Among the 242 horses due to attend The King’s Birthday Parade this Saturday is Tennyson, who was one of the five Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment horses injured after being spooked by noisy building works while on extended exercises in Belgravia in April.
Immediately following the incident, Military Working Horses Tennyson, Trojan and Vanquish received emergency veterinary treatment for their injuries, before undergoing rehabilitation at Hyde Park Barracks and then a period of expert respite care in rolling fields at equine charity The Horse Trust.
Tennyson has returned to service without missing a step. His return has lifted the spirits of those in 1 Troop the Life Guards."CAPTAIN CHARLES CARR-SMITH, THE LIFE GUARDS SQUADRON, HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY MOUNTED REGIMENT
Their recovery was so swift and successful that they returned to service last month. Since then, they have been gradually reacclimatised to London life and have shown such aptitude and eagerness that they’re all now back on duty.
Tennyson will be riding in the prestigious Sovereign’s Escort at the rear rank of the second division on Saturday’s King’s Birthday Parade. Trojan and Vanquish will also be back in the public eye as part of The King’s Life Guard at Horse Guards, providing the ceremonial guard for the official entrance to the Royal Palaces on this, the most important date in the Royal Calendar.
Tennyson will be ridden by Corporal of Horse Harvey, the Life Guards Squadron Equitation Instructor and the most experienced rider in the division, to give the horse extra confidence on this, his first major parade since the incident in April.
The riders caught up in the incident are also doing well, with three of the five who sustained injuries, recovered and back on duty. The remaining two solders continue to make good progress in their recovery and are expected to return to duty in due course. The two more seriously injured horses, Vida and Quaker, are still enjoying their peaceful countryside respite care at The Horse Trust and will do so for as long as they need.
Everyone at The Horse Trust is so proud and happy to see Trojan, Vanquish and Tennyson back on parade. Anything we have done to help them complete their recovery, to the point of returning to full duties, means a great deal to us. "JEANETTE ALLEN, THE HORSE TRUST
Captain Charles Carr-Smith, 1 Troop Leader, The Life Guards Squadron, Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment said:
“Military Working Horse Tennyson is the epitome of a Cavalry Black. Bold and brave as a war horse should be, yet a gentleman to ride and groom. Tennyson has returned to service without missing a step. His return has lifted the spirits of those in 1 Troop the Life Guards. Knowing that this brilliant horse will once again carry its rider carefully down the Mall or canter off, leaping over log piles in Melton Mowbray, is a comfort to our less experienced riders, who will undoubtedly scramble to put their names alongside his, for daily exercise. Due to so many well-wishers sending in mints, it goes without saying that Tennyson has the freshest breath of any horse on parade!”
Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive, The Horse Trust said:
“Everyone at The Horse Trust is so proud and happy to see Trojan, Vanquish and Tennyson back on parade. Anything we have done to help them complete their recovery, to the point of returning to full duties, means a great deal to us. We also thank the public for their continued support of our charity in providing dignified retirements to all types of public service horses and perhaps one day, in the hopefully distant future, these boys may return to live out their days here at the end of their service. Their friends Vida and Quaker are still enjoying their peaceful countryside respite with us and will so do for as long as they need.”