Devendra Kumar
A dramatic scene unfolded in central London on Wednesday when seven horses and six soldiers from the Household Cavalry were on an extended exercise in Belgravia. The horses were spooked by builders moving rubble, causing them to become loose and gallop through the streets, leaving a trail of chaos and destruction in their wake. The incident began when the horses, including Vida and Quaker, were startled by the commotion and began to run wildly through the streets, causing panic among pedestrians and drivers.
As the horses galloped through the streets, they smashed into vehicles, including a double-decker bus, and caused injuries to people on the streets. Witnesses described seeing a serviceman thrown from his horse and one of the loose animals crashing into a taxi, shattering the windows. The incident lasted for just 10 minutes, but the aftermath was significant, with ambulance crews treating four people in three separate incidents and the injured horses being tended to by veterinarians.
The British Army has not ruled out the possibility that the injured horses may not be able to return to official duties, but says it is too early to know for certain. Two of the horses, Vida and Quaker, underwent surgery overnight, with Vida being transferred to an equine hospital for further specialist treatment. The other horses that broke loose, Trojan, Quaker, and Tennyson, are being closely observed and cared for, with video footage and images from the incident showing Vida, covered in blood, galloping through central London alongside Trojan.
Three soldiers who were injured in the incident are expected to make a full recovery and return to duty. The British Army is hoping that both injured horses will make a recovery, but it is unclear at this time whether they will be able to return to official duties. The incident has raised questions about the safety of horses in urban areas and the measures taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. Despite the chaos and destruction caused, there have been no reports of fatalities, and the incident has been described as a “rare” occurrence.