Household Cavalry horses that ran amok across London today are best known as ... trends now
They are the military steeds who act as the King's bodyguards, trained to ignore artillery fire and famed for standing sentinel outside royal palaces as wide-eyed tourists eagerly snap pictures.
The Household Cavalry is one of Britain's most iconic sights, renowned for their immaculate turnout during ceremonial duties and being a classic tourist attraction outside the likes of Buckingham Palace.
But today five horses from the regiment caused mayhem in London, running loose through the capital after throwing off their military riders during their morning exercise, in a rare misstep for the normally well-disciplined animals.
In scenes of pandemonium, the group of steeds were seen bolting through the city centre after becoming spooked during drills at Horse Guards Parade, in Whitehall.
One horse was spotted drenched in blood after it struck a car by Clermont Hotel, in Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria.
The military steeds act as the King's bodyguards and are trained to ignore artillery fire. They are also famed for standing sentinel outside royal palaces (pictured)
The Household Cavalry is one of Britain's most iconic sights, renowned for their immaculate turnout during ceremonial duties (Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment pictured rehearsing for the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022)
But today, a number of horses were filming bolting through central London, including one drenched in blood - in a rare misstep for the normally well disciplined animals
The horses had become spooked during a training drill, with five charging through the city. One reportedly crashed into a taxi, while another hit a double-decker bus
Meanwhile, five people, including one soldier riding one of the animals, were injured in three separate incidents. Four people have since been taken to hospital.
One of the horses has also seemingly ran into a double-decker bus, smashing its windscreen, while another reportedly crashed into a black cab.
It was a rare misstep for the horses of the elite regiment, who are among the best trained in the world.
Britain has about 500 horses split between The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Carrying a total of around 18 stone easily, these horses are some of the best behaved in the country, as they stand guard day in and day out on Whitehall.
But it takes a patience and dedication to transform them into the well-drilled animals seen outside the likes of Buckingham Palace.
The horses' journey to becoming part of Britain's mounted regiments begins when they are aged four or five.
They are transported from Ireland and broken in the UK, before they begin their work for the Cavalry - a unit they will remain in until retire.
The training each animal receives is intense and helps to transform them into some of the most well-disciplined in the world.
The woman is pictured standing next to the King's Life Guard just before she reaches out to stroke the horse, when she gets much more than she bargained for
Each horse is drilled for between eight to 10 months at the Household Cavalry Training Wing in Windsor and Hyde Park Barracks in London.
It involves the horses being regularly ridden on the streets
