Three military horses bolted through central London on Monday, the second incident in three months involving army animals breaking loose in the capital.
Six horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment were taking part in a routine exercise under the control of five soldiers when the lead horse broke loose after being spooked by a London bus. This then led to two riders being unseated from their mounts, which also became loose.
Dashcam footage from a taxi showed one of the animals running into the bonnet of a car at a junction in Pimlico, central London.
The animals bolted from Seville Street to South Eaton Place in Belgravia, where one horse was recovered. Two horses continued to Vauxhall Bridge via Belgrave Road before being stopped.
The Ministry of Defence said all horses were collected and returned to Hyde Park Barracks by 9.55am.
None of the three horses were involved in a previous bolting incident on 24 April, the MoD added.
An army spokesperson said: “We can confirm that, whilst exercising this morning, 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.”
A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: “We’re aware that a number of horses were loose in central London and worked with the army to locate them. We’re pleased to confirm that all of the horses have been accounted for. We are continuing to liaise with the army.”
In April, service personnel were thrown from their horses when they bolted after being spooked by rubble dropped through a plastic tunnel while on an exercise in Belgravia.
The five horses smashed into vehicles, including a double-decker bus, and caused a number of injuries.
Ambulance crews treated four people in three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square and at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, in the space of 10 minutes.
Three of the injured horses, Trojan, Tennyson and Vanquish, were back on duty “against all expectations” and featured in the king’s birthday parade on 15 June.
The remaining two injured horses, Vida and Quaker, were said to be “enjoying a summer holiday” in the country but would return to work in due course.
As of June, three of the five riders who suffered injuries in the incident had recovered and were back on duty, while the other two were progressing in their recoveries.
