Stress of life as a military horse in the capital could be to blame for animals bolting through London on two occasions over the past three months, equine expert claims
The stress of life as a military horse in the capital could be to blame for animals bolting through London on two occasions over the past three months, an equine expert has claimed.
Equine behaviourist Justine Harrison has suggested the city could be 'overwhelming' for the animals and cause them to bolt out of fear, with others following due to them being herd animals, The Guardian reported.
She told The Guardian: 'London’s sights and sounds will be overwhelming for them and no amount of training can fully prepare them for every situation they may encounter.'
The horse expert explained how some may be more predisposed to be reactive compared to others. Other factors including training, responding re-actively to pain and human error could also contribute to a horse's reactive behaviour.
Two horses pictured bolting through the streets in London near Aldwych in April this year
Dash cam footage courtesy of a black cab taxi driver shows two of three military horses which bolted through central London on July 1
She added how she imagines the Household Cavalry screens horses for calm personalities and temperaments to ensure the most suitable are selected.
Ms Harrison said how despite being confident the animal's physical needs were met, she wondered if it was the same case for behavioural as the horses are kept in stables and may not have time to graze in a more natural environment.
She said: 'The ongoing stress of this confinement will undoubtedly affect the horses behaviour, and that in turn could lead to them being more reactive.'
The specialist added how the lifestyle and training of the military horses contrasts to their natural state and that because of this, there is a risk of unintended outcomes.
Ms Harrison's comments come after military horses have bolted across London on two separate occasions recently.
Sources described the incidents as an 'unfortunate coincidence', widely reported due to the rise of smartphones and dashcams.
The incidents are said to happen more often than realised but are not normally at such a scale or captured by the public as the two recent events, and that nothing has changed to cause them.
Earlier this year in April, seven Household Cavalry horses, including one soaked with blood, ran loose in central London after throwing their military riders during their morning exercise.
The six-mile rampage left five people, including a soldier who was riding one of the horses, injured in three separate incidents. Four people were hospitalised.
The horses were spooked during their daily morning exercise on Horse Guards Parade, in Whitehall, at around 8.40am.
One of the horses has also seemingly ran into a double-decker bus, smashing its windscreen, while another reportedly crashed into a black cab.
APRIL: The distressed animal drenched in blood
On July 1 the lead horse of six became loose after being spooked by a London bus around Knightsbridge. This then led to two riders being unseated from their horses, who also became loose.
The horses, from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, were conducting a routine exercise under the control of five soldiers.
None of the three horses was involved in the previous bolting incident on April 24, the MoD previously said.
An Army spokesman previously said: 'We can confirm that, whilst exercising, three horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment became loose from their riders. They were swiftly and safely recovered.
'One horse received minor injuries, but no further treatment is required and there were no injuries to the soldiers involved.'
