guardians, as well as being the public face of the British Army both at home and abroad.
Their prestige and horsemanship takes them across the UK and the rest of the world on key international events, all whilst representing the Monarch and the Nation.
The mounted regiment is based at Hyde Park barracks in Knightsbridge, London.
Source: Army/Household Cavalry
